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fiber blanket

updated fri 20 nov 09

 

Susan Goldstein on wed 2 jun 99

I need information on fiber blanket. Who manufacturers it? Where is the
best place to buy it?

Susan

Linda Mccaleb on tue 29 sep 09


=3DA0 Hello ClayArters,=3D0A=3DA0 I have 2 paragon kilns, one new and one o=
ld. On=3D
e has a 12 key panel in front of it and the other is with a kiln sitter and=
=3D
has low, med, and high. I am worried about loosing too much heat. Should I=
=3D
use a fiber blanket around them, and on top? I am afraid of what it would =
=3D
do to the digital panel in front of one of the kilns, I don't want to ruin =
=3D
the automatic capabilities the kiln has, it has no sitter. That kiln also h=
=3D
as a 1/4 inch to a 1/3 inch gap around the top between the lid and the body=
=3D
.I know you need some gap, but I think mine is too much. It cools very fast=
=3D
when it is just shutting off from a fireing. I can ramp it down, but I wil=
=3D
l be using up a lot of I think unnecessary electricity. The small kiln cool=
=3D
s really fast after a fireing.=3D0A=3DA0 What do you think?=3D0A=3DA0 Thank=
you,=3D0A=3D
=3DA0 Linda=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A

Marcia Selsor on tue 29 sep 09


To wrap the kiln in fiber , first remove the metal casing . you may
need to expand the hose clamps if that is what is holding the metal
casing on tight. Also layer a blanket on top is a good idea as well as
spring the inside of the lid with ITC.
Marcia
On Sep 29, 2009, at 10:03 AM, Linda Mccaleb wrote:

> Hello ClayArters,
> I have 2 paragon kilns, one new and one old. One has a 12 key
> panel in front of it and the other is with a kiln sitter and has
> low, med, and high. I am worried about loosing too much heat. Should
> I use a fiber blanket around them, and on top? I am afraid of what
> it would do to the digital panel in front of one of the kilns, I
> don't want to ruin the automatic capabilities the kiln has, it has
> no sitter. That kiln also has a 1/4 inch to a 1/3 inch gap around
> the top between the lid and the body.I know you need some gap, but I
> think mine is too much. It cools very fast when it is just shutting
> off from a fireing. I can ramp it down, but I will be using up a lot
> of I think unnecessary electricity. The small kiln cools really fast
> after a fireing.
> What do you think?
> Thank you,
> Linda
>
>
>
>

Marcia Selsor
http://marciaselsor.com

Arnold Howard on tue 29 sep 09


From: "Linda Mccaleb"
That kiln also has a 1/4 inch to a 1/3 inch gap around the
top between the lid and the body.
------------
The lid should lie flat against the kiln when not in the
vented position. Does your lid have a spring
counter-balance?

Sincerely,

Arnold Howard
Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
ahoward@paragonweb.com / www.paragonweb.com

Michael Wendt on tue 29 sep 09


Linda,
I hereby commit blasphemy...
Do not insulate the kiln further. I would use the controller
to slow cool during the required portions of the cooling
process and that leaves you with the advantage of being able
to cool faster when slow cooling is not needed. Once you add
insulation, it will require you to introduce cooling air
into the kiln and in my experience, this can cause some pots
to crack if the cooling air hits them directly.
As to the cost, it will be a wash.
Fiber blanket is not free.
You would not be wise to put the fiber on the outside of the
jacket. Enlarging the jacket and compensating for the longer
leads is not free either.
In contrast, firing down only costs you a little each month
and does not void the warranties on the kiln.
Just my 50 cents worth of advice,
Regards,
Michael Wendt
Linda wrote:
Hello ClayArters,
I have 2 paragon kilns, one new and one old. One has a 12
key panel in front of it and the other is with a kiln sitter
and has low, med, and high. I am worried about loosing too
much heat. Should I use a fiber blanket around them, and on
top? I am afraid of what it would do to the digital panel in
front of one of the kilns, I don't want to ruin the
automatic capabilities the kiln has, it has no sitter. That
kiln also has a 1/4 inch to a 1/3 inch gap around the top
between the lid and the body.I know you need some gap, but I
think mine is too much. It cools very fast when it is just
shutting off from a fireing. I can ramp it down, but I will
be using up a lot of I think unnecessary electricity. The
small kiln cools really fast after a fireing.
What do you think?
Thank you,
Linda

