Gillian Evison on tue 3 apr 01
I think I missed a mail subject somewhere - what is itc, and when you refer
to coils, are they elements?
Jill ( from England, in Canada)
>From: mel jacobson
>Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
>To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>Subject: electric kilns/review
>Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2001 22:03:31 -0500
>
>one of the outstanding things about nceca is seeing the
>new products...right there, compare, side by side.
>
>one observation that i have...without any scientific evidence,
>just experience, is:
>
>electric kilns are damn nice.
>they seem to have caught up with each other.
>
>i would not blink at buying a skutt, L&L, or a paragon.
>coneart is good, tucker is good, and axner is bending over
>backwards to make a good kiln. the list is long. they are
>damn good.
>
>i think location, price, shipping and your own needs will dictate
>what you buy. i would never discourage a person from skutt, but
>there are others out there that are really nice.
>
>if you are serious, want a new kiln, well pick one. don't look
>back, just make good pots to go in it.
>
>euclids makes damn good coils, with quick turnaround time.
>
>we are plain lucky to have these fine vendors.
>
>i would itc any electric kiln in a heart beat. if i was going to
>do crystal glazes, well i would damn well check and find out
>what is going on with broken coils...all kilns have the same
>problem. it is not a skutt or paragon problem, it is a glaze problem,
>or something else that needs to be addressed. as someone suggested,
>perhaps it is the long soak, with the electrics cycling on and off.
>i don't know, just know it is a problem we have to solve. and lets
>support the vendors, help them find the answer....let us not just
>blame.
>
>i have a thirty year old skutt 181 that i use for bisque, it has
>had one set of coils...looks like new. the switches still work
>like new.
>
>i have a twenty five year old, big old L&L, have put in new coils
>and itc'd the thing. it will last 25 more years.
>
>so much about our equipment is, and has to do with our own care
>of such things. pull good maintenance, keep things clean. take
>care of your wiring....clean the connections. tight and shiny is godly in
>kilns.
>mel
>thanks harvey, you are a good clayarter, with sense.
>
>
>From:
>Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
>web site: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
>
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mel jacobson on tue 3 apr 01
one of the outstanding things about nceca is seeing the
new products...right there, compare, side by side.
one observation that i have...without any scientific evidence,
just experience, is:
electric kilns are damn nice.
they seem to have caught up with each other.
i would not blink at buying a skutt, L&L, or a paragon.
coneart is good, tucker is good, and axner is bending over
backwards to make a good kiln. the list is long. they are
damn good.
i think location, price, shipping and your own needs will dictate
what you buy. i would never discourage a person from skutt, but
there are others out there that are really nice.
if you are serious, want a new kiln, well pick one. don't look
back, just make good pots to go in it.
euclids makes damn good coils, with quick turnaround time.
we are plain lucky to have these fine vendors.
i would itc any electric kiln in a heart beat. if i was going to
do crystal glazes, well i would damn well check and find out
what is going on with broken coils...all kilns have the same
problem. it is not a skutt or paragon problem, it is a glaze problem,
or something else that needs to be addressed. as someone suggested,
perhaps it is the long soak, with the electrics cycling on and off.
i don't know, just know it is a problem we have to solve. and lets
support the vendors, help them find the answer....let us not just
blame.
i have a thirty year old skutt 181 that i use for bisque, it has
had one set of coils...looks like new. the switches still work
like new.
i have a twenty five year old, big old L&L, have put in new coils
and itc'd the thing. it will last 25 more years.
so much about our equipment is, and has to do with our own care
of such things. pull good maintenance, keep things clean. take
care of your wiring....clean the connections. tight and shiny is godly in
kilns.
mel
thanks harvey, you are a good clayarter, with sense.
From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
L. P. Skeen on wed 4 apr 01
pull good maintenance, keep things clean. take care of your wiring....clean
the connections. tight and shiny is godly in kilns.
Hey mel,
I changed the elements in the bottom ring of my Paragon week before last.
There is a brass thingy at each end of the coil wire on the outside of the
kiln. The thingy is round, about a half inch long, and has a brass screw in
one end and another silver screw in the middle of the side.
Obviously, I have NO idea what the thingys are called. A new set of thingys
came with the element that I purchased from Paragon, but no new thingys were
in with the coil from Duralite, so I just put the old ones back on. They
are black, not shiny, but the kiln worked just fine when I fired it. What
is the purpose of the "thingys", and should I get some shiny ones instead of
the black ones?
L
Arnold Howard on wed 4 apr 01
L mentioned the element connectors (below) on his Paragon kiln.
We recommend using new element connectors when you install a new
element. The Paragon-style barrel connector must be tight, or you
could lose a new element.
At the plant, we tighten the elements to 30 inch lbs. using a
torque wrench. (If you don't have the wrench: 30 inch lbs. is 1 1/4
turns past the point of firm resistance.)
Sometimes extended firing times are due to corroded element
connections rather than worn elements. The connectors become
corroded when they are too loose. Loose connectors are often
discolored: dark, greenish-turquoise and sometimes white.
If your element connectors are discolored, cut off the element lead
wire terminals and crimp on new ones. Sand the end of the elements
and install new connectors.
If anyone wants an element instruction sheet, please email your
postal address to me.
With best wishes,
Arnold Howard
Paragon
--- "L. P. Skeen" wrote:
> pull good maintenance, keep things clean. take care of your
> wiring....clean
> the connections. tight and shiny is godly in kilns.
>
> Hey mel,
> I changed the elements in the bottom ring of my Paragon week
> before last.
> There is a brass thingy at each end of the coil wire on the
> outside of the
> kiln. The thingy is round, about a half inch long, and has a
> brass screw in
> one end and another silver screw in the middle of the side.
>
> Obviously, I have NO idea what the thingys are called. A new set
> of thingys
> came with the element that I purchased from Paragon, but no new
> thingys were
> in with the coil from Duralite, so I just put the old ones back
> on. They
> are black, not shiny, but the kiln worked just fine when I fired
> it. What
> is the purpose of the "thingys", and should I get some shiny ones
> instead of
> the black ones?
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