search  current discussion  categories  kilns & firing - misc 

shutting off kilns while you watch tv

updated fri 27 dec 02

 

Dewitt on sun 22 dec 02


At 18:47 12/22/02 -0800, you wrote:
>Here's a hot tip that you'll probably want to ignore. Get a pyrometer and
>watch the temp rise. You'll get a real good idea of when "sitter plop" is
>going to happen. Really though, most kilns fire fairly consistently to any
>given temp and you can set your watch by them. My bisques are about 10 hrs
>so I know when to look at the pyro and hang out for the final
>shutoff. Glaze fires are pretty much the same too. I don't glaze in an
>electric kiln but my wife did before she bagged the pot scene for glass,
>and I used to watch her kilns when she had to go out.

I don't have a pyrometer, but do much the same thing by watching the kiln
sitter. Just use a pencil to draw a line under where the kiln setter latch
hooks on to the fall plate. When the hook starts moving away from the
pencil line, the bar in the sitter is starting to bend and it won't be too
long before the sitter trips.

deg
---------------------------
Dewitt Gimblet
Austin, Tx
---------------------------

Craig Martell on sun 22 dec 02


Hi:

What's wrong with you guys? Why doesn't anyone want to hang out near their
kiln to wait for the big payoff, as in shutoff time?

Here's a hot tip that you'll probably want to ignore. Get a pyrometer and
watch the temp rise. You'll get a real good idea of when "sitter plop" is
going to happen. Really though, most kilns fire fairly consistently to any
given temp and you can set your watch by them. My bisques are about 10 hrs
so I know when to look at the pyro and hang out for the final
shutoff. Glaze fires are pretty much the same too. I don't glaze in an
electric kiln but my wife did before she bagged the pot scene for glass,
and I used to watch her kilns when she had to go out.

later, Craig Martell Hopewell, Oregon

Cat Yassin on thu 26 dec 02


In a message dated 12/22/2002 9:53:43 PM Central Standard Time,
ashglaze@WVI.COM writes:

Craig Martell writes (with sarcasm):

> What's wrong with you guys? Why doesn't anyone want to hang out near their
> kiln to wait for the big payoff, as in shutoff time?
>

Well usually I have time to "hang out" near my kiln to hear the kiln sitter
click off. But this last time I had end of year invoicing and payroll to do
in my office which is on the other side of a 4,000 sq ft building from where
my kiln is. I've considered putting my electric kiln in my office near my
scanner and printer but after heavy consideration I realized the fumes would
knock me out the first 4-5 hours of firing.

-Cat Yassin
San Antonio