Dennis Gerasimov on tue 29 sep 09


I had the same issue with my old Sno Industries kiln. Fixed it by
removing the old fixed (welded) hinges from the brackets, drilling holes
for new hinges ($3 from hardware store, 2.5" wide door hinge), and
making oval holes on one side of the new hinges so that the lid can
travel up by about 1/4" when heated. This eliminated most of the gap
when kiln gets hot. I can put up pictures of my modification if anyone
wants to see it.
Denni

Arnold Howard wrote:
> From: "Linda Mccaleb"
> That kiln also has a 1/4 inch to a 1/3 inch gap around the
> top between the lid and the body.
> ------------
> The lid should lie flat against the kiln when not in the
> vented position. Does your lid have a spring
> counter-balance?
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Arnold Howard
> Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
> ahoward@paragonweb.com / www.paragonweb.com

Eleanora Eden on thu 5 nov 09


I use fiber blanket strips as a gasket to keep the kiln sealed
between the top of the kiln and the lid. Just my 2c., but I don't
want any gap at all between lid and kiln. If I want some air in
(or out) I just stilt it a bit, like at the beginning of the firing.

Best,

Eleanora


>From: "Linda Mccaleb"
>That kiln also has a 1/4 inch to a 1/3 inch gap around the
>top between the lid and the body.
>------------
>The lid should lie flat against the kiln when not in the
>vented position. Does your lid have a spring
>counter-balance?
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Arnold Howard
>Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
>ahoward@paragonweb.com / www.paragonweb.com


--
Bellows Falls Vermont
www.eleanoraeden.com

Carolyn Boeri on thu 19 nov 09


Can anyone tell me where to go for replacing fiber blanket that I have =3D
had covering the top of the noborigama, 2 chambers, so there is a good =3D
amount to replace. I bought it several years ago from Clarks in Tenn. Or =
=3D
is there another more "green solution to insulating?
Carolyn

Vince Pitelka on thu 19 nov 09


Carolyn Boeri wrote:
"Can anyone tell me where to go for replacing fiber blanket that I have had
covering the top of the noborigama, 2 chambers, so there is a good amount t=
o
replace. I bought it several years ago from Clarks in Tenn. Or is there
another more "green solution to insulating?"

Carolyn -
I am not sure why anyone would use ceramic fiber blanket for this
application. It releases carcinogenic fibers and it's expensive. Why not
just make your own cheap castable insulating layer? Since this is a
noborigama, I am assuming it won't matter if the insulating layer releases
smoke for a while. A good insulating layer can be made from, by volume, 4
parts coarse sawdust (finer than wood shavings, much coarser than dust), 3
parts cheap sand (like playground sand), 2 parts recycle clay or any cheap
clay, and 1 part Portland cement. If you want to put it on vertical
surfaces you will have to fasten chicken wire to the surface to hold the
insulating layer in place. You will need to mix this stuff in volume,
because you want to put it on about 4 or 5 inches thick. The stuff will
develop some big shrinkage cracks, and you just fill them with more of the
same mix. The sawdust burns out leaving voids that insulate.

