Earl Brunner on wed 23 jan 02
I have the small Geil fiber kiln - model 802. I'm in a very compact
residential setting and didn't feel I could get away with anything much
bigger. I'm also part-time, teaching school for my "day job". Any way,
this thing screams to temperature, I have to seriously plan the firing
or I usually reach cone 10 in about 6 hours. I have recently determined
that I will lengthen the firing time and soak some at the end and fire
down a bit. I think that I will get better results with the glazes this
way.
Since the kiln is on my residential line along with the water heater,
gas range, clothes dryer and furnace (in the winter, not that we have
much of a winter here) I can only estimate, but I seriously doubt that
the kiln costs me more than 6-8 dollars to fire. (Fuel costs are going
up here though, so that may cause the firings to cost more and my
modified firing schedule will probably impact the cost a bit. I have a
controller on the kiln, but only use it as a high limit controller,
because I could never figure out how you could use the controller and do
reduction. Geil's new controller looks great; I haven't heard anything
about how it works though. Apparently it has an oxyprobe and mechanical
damper and you are supposed to be able to program for temperature climb,
reduction and everything. I would be interested in hearing how it
works.
Earl Brunner
mailto:bruec@anv.net
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On
Behalf Of Joyce Lee
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2002 7:52 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Geil Kiln Fuel Usage
Susan asked:
"Could you share with us your gas costs and also tell us if you had the
kiln
fitted with oxyprobe and controller?
thanks again"
-------------------------------------------------------
I'm not sure of the gas costs but I know the Geil fiber kilns are super
efficient. Earl or Brad could offer more information. All of our gas
heating is billed together... studio, house, woodshop. At one point I
thought it was $12 a kiln load, but I know that is too vague to quote.
Gas recently went up, so now I'm back to ignoranceville. At one point
I'd saved all claybuds' posts about costs but lost that file when I had
a virus. They are in the archives, though, which makes me feel snug and
confident I'll be able to figure it all out if and when. Someday I'm
going to take the utilities part of pottery more seriously, but today is
not a good day for knowing .....
For the smallest Geil I have a pyrometer installed, which has been
pretty much in compliance with the cone measurements. No oxyprobe on
either kiln ...... another day I'll likely become concerned about that.
Right now I'm not even sure exactly what it does other than probe for
oxygen?? I guess. My firings are good enough right now for my purposes,
which are many. (Drat! I know what will happen next firing when I start
bragging!) I do have a controller on the new Geil which I use
specifically for soaking shinos, but am using it more and more for other
glazes also. Recently I've been using the controller from the
beginning to the end of firings, so I must be becoming more comfortable
with that aspect of firing. Even so, I still must watch cones since the
controller runs a little high for my kiln.
Wish I could be more informative, Susan. Another day.... or year....
perhaps. I hope I'm not appearing to be too casual about firing. I'm
not at all. I've worked diligently, and grilled every guru available,
in order to be able to fire as I now do. In many areas of clay, process
is what appeals to me; however, when it comes to reduction firing, I'm
much more interested in product .... now, woodfiring, hmmm, that's
another matter indeed.
Joyce
In the Mojave
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Joyce Lee on wed 23 jan 02
Susan asked:
"Could you share with us your gas costs and also tell us if you had the =
kiln
fitted with oxyprobe and controller?
thanks again"
-------------------------------------------------------
I'm not sure of the gas costs but I know the Geil fiber kilns are super =
efficient. Earl or Brad could offer more information. All of our gas =
heating is billed together... studio, house, woodshop. At one point I =
thought it was $12 a kiln load, but I know that is too vague to quote. =
Gas recently went up, so now I'm back to ignoranceville. At one point =
I'd saved all claybuds' posts about costs but lost that file when I had =
a virus. They are in the archives, though, which makes me feel snug and =
confident I'll be able to figure it all out if and when. Someday I'm =
going to take the utilities part of pottery more seriously, but today is =
not a good day for knowing .....=20
For the smallest Geil I have a pyrometer installed, which has been =
pretty much in compliance with the cone measurements. No oxyprobe on =
either kiln ...... another day I'll likely become concerned about that. =
Right now I'm not even sure exactly what it does other than probe for =
oxygen?? I guess. My firings are good enough right now for my purposes, =
which are many. (Drat! I know what will happen next firing when I start =
bragging!) I do have a controller on the new Geil which I use =
specifically for soaking shinos, but am using it more and more for other =
glazes also. Recently I've been using the controller from the =
beginning to the end of firings, so I must be becoming more comfortable =
with that aspect of firing. Even so, I still must watch cones since the =
controller runs a little high for my kiln.
Wish I could be more informative, Susan. Another day.... or year.... =
perhaps. I hope I'm not appearing to be too casual about firing. I'm =
not at all. I've worked diligently, and grilled every guru available, =
in order to be able to fire as I now do. In many areas of clay, process =
is what appeals to me; however, when it comes to reduction firing, I'm =
much more interested in product .... now, woodfiring, hmmm, that's =
another matter indeed.
=20
Joyce
In the Mojave
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