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l&l kiln melt down resolved

updated mon 17 dec 01

 

Jim Bob Salazar on fri 14 dec 01


what up folks???

i recently told you of our L&L kiln misfire during its fourth firing. if i didn't
mention before, i took the kiln setter apart and looked to see if it was being held
up by anything and chipped the melted cone from its cradle. the kiln setter looked
just fine, as one would expect a brand new setter to look on the inside, clean and
all nice tight connections. the cone had melted to the cone supports and to the
rod of the setter and it was a challenge to get it off. it did not melt into the
tube or even touch the ceramic portion of the setter tube but it was attached very
well around the rod and the supports, i mean this thing liquefied and wrapped
itself around all three parts of the setter. i also had to chip one of the shelves
out of the kiln with a chisel and lost the two bricks, element holders and one
element. i called L&L and was refereed to rob who is their technical support guy.
he was very nice and patient as he listened to everything and asked several
questions. he told me he needed to consult with his people and later that day i
received a call to let me know they are sending replacement parts out free of
charge to fix the kiln. yahoooooooo the kiln will be back to new again. just
thought i'd let you know it got taken care of and all worked out well.

jim bob

Frank Gaydos on sat 15 dec 01


Jim,
I've had the cones stick on three different brand named kilns. Usually this
was because I did not apply a ever so small, thinned out coating of kiln
wash on the three prongs in the sitter. You need just a thin wash to prevent
sticking of cones to metal parts. As you load a kiln, glaze powder might get
on your fingers, you may then pick up a cone and some of the glaze might
apply itself to the cone and create a sticking situation.
Glaze boiling in the kiln could splatter on the prongs if close enough. This
is a high heat situation, weird things happen.
Maintain the prongs by cleaning with a dremel tool or sandpaper and
reapplying some wash every month if you fire daily.

Hope that helps,
Frank Gaydos

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Bob Salazar" >
> i recently told you of our L&L kiln misfire during its fourth firing.

Steve Mills on sun 16 dec 01


For bits of cone stuck to kiln sitter rod/bars I withdraw them from the
Kiln, heat 'm to red with a blow torch, and dunk them in cold water;
VERY effective.

Steve
Bath
UK


In message , Frank Gaydos writes
>Jim,
>I've had the cones stick on three different brand named kilns. Usually this
>was because I did not apply a ever so small, thinned out coating of kiln
>wash on the three prongs in the sitter. You need just a thin wash to prevent
>sticking of cones to metal parts. As you load a kiln, glaze powder might get
>on your fingers, you may then pick up a cone and some of the glaze might
>apply itself to the cone and create a sticking situation.
>Glaze boiling in the kiln could splatter on the prongs if close enough. This
>is a high heat situation, weird things happen.
>Maintain the prongs by cleaning with a dremel tool or sandpaper and
>reapplying some wash every month if you fire daily.
>
>Hope that helps,
>Frank Gaydos
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Jim Bob Salazar" >
>> i recently told you of our L&L kiln misfire during its fourth firing.

--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK