Lori Wilkinson on wed 13 sep 00
Chris, you wrote ....
-
>I recently got my small test sized kiln, to test glazes and play
>with crystalline glazes (need to buy a pyrometer
> chris@ccpots
Can you give me some info on that test kiln? Since my slow down in pottery
it takes us for ever to get a load ready for our big Skutt so am not doing
any test firing. Just can't see running that big thing for a few tests.
Thought about getting a smaller kiln for that purpose but really do not know
where to look. I fire between electric ^6 & ^8. Would like to hear some
suggestions from any one that cares to answer. I am aware that test firing
in a "test size" kiln is not going to give me true results but there must be
something available that will come close.
Lori
June Perry on thu 14 sep 00
Lori,
I have a small Aim test cone 10 kiln with a variable controller and kiln
sitter, and I love it. Nils Lou made me a special little gas burner for it
and I cut a small hole at the base and top and I use it for both electric and
gas test firings. It also comes in handy for calcining small amounts of
materials, burning wax off a pot, bisquing a few small pots, etc. For summer,
I've moved it up to my back patio, under the overhang, so I don't have to
run up and down the stairs all day turning it up (old knees, you know!).
Mine fires to cone 11 in the kiln sitter. I've had it for years and I think I
got it from Axner's. If you plan to do reduction firing with it, get three of
the shelves. I'd also suggest removing the coils and coating the kiln with
ITC 100 and also, dipping the coils in their other product (I forget the
number on that one, but the archives would have the info). When I need to
replace my elements, that's what I'm going to do. I've already ITC'd the
floor of the kiln with some leftover mix from spraying my large kiln.
I also fire the kiln almost as slowly as I fire my large kiln -- about 12-15
hours to cone 10.
Regards,
June
chrisclarke on thu 14 sep 00
Lori,
I purchased a Test Kiln Plus from Axner. The price had gone up from the
catalog price by a hundred dollars (quite a shock) to $430. They have a smaller
one that the catalog says it is $128. Mine is an Olympus. I can fire it up slow
or fast. Some times results are not the same as in my big kiln. But it's mostly
pinholing that does not appear in a regular firing. I have never had any
problems with the glazes that I have mixed up (I used a test kiln extensively in
college). They mainly look the same. Plus with every firing, you run the chance
of something being different, all of with will change a glaze.
chris@ccpots Yeah, it fires to cone10
>
>
> Can you give me some info on that test kiln? I fire between electric ^6 & ^8.
>
> Lori
>
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John Hesselberth on thu 14 sep 00
Lori Wilkinson wrote:
>I am aware that test firing
>in a "test size" kiln is not going to give me true results but there must be
>something available that will come close.
Hi Lori,
Actually test kilns can give results very close to your larger kiln IF
you cool them slowly. Given the small volume and relatively large
surface area of a test kiln, about the only way you can cool them slowly
is to fire them down with a controller. I recently bought a small
computer controlled Olympic test kiln. It runs on a normal 20 amp, 120
volt household circuit. It was a little over $500 delivered to my door
by the manufacturer. I have been very happy with it, but I did have to
learn to fire it down. I fire mostly to cone 6, but it will easily go
higher. I keep the temperature rise to 150 def F/hour for the last 2-300
deg on the way up and the temperature fall to 150 deg/hour down to 1500
deg F during the cooling. I can readily fire every day with these
heating/cooling rates. And the glaze appearance is essentially the same
as I get with my big kiln.
I know the computer essentially triples the cost of a test kiln, but, if
you want results that will scale up, I think it is the way to go. John
John Hesselberth
Frog Pond Pottery
P.O. Box 88
Pocopson, PA 19366 USA
EMail: john@frogpondpottery.com web site: http://www.frogpondpottery.com
"It is, perhaps, still necessary to say that the very best glazes cannot
conceal badly shaped pots..." David Green, Pottery Glazes
Diane Mead on thu 14 sep 00
For John Hesselberth:
John, sorry to be a nuisance, but could you jot down model number, etc. on
that little Olympic kiln for me? And if not too much trouble, exactly where
you got it?
Thanks,
diane mead
macon, georgia
dmead90@hotmail.com
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John Hesselberth on fri 15 sep 00
Diane Mead wrote:
>John, sorry to be a nuisance, but could you jot down model number, etc. on
>that little Olympic kiln for me? And if not too much trouble, exactly where
>you got it?
Hi Diane,
My test kiln is an Olympic model 129, sometimes called a Doll Kiln. It
has a Bartlett controller (that is the same brand controller several kiln
manufacturers use with their own name plate on it) and the shielded
thermocouple (not the kind with the hot junction exposed, but the one
that is protected in a metal sheath). It is rated at 15 amps, 120 volt,
1800 watts, cone 10. I have not yet taken it to cone 10, but I am pretty
sure it would make it judging from how fast it can get to Cone 6. I
bought it directly from Olympic at their NCECA booth last March in
Denver. They may have given me a "show special" price; they implied that
it was, but I really don't know. I do know it was quite a bit cheaper
than anyone else was quoting on a test kiln. It is really small. I can
only fire 4 mug size pots plus a couple test coupons and a cone pack at
one time. You can call them on 800-241-4400. Or wait until March in
Charlotte.
John Hesselberth
Frog Pond Pottery
P.O. Box 88
Pocopson, PA 19366 USA
EMail: john@frogpondpottery.com web site: http://www.frogpondpottery.com
"It is, perhaps, still necessary to say that the very best glazes cannot
conceal badly shaped pots..." David Green, Pottery Glazes
Diane Mead on fri 15 sep 00
John:
Thanks for the Olympic info.
We have a little Skutt that sounds
quite similar. I plan to see one of these
little things in person soon. My Skutt
gets to cone 6 in a flash as well
(please don't ask me exactly how fast--
I need to but have yet to pay attention
to time!)
Thanks again for the Olympic info!
diane
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Lori Wilkinson on fri 15 sep 00
Dear Chris, June, John & Diane, Thank you all so very much for your input
on this post. At least I have a direction to go in. It is great to know
there are choices out there. Clayart it the greatest! I am truly blessed
to be part of this selfless group.
Lori Wilkinson
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