Jeff Lawrence on sat 17 jul 99
John Tiemann wrote:
>1. What are some signs of the coils going bad or in need of being replaced?
>
>2. I have found packages in the studio with NEW coils in them. They are
labeled
>"top, middle, bottom". Can anyone refer me to any handouts, books, etc. that
>would help guide me through the process of replacing the coils? I have tried
>looking for the manuals and contacting Skutt with little or no success. Any
>tips would be helpful at this point. I don't really have the funds to have
>someone come in and do it for me.....so I'd like to learn and do it myself.
>
>3. I have also heard that after the coils have been replaced, the kiln
should be
>fired empty once to ^4 so some sort of coating can form on the coils????
Anyone
>with comments or an explanation to this?
Hello John,
I change the coils in my electric kilns when:
1. the time to temperature becomes insufferable. New coils in my 15 cu ft
Olympic oval take about 8 hours to ^04. When the time gets up to 11-12
hours I lose patience and change them. I think it's about 12 hours to ^6.
If yours fires at about that rate, I'd say wait. Changing elements is a
thankless and tedious chore which you should always put off until tomorrow
if possible.
2. some disaster happens and the coils get fused together or in some pot of
the wrong type of clay.
Rather than the empty firing, consider element coatings.
I used the ITC coating recommended for metals the last time and have
noticed that the deterioration has slowed. I'd recommend reading Mel
Jacobsen's and Nils Lou's comments on ITC products and consider using it on
the new elements when you finally do change them.
Best regards,
Jeff
Jeff Lawrence Sun Dagger Design
jml@sundagger.com Rt. 3 Box 220
www.sundagger.com Espanola, NM 87532
vox 505-753-5913 fax 505-753-8074
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