Cindy Strnad on sat 28 oct 00
Hi, Becky.
You're right. Doing the electrical work is pretty simple. So long as you
know what you're doing. Just like baking a cake is simple. So why, when I
try to do one from scratch, do I tend to end up with something you could use
for the foundation of your new house? I haven't had time to learn it well,
and I apparently need a cake guru with lots of patience to teach me. I use
Betty Crocker. She hasn't taught me a lot, but things always work better
when she's around.
Unfortunately, you can't buy a "cake mix" to replace the innards of your
kiln. Yes, it's simple, and yes, you could burn down your house if you make
a little mistake.
First, separate zone controls are going to cost you--maybe more than you
expect. Unless you have an exceptionally large kiln, you probably don't need
them. They're nice, but a slow end to your firing will do just about as good
a job at leveling out the temperature in your kiln.
I've had my kiln apart more times than I care to remember, and hooked up and
disconnected just about everything in there. It's all pretty simple, yes,
but if I wanted to redo a whole kiln from the shell out, I'd have someone
else doing it besides me. I don't understand it *that* well yet.
You don't have to turn it into a raku kiln if you'd rather use it for bisque
and/or glaze firings. Try to find a kiln service person in your area. The
work is easy enough for any competent electrician (and I've always used an
electrician), but it's hard to convince these guys that yes, you really do
need that big a circuit breaker and that heavy gauge a wire, etc. They can't
believe it when they actually stare into the peep hole of a firing kiln.
"God, I had no idea it got *that* hot!"
If you can't find a kiln person, at least buy your parts from someone who
can advise your electrician. I like Euclid's. You can find their ad in any
issue of Ceramics Monthly or Clay Times. Check the ad index in the back.
Locate your kiln as near the breaker box as you can. That can make a huge
difference. You lose power as it travels through wires, so the less wire,
the better your kiln will work.
And do be careful choosing your electrician. There are some Bozos out there.
I had one come real close to burning down my house some time ago.
Journeyman, too. Stupid mistake--negligence, really, so be careful.
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
USA
earthenv@gwtc.net
http://www.earthenvesselssd.com
Rebecca Gregory on sat 28 oct 00
Hey there guys! I am wondering, I have an old bisque kiln Cone 6, and it has
one controller on it. Now, this is what I want to do. The kiln has two
rings, the fire brick is in descent shape, and I would like to get my $200
back out of it. I plan on replacing the elements, and I would like to
replace the one controller with 2 controllers, one for each ring. I don't
remember the manufacture nor any specifics on the kiln being that it is 150
miles away from me right now stored in my mother-in-law's garage. (What a
wonderful woman to store this for me for 3 years!) My plan is to get it down
to where I am at, strip the control panel off, take out the old elements,
put in new, and then this is where I get stuck...Being that it is now
controlled by one, is it easy to convert it to 2 controllers? The reason I
want to go ahead and convert it is, the guy I bought it from did not mark
the wires when he bought the kiln, and he kept blowing fuses whenever he
used it. So, in my mind, I really don't know what wire goes where and the
possibility of getting it correct by me or an electrician is very small. I
looked in the archives...all kinds of info on purchasing kilns and the like,
but not much helpful info for me unless I looked in the wrong place.
Also, I am thinking about buying a new bisque kiln, L&L, and converting this
one into a raku kiln...I have the money to fix this one, but not all the
money to buy another...Alas, the poor potter dilemma. So, any helpful
suggestions? Anyone out there done this? Please tell me it is easy to do and
that a monkey could do it in his sleep!haha
TIA! Becky Gregory in Nashville TN
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ZALT@AOL.COM on sat 28 oct 00
Becky:
When you play with electricity without the know how you are asking for big
trouble. I suggest you opt out and buy a new electric and convert this one
to your Raku. You will save in the long run. Just becareful that you know
the specs of the new kiln in relation to your electric supply. Best
consult an electrician.
Terrance
Rebecca Gregory on sat 28 oct 00
I am replying to my own message! I noticed that my last paragraph was a bit
confusing. I mean, buying a new kiln and converting the old one (that is
repairable) into a raku kiln.
"Also, I am thinking about buying a new bisque kiln, L&L, and converting
this
one [the old kiln] into a raku kiln...I have the money to fix this one [the
old kiln], but not all the
money to buy another...Alas, the poor potter dilemma. So, any helpful
suggestions? Anyone out there done this? Please tell me it is easy to do and
that a monkey could do it in his sleep!haha"
TIA! Becky Gregory in Nashville TN
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Gail Dapogny on mon 30 oct 00
Hi Cindy,
I was interested in all that you had to say on this subject and have
carefully saved it, but then came to your so-important last paragraph
(below) and wondered if you have any more advice along those lines. How
important is it that an electrician be familiar with electric kilns? How do
you sniff out an incompetent electrician without having to find out the
hard way?
I was given an old Evenheat electric kiln that I'd needs rewiring. I'd
like to get it up and working. First I have to tackle the problem of where
to locate and fire it --garage?, shed? etc.-- , then the rewiring problem.
And I'm in Michigan so there is the cold and snow to contend with. I'm
open to all advice, incidentally. Even though we function very efficiently
and do all kinds of things in our potters' guild as a group, from minor
repairs to clay making, one problem with being a part of a group is being
insulated from a lot of do-it-yourself knowledge,
---Gail
>And do be careful choosing your electrician. There are some Bozos out there.
>I had one come real close to burning down my house some time ago.
