Sue Hintz--Salvaterra Pottery on mon 14 feb 00
I really need help. I have had consistant problems over the last 4 months
and can not figure out what is going on.
It all started with the prongs that hold the cone shooting out and dropping
the cone so things never fired fully. To stop this I quit turning on the
envirovent. Since then the kiln over fired a bisque but the prongs didn't
shoot out. I then replaced the entire tubing that holds the cone.
Now I have perfect glaze firings everytime (don't use the envirovent). If I
bisque with the envirovent the cone drops out before maturity( prongs now
stay in place). If I fire without the envirovent it will over fire and the
cone always melts down but the kiln will not shut off because the flap
doesn't fall. I have followed the directions about counter weighing the rod
and have the flap set to fall when the cone melts at a 90 degree angle.
The kiln is level, the envirovent barely vibrates and doesn't seem to be
sucking in a ton of air into the kiln. I also have a hood vent I use also.
This kiln with these vents has fired perfectly for the previous year and a
half. Why it will fire a perfect glaze everytime and not a bisque, I don't
know. I can not think of any rational reason for this. Can anyone help?
chris@euclids.com on tue 15 feb 00
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I really need help. I have had consistant problems over the last 4 months
> and can not figure out what is going >
Hi Sue,
It sounds like the vent is vibrating enough to cause the prongs to come out.
You may want to try replacing the gasket (at least check its condition).
It is normal for the same cone to bend a little quicker without the vent on.
The movement of air is enough to make this slight difference. Try firing a
cone lower, if you are not using the vent.
The kiln sitter "flap" not dropping ... this is most likely to do with the
set up. It is a mechanical shut-off, the key word being "mechanical" ... if
it is set up correctly & all of the components are in good condition, then
it should work.
Will the weight drop if you simulate the movement of the rod ? (use your
finger to slowly let the rod go down & watch the weight to see why it
doesn`t drop.)
Also try putting an old cone, from a successful firing, into the kiln-sitter
to see if the weight would be able to drop at that point, or not.
chris
chris@euclids.com
www.euclids.com
800-296-5456
Wade Blocker on tue 15 feb 00
----------
> From: Sue Hintz--Salvaterra Pottery
> To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> Subject: Terrible problems with kiln
> Date: Monday, February 14, 2000 12:35 PM
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I really need help. I have had consistant problems over the last 4
months
> and can not figure out what is going on.
>
> It all started with the prongs that hold the cone shooting out and
dropping
> the cone so things never fired fully. To stop this I quit turning on the
> envirovent. Since then the kiln over fired a bisque but the prongs
didn't
> shoot out. I then replaced the entire tubing that holds the cone.
>
> Now I have perfect glaze firings everytime (don't use the envirovent).
If I
> bisque with the envirovent the cone drops out before maturity( prongs now
> stay in place). If I fire without the envirovent it will over fire and
the
> cone always melts down but the kiln will not shut off because the flap
> doesn't fall. I have followed the directions about counter weighing the
rod
> and have the flap set to fall when the cone melts at a 90 degree angle.
>
> The kiln is level, the envirovent barely vibrates and doesn't seem to be
> sucking in a ton of air into the kiln. I also have a hood vent I use
also.
> This kiln with these vents has fired perfectly for the previous year and
a
> half. Why it will fire a perfect glaze everytime and not a bisque, I
don't
> know. I can not think of any rational reason for this. Can anyone help?
Dear Sue,
I am sorry to hear of your problems. I have a Skutt kiln that came
with a kiln sitter. The first thing I did was to disconnect it. I use
nothing but Orton cones. After a while you get a pretty good idea of how
long or short a firing should be, particularly if you keep notes on how
many shelves and how much ware you packed. Call me old fashioned, but touch
wood, I have had no problems with either underfiring or over firing using
the usual three cones .Since I never leave a kiln unattended when I have a
firing I have not found it it a burden to use the true and tried way .
Mia in ABQ
ferenc jakab on wed 16 feb 00
Here Here!
The firing is really part of the art of production. Automated set and fire
is not real pottery to me. Besides which I've seen some real diasters when
the electronics fail, which is bound to happen some time.
Feri.
Frederich, Tim on wed 16 feb 00
Sue,
You might check your vent to see if dirt, lint and other goodies
from the studio floor have accumulated in the squirrel cage part of the vent
system. This can throw the unit off enough to cause vibration that could be
knocking the prongs out of the tube assembly. You definately want to use
your vent to help protect your health. I hope this might solve the problem.
Sincerely,
Tim Frederich, Orton Ceramic Foundation
> ----------
> From: Sue Hintz--Salvaterra Pottery[SMTP:shintz@ioa.com]
> Sent: Monday, February 14, 2000 2:35 PM
> To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> Subject: Terrible problems with kiln
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I really need help. I have had consistant problems over the last 4 months
> and can not figure out what is going on.
>
> It all started with the prongs that hold the cone shooting out and
> dropping
> the cone so things never fired fully. To stop this I quit turning on the
> envirovent. Since then the kiln over fired a bisque but the prongs didn't
> shoot out. I then replaced the entire tubing that holds the cone.
