BEVERLY SCULPTR on fri 1 mar 02
Snail Scott wrote:
At 12:46 PM 2/28/02 AMERICA/FORT_W, you wrote:
>The coils in my kiln pop out and droop.... I push them back in ( gently =
and
>use u shape wires to secure according to info iv read) And out they com=
e
>again...and again... and again...
When you insert the element pins, make sure
they go in at an angle, pointing DOWN into the
firebrick. I've got some really skanky firebrick,
but I've never had an element pin come out.
(Personally, I just use bits of kanthal wire,
not the two-pronged staples.)
Or did you mean that the elements themselves were
popping out and pulling the pins out with them?
=
Snail or anyone .........I do use u shaped and straight kanthal wire pi=
eces
to secure coil. and yes they still pop out sometimes pulling wire loose. =
How
close togather should the securing wires be to each other? Should i put =
insert one every couple of inches ?
Again THANKS MUCH for any and all advice =
Beverly
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Snail Scott on fri 1 mar 02
At 11:41 AM 3/1/02 Beverly wrote:
>Snail or anyone .........I do use u shaped and straight kanthal wire=
pieces
>to secure coil. and yes they still pop out sometimes pulling wire loose.=
How
>close togather should the securing wires be to each other? Should i put=20
>insert one every couple of inches ?
How hot do you fire? Even if you normally do earthenware,=20
fire the kiln at least once to above ^1; the elements will=20
get hot enough to sag into their grooves and not try to=20
spring out any more. (If you've already fired to stoneware=20
temps, I'm at a loss - I've never seen elements try to=20
spring loose after a high-temp firing.)=20
If you need to hold them in place, every few inches should=20
be plenty. Just keep them at a low angle, trapping the lower=20
loop of the element coil between the lip of the groove=20
and the floor of the groove. Since they'll be only about=20
15=BA-30=BA above horizontal, the element shouldn't be able to=20
pull them loose.=20
Before you move the elements back into place, heat them to=20
red heat with a little propane torch to soften them and make=20
them less brittle. Then, after they're in place, heat them=20
again to help take away the 'memory' of their stretched-out=20
shape. Heat them REALLY, REALLY hot, for a couple of minutes.
=20
If you've already been doing all this, and they still get=20
pulled out, I hardly know what to suggest. You must have the=20
Schwartzenegger of elements! ;P
I hope this is of some help to you.
-Snail
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