>Journeyman, too. Stupid mistake--negligence, really, so be careful.
>
>Cindy Strnad
Gail Dapogny
1154 Olden Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48103-3005
(734) 665-9816
gdapogny@umich.edu
www.silverhawk.com/ex99/dapogny
Diane G. Echlin on mon 30 oct 00
A good electrician is one who will read through the safety and installation related
stuff in your manual and follow the recommendations of the manufacturer to the
letter, including beefing up the gauge of the wiring the farther you get from the
panel. If the electrician won't do this, you don't want him.
Best way to find a good one is through friends or acquaintences who have used aan
electrician recently. And be prepared to wait for him to get to your job. In the
northeast, anyway, electricians are so busy with new construction, they don't have
time for a small job.
Good luck!
Diane in CT (who has a great electirician, but had to wait 4 months for him to show
up.)
Gail Dapogny wrote:
> Hi Cindy,
> I was interested in all that you had to say on this subject and have
> carefully saved it, but then came to your so-important last paragraph
> (below) and wondered if you have any more advice along those lines. How
> important is it that an electrician be familiar with electric kilns? How do
> you sniff out an incompetent electrician without having to find out the
> hard way?
> I was given an old Evenheat electric kiln that I'd needs rewiring. I'd
> like to get it up and working. First I have to tackle the problem of where
> to locate and fire it --garage?, shed? etc.-- , then the rewiring problem.
> And I'm in Michigan so there is the cold and snow to contend with. I'm
> open to all advice, incidentally. Even though we function very efficiently
> and do all kinds of things in our potters' guild as a group, from minor
> repairs to clay making, one problem with being a part of a group is being
> insulated from a lot of do-it-yourself knowledge,
> ---Gail
>
> >And do be careful choosing your electrician. There are some Bozos out there.
> >I had one come real close to burning down my house some time ago.
> >Journeyman, too. Stupid mistake--negligence, really, so be careful.
> >
> >Cindy Strnad
>
> Gail Dapogny
> 1154 Olden Road
> Ann Arbor, MI 48103-3005
> (734) 665-9816
> gdapogny@umich.edu
> www.silverhawk.com/ex99/dapogny
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
Cindy Strnad on mon 30 oct 00
Hi there, Gail.
For choosing an electrician, I'd ask around. Idiots do tend to make a name
for themselves. Ask at any local ceramic shops, maybe the school or
university art department, and pretty much anyone you know who uses an
electrician and knows enough to be able to tell whether or not they got a
good job.
As long as you find someone competent and willing to listen to you and to
follow the specifications you receive from the kiln manufacturer or parts
supplier, you should do fine. It's not difficult work to do. This guy I had,
he didn't connect the wires securely, "forgot" to hook up the ground, used
the wrong gauge wire. I truly could have done better myself (with the
help of a how-to book.)
If you can put the kiln in a shed away from your house, you're that much
ahead. It will save you having to vent it. They do let off some nasty gasses
from time to time, especially if you use paraffin to wax your pottery.
Get the kiln as close to the power source as you can, too. I think maybe I
already mentioned that--don't remember for sure. It's important. The cold
won't bother your kiln. Don't let it get wet, though. Wires will corrode if
it does. If you hook up a computer controller, it won't start the kiln in
sub-zero weather because it's not equipped to display negative numbers.
Weird, huh? I had to set mine to Fahrenheit because it was too often below
zero when I had it on Centigrade.
I've got to get going, but feel free to write any time you like. I'll help
all I can.
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
USA
earthenv@gwtc.net
http://www.earthenvesselssd.com
Gail Dapogny on mon 30 oct 00
Thanks, Cindy.
One question that comes to mind: did you order the elements (say, from
Euclid) ahead of time for the electrician of your choice to install?
Seems like a dumb question, but it seems to me that electric kiln elements
are not common items that an electrician might happen to have. Or are
they????
Thanks again, Gail
>Hi there, Gail.
>
>For choosing an electrician, I'd ask around. Idiots do tend to make a name
>for themselves. Ask at any local ceramic shops, maybe the school or
>university art department, and pretty much anyone you know who uses an
>electrician and knows enough to be able to tell whether or not they got a
>good job.
>
>As long as you find someone competent and willing to listen to you and to
>follow the specifications you receive from the kiln manufacturer or parts
>supplier, you should do fine. It's not difficult work to do. This guy I had,
>he didn't connect the wires securely, "forgot" to hook up the ground, used
>the wrong gauge wire. I truly could have done better myself (with the
>help of a how-to book.)
>
>If you can put the kiln in a shed away from your house, you're that much
>ahead. It will save you having to vent it. They do let off some nasty gasses
>from time to time, especially if you use paraffin to wax your pottery.
>
>Get the kiln as close to the power source as you can, too. I think maybe I
>already mentioned that--don't remember for sure. It's important. The cold
>won't bother your kiln. Don't let it get wet, though. Wires will corrode if
>it does. If you hook up a computer controller, it won't start the kiln in
>sub-zero weather because it's not equipped to display negative numbers.
>Weird, huh? I had to set mine to Fahrenheit because it was too often below
>zero when I had it on Centigrade.
>
>I've got to get going, but feel free to write any time you like. I'll help
>all I can.
>
>Cindy Strnad
>Earthen Vessels Pottery
>RR 1, Box 51
>Custer, SD 57730
>USA
>earthenv@gwtc.net
>http://www.earthenvesselssd.com
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
>melpots@pclink.com.
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