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gas/electric kiln

updated wed 4 apr 07

 

MLL7777@AOL.COM on mon 27 nov 00


since first hearing about this kiln (a year ago?), I have wanted one. I
hoped one of the manufacturers would start offering it. I'm not able to
convert this myself - and I don't have an electric kiln anyway.

does anyone know how I can get one of these? Axner's makes an electric with
itc - maybe they would put the holes in it. I can do the burner thing - oh -
what to do.....

anyone out there building one for sale?
Mary Lou

CARParagon@AOL.COM on mon 27 nov 00


In a message dated 11/27/00 6:17:41 AM Central Standard Time, MLL7777@AOL.COM
writes:


>
> since first hearing about this kiln (a year ago?), I have wanted one. I
> hoped one of the manufacturers would start offering it. I'm not able to
> convert this myself - and I don't have an electric kiln anyway.
>
> does anyone know how I can get one of these? Axner's makes an electric with
> itc - maybe they would put the holes in it. I can do the burner thing - oh
> -
> what to do.....
>
> anyone out there building one for sale?
>


Paragon's new front loading kiln could be fitted with holes for aftermarket
burners if need be. However, we would need to discuss the matter further
with you and others who would be interested to make sure the engineering and
burner block placement is correct.

If interested please feel free to contact myself, or Arnold Howard
(ajhparagon@yahoo.com) at your convenience.

With Best Regards;

Curt A. Rothman
Paragon Industries
Paragonweb.com

John Forstall on mon 5 feb 01


The Winter issue of Pottery Making has an article on building a gas/electric
kiln from a used electric kiln. The article is based on workshop presented
by Mel Jacobson in Nov. at ACS . I would very much like to hear from anyone
who attended the workshop and hopefully took notes. This is a very
important subject that would influence many small studio potters.
Considerable time and money could be saved by all interested potters if we
knew exactly what model Bunsen burner to use (5 are listed in Frey catalog.)
Also there is conflicting ITC information about cleaning the new elements.
Anybody who has experience in this, or similar kiln conversion please let us
hear from you.
John
(John Forstall, Pensacola, FL.)

mel jacobson on sun 2 feb 03


i have had some questions and thought i should
go over this again.

gas/electric kiln.
as taught to me by nils lou.
take one electric kiln.
take it all apart...clean it very well.

brush out all the debris, and wash it.
yes, wash it....brush and water. rinse with a hose.
hard.
drill an inch and a half hole in the bottom center of the kiln and the
lid of the kiln.

order new coils, (euclids would be easy) or the originals.

clean them well with bleach, use a toothbrush.

coat the coils with itc 213 metal coat.
follow itc instructions.. i used a tray for sheet rock mud...long and narrow.

hang them to dry.

wet the inside of the kiln with water..use your sprayer.
spray the entire inside of the electric kiln and the channels for
the coils with an even coat of itc 100.

let it dry.

install coils as to original instructions that came with the kiln.
re/install and check all kiln sitter parts.

make sure the fittings are tight and clean...sandpaper the connections.
make them shine.

spray the entire kiln, coils and all with a coat of itc100...make sure
it is all covered....well.

dry, then fire the kiln to cone 08 or so.

i then sprayed the entire kiln with a coat of itc296a top coat.
let it dry....make sure you spray the holes full that carry the
coils to the outside of the kiln...don't want reduction leaking
out the coils into the electrical.

buy a nice bunsen burner( propane) order from Frey Scientific.
connect it to a 25 pound propane cyl. rubber hose to a propane
connection (pol), then a clamp on the bunsen burner connection.
we installed a regulator.

load and start kiln...we staggered the pots on half shelves.

fire with electric only until you reach 1750F.

turn on the gas, light and place the bunsen burner under the
kiln so that the flame goes up the hole in the bottom.

place a piece of kiln shelf over the top hole a small way, move until
you get an inch or more flame from your spy hole on the side of
the kiln. fire this way til the sitter drops.