>
> Now I have perfect glaze firings everytime (don't use the envirovent). If
> I
> bisque with the envirovent the cone drops out before maturity( prongs now
> stay in place). If I fire without the envirovent it will over fire and
> the
> cone always melts down but the kiln will not shut off because the flap
> doesn't fall. I have followed the directions about counter weighing the
> rod
> and have the flap set to fall when the cone melts at a 90 degree angle.
>
> The kiln is level, the envirovent barely vibrates and doesn't seem to be
> sucking in a ton of air into the kiln. I also have a hood vent I use
> also.
> This kiln with these vents has fired perfectly for the previous year and a
> half. Why it will fire a perfect glaze everytime and not a bisque, I
> don't
> know. I can not think of any rational reason for this. Can anyone help?
>
Earl Brunner on thu 17 feb 00
It really sounds like a vibration problem, you could sort of work a bit of
ceramic fiber into the holes that prongs go into so that they are not loose. or
kiln wash on them might be enough. If they are tightened up, but still
replaceable that might do the trick.
"Frederich, Tim" wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Sue,
> You might check your vent to see if dirt, lint and other goodies
> from the studio floor have accumulated in the squirrel cage part of the vent
> system. This can throw the unit off enough to cause vibration that could be
> knocking the prongs out of the tube assembly. You definately want to use
> your vent to help protect your health. I hope this might solve the problem.
>
> Sincerely,
> Tim Frederich, Orton Ceramic Foundation
>
> > ----------
> > From: Sue Hintz--Salvaterra Pottery[SMTP:shintz@ioa.com]
> > Sent: Monday, February 14, 2000 2:35 PM
> > To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> > Subject: Terrible problems with kiln
> >
> > ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> > I really need help. I have had consistant problems over the last 4 months
> > and can not figure out what is going on.
> >
> > It all started with the prongs that hold the cone shooting out and
> > dropping
> > the cone so things never fired fully. To stop this I quit turning on the
> > envirovent. Since then the kiln over fired a bisque but the prongs didn't
> > shoot out. I then replaced the entire tubing that holds the cone.
> >
> > Now I have perfect glaze firings everytime (don't use the envirovent). If
> > I
> > bisque with the envirovent the cone drops out before maturity( prongs now
> > stay in place). If I fire without the envirovent it will over fire and
> > the
> > cone always melts down but the kiln will not shut off because the flap
> > doesn't fall. I have followed the directions about counter weighing the
> > rod
> > and have the flap set to fall when the cone melts at a 90 degree angle.
> >
> > The kiln is level, the envirovent barely vibrates and doesn't seem to be
> > sucking in a ton of air into the kiln. I also have a hood vent I use
> > also.
> > This kiln with these vents has fired perfectly for the previous year and a
> > half. Why it will fire a perfect glaze everytime and not a bisque, I
> > don't
> > know. I can not think of any rational reason for this. Can anyone help?
> >
--
Earl Brunner
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
mailto:bruec@anv.net
Sue Hintz--Salvaterra Pottery on mon 21 feb 00
I want to thank everyone who helped with my firing problems. It seems that
the vibration of the envirovent was the problem. Still haven't figured out
why it over-fires every time during a bisque but not a glaze when the vent
is not on. I think the vibration from the vent was enough to also shut the
kiln off. Thanks again!
----- Original Message -----
From: Frederich, Tim
To:
Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2000 7:49 PM
Subject: Re: Terrible problems with kiln
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Sue,
> You might check your vent to see if dirt, lint and other goodies
> from the studio floor have accumulated in the squirrel cage part of the
vent
> system. This can throw the unit off enough to cause vibration that could
be
> knocking the prongs out of the tube assembly. You definately want to use
> your vent to help protect your health. I hope this might solve the
problem.
>
> Sincerely,
> Tim Frederich, Orton Ceramic Foundation
>
> > ----------
> > From: Sue Hintz--Salvaterra Pottery[SMTP:shintz@ioa.com]
> > Sent: Monday, February 14, 2000 2:35 PM
> > To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> > Subject: Terrible problems with kiln
> >
> > ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> > I really need help. I have had consistant problems over the last 4
months
> > and can not figure out what is going on.
> >
> > It all started with the prongs that hold the cone shooting out and
> > dropping
> > the cone so things never fired fully. To stop this I quit turning on
the
> > envirovent. Since then the kiln over fired a bisque but the prongs
didn't
> > shoot out. I then replaced the entire tubing that holds the cone.
> >
> > Now I have perfect glaze firings everytime (don't use the envirovent).
If
> > I
> > bisque with the envirovent the cone drops out before maturity( prongs
now
> > stay in place). If I fire without the envirovent it will over fire and
> > the
> > cone always melts down but the kiln will not shut off because the flap
> > doesn't fall. I have followed the directions about counter weighing the
> > rod
> > and have the flap set to fall when the cone melts at a 90 degree angle.
> >
> > The kiln is level, the envirovent barely vibrates and doesn't seem to be
> > sucking in a ton of air into the kiln. I also have a hood vent I use
> > also.
> > This kiln with these vents has fired perfectly for the previous year and
a
> > half. Why it will fire a perfect glaze everytime and not a bisque, I
> > don't
> > know. I can not think of any rational reason for this. Can anyone
help?
> >
>
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