Rent a good paddle-type mortar mixer. With each batch, put in the dry
materials and let them mix, and then add water just until it is all
moistened, and then pack it in place.
Good luck -
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net; wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka

gary navarre on thu 19 nov 09


Carolyn,=3D0A=3D0A I took Mel's advice and got a roll from Tim Federich but=
man=3D
y ceramic supply companies and particularly brick and refractory manufactur=
=3D
es have 1"x2'x25' rolls for about a hundred bucks. Lucky for me one roll pl=
=3D
us some reclaim from a trash can raku Dart gave me was enough to cover the =
=3D
4=3DBD" hard brick chamber of the Hobagama. Covering that with 2=3DBD" salv=
aged=3D
IFB probably saved me between $500-$1000 in IFB, hard brick, or a DIY cast=
=3D
able mix. =3D0A =3D0AGary Navarre=3D0ANavarre Pottery=3D0ANavarre Enterpris=
es=3D0ANor=3D
way, Michigan, USA=3D0Ahttp://www.youtube.com/GindaUP=3D0Ahttp://public.fot=
ki.c=3D
om/GindaUP/=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A--- On Thu, 11/19/09, Carolyn Boeri ERMONT=3D
EL.NET> wrote:=3D0A=3D0A> From: Carolyn Boeri =3D=
0A> Su=3D
bject: Re: [Clayart] fiber blanket=3D0A> To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG=3D0A>=
Dat=3D
e: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 8:04 AM=3D0A> Can anyone tell me where to g=
o =3D
for=3D0A> replacing fiber blanket that I have had covering the top of=3D0A>=
the=3D
noborigama, 2 chambers, so there is a good amount to=3D0A> replace. I boug=
ht=3D
it several years ago from Clarks in Tenn.=3D0A> Or is there another more "=
gr=3D
een solution to insulating?=3D0A> Carolyn=3D0A> =3D0A=3D0A=3D0A

steve graber on thu 19 nov 09


i guess "green solution" can be wide open.=3DA0=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0Acan we assum=
e you al=3D
reay have a pretty good kiln wall and this extra is icing on the cake?=3DA0=
=3D
=3D0A=3D0Ai used a layer of "fluffy cement" on my kiln, AFTER the K26's, an=
d AF=3D
TER the insulation cloth.=3DA0 it's mainly the transition to the final skin=
.=3D
=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0Ai used 3 parts saw dust to one part cement mix.=3DA0 that f=
luffy ma=3D
terial covered the cloth layer nicely for weather protection - in southern =
=3D
california.=3DA0 i will add a layer of rock or tile for fun one of these da=
ys=3D
.=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0Athat fluffy cement sure smelled nice while it burned out!=
=3DA0 the=3D
saw dust was a mix of hardwoods - cherry, maple,=3DA0oak.=3DA0 now that it=
's l=3D
ong gone, the kiln=3DA0doesn't seem warm at all until the day AFTER a cone =
10=3D
=3DA0or bisque fire.=3DA0 i did about a 2 inch layer of that stuff.=3DA0 =
=3D0A=3DA0St=3D
eve Graber, Graber's Pottery, Inc=3D0AClaremont, California USA=3D0AThe Ste=
ve T=3D
ool - for awesome texture on pots! =3D0Awww.graberspottery.com steve@graber=
sp=3D
ottery.com =3D0A=3D0A=3D0AOn Laguna Clay's website=3D0Ahttp://www.lagunacla=
y.com/bl=3D
ogs/ =3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A----- Original Message ----=3D0A> From: Carolyn Bo=
eri hi_04@VERMONTEL.NET>=3D0A> To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG=3D0A> Sent: Thu, No=
vemb=3D
er 19, 2009 6:04:48 AM=3D0A> Subject: Re: fiber blanket=3D0A> =3D0A> Can an=
yone t=3D
ell me where to go for replacing fiber blanket that I have had =3D0A> cover=
in=3D
g the top of the noborigama, 2 chambers, so there is a good amount to =3D0A=
> =3D
replace. I bought it several years ago from Clarks in Tenn. Or is there ano=
=3D
ther =3D0A> more "green solution to insulating?=3D0A> Carolyn=3D0A=3D0A=3D0=
A=3D0A