we fired to cone 10.
about 5 hours...the gas kicks it up fast...really works well.
turn off gas.
button up kiln...kaowool plugs in the top and bottom holes.
we fired back up at about 1750...as we had a great many
reds in the kiln.

open kiln.
nice red, shino, good body color.

typical stoneware reduction firing.
and a very easy project to make...took about two hours one day.
maybe two hours second day.
mel
perhaps nils will correct or comment on this method.

for the cheapos out there...do not try and itc coat old coils..it
will not work. buy new.

i would not do this with a beat out kiln....try and find a decent
used body....repair cracks and stuff first. you want a clean, tight
soft brick surface to coat with itc.

we used some thin sheets of kaowool as a gasket on the top
rim of the kiln...want that tight.

we fired in the barn, with great cross venting.
you should be able to use standard electric kiln venting.
but, take care, use your head....it will fire hotter than
you are used to...and the reduction must me vented.

we put a piece of kaowool over the hose under the kiln
just so it would not be heat affected. and we protected
the main electric cable of the kiln.














From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots

Ron Roy on tue 4 feb 03


And remember - you will then have a carbon monoxide generator - a deadly
gas - which you cannot smell - kills people, dogs, cats, canaries, children
- whatever.

Install a CO detector and ventilate well - if you wait for the headache -
you are already over exposed. Carbon monoxide is not stopped by doors - it
can even get through walls - best to do this kind of thing outside the
house - a garage maybe - with the door wide open.

RR


>buy a nice bunsen burner( propane) order from Frey Scientific.
>connect it to a 25 pound propane cyl. rubber hose to a propane
>connection (pol), then a clamp on the bunsen burner connection.
>we installed a regulator.
>
>load and start kiln...we staggered the pots on half shelves.
>
>fire with electric only until you reach 1750F.
>
>turn on the gas, light and place the bunsen burner under the
>kiln so that the flame goes up the hole in the bottom.
>
>place a piece of kiln shelf over the top hole a small way, move until
>you get an inch or more flame from your spy hole on the side of
>the kiln. fire this way til the sitter drops.
>
>we fired to cone 10.
>about 5 hours...the gas kicks it up fast...really works well.
>turn off gas.
>button up kiln...kaowool plugs in the top and bottom holes.
>we fired back up at about 1750...as we had a great many
>reds in the kiln.
>
>open kiln.
>nice red, shino, good body color.
>
>typical stoneware reduction firing.
>and a very easy project to make...took about two hours one day.
>maybe two hours second day.
>mel

Ron Roy
RR#4
15084 Little Lake Road
Brighton, Ontario
Canada
K0K 1H0
Phone: 613-475-9544
Fax: 613-475-3513

Edouard Bastarache on tue 4 feb 03


Hello all,

"(....)
Carbon monoxide
(....)
can even get through walls -
RR"

Carbon monoxide is not a GHOST.


Later,





"Ils sont fous ces Quebecois"
Edouard Bastarache
Irreductible Quebecois
Indomitable Quebeker
Sorel-Tracy
Quebec
edouardb@sorel-tracy.qc.ca
http://sorel-tracy.qc.ca/~edouardb/
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/smart2000/index.htm

Ron Roy on wed 5 feb 03


Might as well be - has similar properties.

RR


>"(....)
>Carbon monoxide
>(....)
> can even get through walls -
> RR"
>
>Carbon monoxide is not a GHOST.

Ron Roy
RR#4
15084 Little Lake Road
Brighton, Ontario
Canada
K0K 1H0
Phone: 613-475-9544
Fax: 613-475-3513

Mary Lou Lundgren on mon 23 jun 03


where have all the gas\electric kilns gone?

now I'm ready to buy one - there doesn't seem to be one in the axner catalog
or
on olympic web site.
Anyone know where to find one? I don't ready want to make one.

Has there been a problem I need to know about.

