Moondestin@AOL.COM on fri 1 nov 02
Hi All,
I have spent days reading these threads in the Kiln area. Yes....I have read
all the "Manufacture " threads under "Kilns". I have slept on it and with a
fresh mind...I am still very undecided! Can anyone please send me any
suggestions or past experiences with buying their first kiln? I need an
electric kiln for firing bisque and glaze. I would like to attempt single
firings with glaze to bypass the bisque. I handbuild with stoneware clays and
will use a wheel in the future. I'm also open to working with new clays.
Also gas versus electric in cost to run? Any insight from you? Feel free to
email me direct and I will check the posts.
Great thanks to you all !!!
Tracy Ann
Cincinnati, Ohio
Arnold Howard on sat 2 nov 02
Hi Tracy,
One of the first things to consider in buying an electric kiln: how
much electrical capacity does your building have?
Example: If you are in an older home, you may have only a 100 amp
service. In this case, you would have to update the wiring to fire
a kiln that requires a 60 amp circuit.
Electrical capacity may affect the size of kiln you choose.
Arnold Howard
Paragon Industries, Inc.
--- Moondestin@AOL.COM wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I have spent days reading these threads in the Kiln area.
> Yes....I have read
> all the "Manufacture " threads under "Kilns". I have slept on it
> and with a
> fresh mind...I am still very undecided! Can anyone please send me
> any
> suggestions or past experiences with buying their first kiln? I
> need an
> electric kiln for firing bisque and glaze. I would like to
> attempt single
> firings with glaze to bypass the bisque. I handbuild with
> stoneware clays and
> will use a wheel in the future. I'm also open to working with new
> clays.
>
> Also gas versus electric in cost to run? Any insight from you?
> Feel free to
> email me direct and I will check the posts.
>
> Great thanks to you all !!!
> Tracy Ann
> Cincinnati, Ohio
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Snail Scott on sat 2 nov 02
At 11:47 PM 11/1/02 EST, you wrote:
>...I am still very undecided! Can anyone please send me any
>suggestions or past experiences with buying their first kiln? I need an
>electric kiln for firing bisque and glaze...I handbuild with stoneware
clays and
>will use a wheel in the future.
'Stoneware' is a pretty general term. What cone are you
planning to fire to? Almost any commercial kiln will
handle ^6, but for ^10, you'd better consider heavy-duty
elements. You also need to consider whether an electronic
controller is necessary or not. (My opinion? not.) Also
consider whether you need a venting systen for the kiln.
(If it will live inside your studio, better get one.)
And how large? A small kiln will allow faster turn-
around, but need to be fired more often. It will take
longer to fill a large kiln, but you can fire less
frequently. How much work are you making , and how big
do you work? Personally, I think a small kiln is a
mistake for most people. You have fewer options. You
can always fire a half-full load in a big kiln, but you
can't fit half a platter into a small one! I wouldn't go
smaller than an 8-sided kiln.
A major consideration for me - I do large work, and need
to unstack my kiln to load it. So I would only consider
owning a kiln that comes apart easily, right down to the
floor. That's not a concern for most people, of course,
but my point is - what do YOU need, for YOUR work?
>
>Also gas versus electric in cost to run?
Cost to run? Fairly similar, though it depends on
the rates where you live. Cost to set up/purchase?
BIG difference! Electric kilns are easy to install
and relatively inexpensive to purchase. Gas kilns
are a MUCH bigger commitment, with a much higher
initial purchase cost OR a major investment in time
and effort to build one, and it may not be possible
or legal in all locations. The difference in long-
term firing cost is a comparatively trivial factor.
-Snail
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