Hannah on thu 31 may 01
Perhaps there is no more important decision that we have to make as =
potters and ceramic artists than deciding on what kiln to buy or build. =
It deeply impacts our working lives. After 30 years of using =
homemade kilns, both updraft and downdraft, large and small, I now =
want to buy a small ready-made one. I have checked the archives for =
all the information that is available there, but before I make the =
final decision, I would greatly appreciate more opinions from anyone =
who has experience with the two kilns to which I've narrowed my search. =
I live in California and have restricted my research to kilns made =
here, to save on shipping. Money is an important consideration. I =
have a very strong preference for a downdraft kiln, but may go for the =
updraft because of cost. A Geil downdraft 8 cu.ft. (setting space) =
would cost me - with a venting package, crating and shipping - $10,272. =
The 12 c.f. would be over $12,000. Their medium duty fiber 8c.f =
(#802) would cost $6620. I no longer produce large amounts of work =
and feel that a 10c.f. would be about right. With Geil I would have =
to go with the 8c.f. I like 12x24 shelves, and the 8c.f. kiln uses =
10x20. The waiting time for a Geil is over 6 months, but I know =
their quality is high and perhaps worth waiting for. But the cost??? =
The other company that I like is West Coast Kilns. Their quality is =
also very high and I have read many testimonals from owners, both =
private and at universities. But they make only updrafts. =
However........I could get a 10 c.f. using my preferred 12x24 inch =
shelves for $4550 including a hood and delivery in 6 weeks to my house. =
I feel certain they produce a quality product, but I'm worried about =
the updraft. It would be hard for me to come up with $10,000 for a =
Geil, but if I'm not happy with the West Coast Kiln, then the $4550 is =
wasted. What to do?? Of course I want a kiln that fires evenly =
and reduces well without taking an undue amount of time to get to cone =
9/10. I know that Joyce Lee has a Geil 802 and I would have emailed =
you directly, Joyce, except that I don't have your address. =20
I realize that some people on this list are self-appointed patrolers =
who chastise anyone who writes a letter they deem unworthy - like those =
from writers that haven't checked the archives or could have written =
someone directly - so I hope they will simply have deleted this letter =
by now and gone on to other things. For those of you very kind and =
generous people who give so much time helping others, I thank you from =
the bottom of my heart. =20
Sincerely and gratefully,
Hannah Brehmer
Charles Moore on fri 1 jun 01
Hannah,
Try the Contemporary Kiln Inc., 24 C Galli Drive, Novato, CA 94949 (I think
in Marin county); phone: (415) 883-8921. They produce a "portable" gas kiln
that is made in sections, much like a lot of electric kilns. I hope they
are still in operation; I have not seen their advertisements in CM of late.
Also note West Coast Kiln, P.O. Box 2152 Lucerne Valley, CA 92356; phone
(714) 778-4354.
Charles Moore
Sacramento, CA
----- Original Message -----
From: "Hannah"
To:
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2001 11:59 PM
Subject: Choosing a Gas Kiln to Buy
Perhaps there is no more important decision that we have to make as potters
and ceramic artists than deciding on what kiln to buy or build. It deeply
impacts our working lives. After 30 years of using homemade kilns, both
updraft and downdraft, large and small, I now want to buy a small
ready-made one. I have checked the archives for all the information that
is available there, but before I make the final decision, I would greatly
appreciate more opinions from anyone who has experience with the two kilns
to which I've narrowed my search. I live in California and have
restricted my research to kilns made here, to save on shipping. Money is
an important consideration. I have a very strong preference for a
downdraft kiln, but may go for the updraft because of cost. A Geil
downdraft 8 cu.ft. (setting space) would cost me - with a venting package,
crating and shipping - $10,272. The 12 c.f. would be over $12,000. Their
medium duty fiber 8c.f (#802) would cost $6620. I no longer produce large
amounts of work and feel that a 10c.f. would be about right. With Geil I
would have to go with the 8c.f. I like 12x24 shelves, and the 8c.f. kiln
uses 10x20. The waiting time for a Geil is over 6 months, but I know
their quality is high and perhaps worth waiting for. But the cost??? The
other company that I like is West Coast Kilns. Their quality is also very
high and I have read many testimonals from owners, both private and at
universities. But they make only updrafts. However........I could get
a 10 c.f. using my preferred 12x24 inch shelves for $4550 including a hood
and delivery in 6 weeks to my house. I feel certain they produce a
quality product, but I'm worried about the updraft. It would be hard
for me to come up with $10,000 for a Geil, but if I'm not happy with the
West Coast Kiln, then the $4550 is wasted. What to do?? Of course I
want a kiln that fires evenly and reduces well without taking an undue
amount of time to get to cone 9/10. I know that Joyce Lee has a Geil 802
and I would have emailed you directly, Joyce, except that I don't have your
address.
I realize that some people on this list are self-appointed patrolers who
chastise anyone who writes a letter they deem unworthy - like those from
writers that haven't checked the archives or could have written someone
directly - so I hope they will simply have deleted this letter by now and
gone on to other things. For those of you very kind and generous people
who give so much time helping others, I thank you from the bottom of my
heart.
Sincerely and gratefully,
Hannah Brehmer
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Dale Neese on fri 1 jun 01
I enjoy firing the Olsen 24 updraft. Sure it's a kit and will require
assembly but it has been firing evenly for me over the last 12 years.
Sprayed the inside with ITC year before last and it is like a new kiln.
Since it is made in state you could be saving some on the shipping costs
even with the 16cuft.
Dale Tex
Ray Found on sat 2 jun 01
what about trying a Olsen kiln kis, we fire one at our hight school that is
quite large and at cone 10 there is less than 1/2 cone difference top to
bottom, somedays the bottom even goes first. anyways it is a great kiln and
can do a ^10 firing in about 8-9 hours. I believe it cost about 8 thousand
installed, also, it is big, about 36 cu ft
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