(you turn your head for a couple of months - and everything changes)

Mary Lou

mel jacobson on sun 1 apr 07


i have posted this several times, and it is in the archives.
this was published in pmi.
and, we have dozens of these kilns out there.
they work very well.
a great reason to put an old electric kiln to a great purpose.

itc is the key.
it covers the coils.

ken nowicki has the super L@L gas electric kiln.
i have seen it, and worked with ken and steve lewicki at L@L.
it is one of the most beautiful factory made kilns i have ever seen.


axner wanted to sell them, but it was an insurance nightmare.
far to many silly folks that don't understand kilns would be
firing them.


gas/electric kiln.
as taught to me by nils lou.
take one electric kiln.
take it all apart...clean it very well.

brush out all the debris, and wash it.
yes, wash it....brush and water. rinse with a hose.
hard.
drill an inch and a half hole in the bottom center of the kiln and the
lid of the kiln.

order new coils, (euclids would be easy) or the originals.

clean them well with bleach, use a toothbrush.

coat the coils with itc 213 metal coat.
follow itc instructions.. i used a tray for sheet rock mud...long and narrow.
or, place the coils in a plastic bag, add the 213 and do a `shake and bake`.
i run the 213 in a blender with water for at least 15 minutes...get it blended
really well.

hang them to dry.

wet the inside of the kiln with water..use your sprayer.
spray the entire inside of the electric kiln and the channels for
the coils with an even coat of itc 100.

let it dry.

install coils as to original instructions that came with the kiln.
re/install and check all kiln sitter parts.

make sure the fittings are tight and clean...sandpaper the connections.
make them shine.

spray the entire kiln, coils and all with a coat of itc100...make sure
it is all covered....well.

dry, then fire the kiln to cone 08 or so.

i then sprayed the entire kiln with a coat of itc296a top coat.
let it dry....make sure you spray the holes full that carry the
coils to the outside of the kiln...don't want reduction leaking
out the coils into the electrical.

buy a nice bunsen burner( propane) order from Frey Scientific.
connect it to a 25 pound propane cyl. rubber hose to a propane
connection (pol), then a clamp on the bunsen burner connection.
we installed a regulator.
we covered the hose as it runs under the kiln...with ceramic fiber.

load and start kiln...we staggered the pots on half shelves.

fire with electric only until you reach 1750F.

turn on the gas, light and place the bunsen burner under the
kiln so that the flame goes up the hole in the bottom.

place a piece of kiln shelf over the top hole a small way, move until
you get an inch or more flame from your spy hole on the side of
the kiln. fire this way til the sitter drops.

we fired to cone 10.
about 5 hours...the gas kicks it up fast...really works well.
turn off gas.
button up kiln...kaowool plugs in the top and bottom holes.
we fired back up at about 1750...as we had a great many
reds in the kiln.

open kiln.
nice red, shino, good body color.

typical stoneware reduction firing.
and a very easy project to make...took about two hours one day.
maybe two hours second day.
mel
perhaps nils will correct or comment on this method.

for the cheapos out there...do not try and itc coat old coils..it
will not work. buy new.

i would not do this with a beat out kiln....try and find a decent
used body....repair cracks and stuff first. you want a clean, tight
soft brick surface to coat with itc.

we used some thin sheets of kaowool as a gasket on the top
rim of the kiln...want that tight.

we fired in the barn, with great cross venting.
you should be able to use standard electric kiln venting.
but, take care, use your head....it will fire hotter than
you are used to...and the reduction must me vented.

we put a piece of kaowool over the hose under the kiln
just so it would not be heat affected. and we protected
the main electric cable of the kiln.
















from: mel/minnetonka.mn.usa
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/

Clayart page link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html

Pamela Regentin on mon 2 apr 07


mel jacobson wrote:
<connect it to a 25 pound propane cyl. rubber hose to a propane
connection (pol), then a clamp on the bunsen burner connection.
we installed a regulator.
we covered the hose as it runs under the kiln...with ceramic fiber.>>>

I'm just wondering...do you fire this propane burner without any safety shut-off in case the flame where to go out for some reason?

Pam



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