LJ GOMBAR on thu 23 oct 03
Hi!
I have a great working kiln that is large enough to fit what I want, and
what I make in my production cycle. On the other hand, it is too big to
run a test by itself... Or fire a single small pot that may be needed
immediately if nothing else is ready to be fired. I am working at ^6-
white stoneware, using ^6 glazes and some underglazes. I decided to
look seriously into getting a test kiln and wanted to know which one was
the best "bang" for my buck. I want to be able to just plug it into an
outlet near the other kiln in the garage, and pay around $500usd
including shipping and furniture. When I see small kilns that reach in
the $700 and up... My nose starts to wrinkle up; just don't have that
much money to play with. I know it is better to find a higher temp cone
kiln... Like ^10 or ^8 if I am firing to ^6.
Here are the options I have come up with so far.=20
^8 Paragon S11-9-3
^8 Bailey C-230-1110
^8 L&L DL11 -this one is pricier, but I am partial to L&L, Big 'un is an
L&L
^10 Coneart 119- up there at $765
^10 Cress A8HKT
^10 Bailey C-230-88
Are there others out there that I may have missed, that also bring
someone great results? THe smallest size I am looking at is the 8"x8"by
9"H- I can then get one good sized pot in... Or some tests. I know
this probably does not include space for a bottom kiln shelf either...
Which cuts into the interior. The max size for plug in kilns seems to
be 11"x9" or one was 11"x10".
My next concern is the pot cooling too fast.... So how do you fire down
if you just use a witness cone in the mechanism that shuts the kiln off?
Or do you fire down?
LJ
Update on meter reading confusion. (I solved the problem by writing the
number that was either lowest or higher than the number I could question
later, above or below the number I chose. Seems I might have been
reading the dial wrong... Like reading a clock.)
John Hesselberth on thu 23 oct 03
On Thursday, October 23, 2003, at 02:13 PM, LJ GOMBAR wrote:
> My next concern is the pot cooling too fast.... So how do you fire down
> if you just use a witness cone in the mechanism that shuts the kiln
> off?
> Or do you fire down?
Hi LJ,
You just put your finger on the most critical aspect of buying a small
test kiln. You MUST cool it at the same rate your big kiln cools if
you want reproducible results. The easiest and best way to do this is
with a computer controller. I would not personally buy a test kiln
without one. I have 2 with them--and with a controller you can get
results that translate nicely.
John
http://www.frogpondpottery.com
http://www.masteringglazes.com
Arnold Howard on thu 23 oct 03
From: "LJ GOMBAR"
I am working at ^6-
white stoneware, using ^6 glazes and some underglazes. I decided to
look seriously into getting a test kiln and wanted to know which one was
the best "bang" for my buck. I want to be able to just plug it into an
outlet near the other kiln in the garage, and pay around $500usd
including shipping and furniture.
My next concern is the pot cooling too fast.... So how do you fire down
if you just use a witness cone in the mechanism that shuts the kiln off?
Or do you fire down?
LJ
----------------------------
Digital controllers can slow down the cooling rate. On most brands, you
will need to use the ramp-hold mode and add an extra segment at the end
for cooling.
To program a slow cooling, decide when you want the kiln to turn off
(i.e. 500 deg. F). Set that temperature as the target temperature. The
controller should automatically fire down to that temperature.
Sincerely,
Arnold Howard
Paragon Industries, L.P.
arnoldhoward@att.net
Ron Roy on mon 27 oct 03
Hi LJ,
I assume you are using a kiln sitter - they should only be used to shut the
kiln off if it over fires for starters - or to warn you to start watching
the cone drop. Rods bend - the trip cones can be set into the holders
different each time - and sitters can fail for a number of reasons.
Anyway - watch the cone drop to whatever level you want - then - if the
sitter has shut off - hold the gate up and push in the button to start
firing again and gently lower the gate so it does not trip the sitter off.
Your kiln is now firing at the rate it took to reach the end temperature
again - lets assume you had all switches on high - if you put them all on
medium you will probably be slow cooling - you really should have a
pyrometer to be able to see at what rate you are cooling - maybe one switch
should be on low and the other two on med. Maybe the kiln is cool on the
bottom (you had cones on each level so you know this) - so maybe the bottom
switch should be left on high and the top two on low. The pyrometer will
help you decide what to do.
While this is going on DO NOT LEAVE YOU KILN ALONE - it is very easy to
forget about it otherwise and wind up with an overfired kiln and maybe even
a fire.
Best to have a CO monitor close by if you have to hang around a firing kiln.
RR
>My next concern is the pot cooling too fast.... So how do you fire down
>if you just use a witness cone in the mechanism that shuts the kiln off?
>Or do you fire down?
>LJ
Ron Roy
RR#4
15084 Little Lake Road
Brighton, Ontario
Canada
K0K 1H0
Phone: 613-475-9544
Fax: 613-475-3513
LJ GOMBAR on tue 28 oct 03
Hi!=20
Thank you all for your invaluable information. I have come to the
conclusion that I will end up having to spend more than I wanted, even
just to include getting a pyrometer... With no controller. So I will
have to wait on this purchase a bit. But it would still be good to hear
what results or woes different brands potters can recommend. =20
As it is... I have a good set up. The kiln is in a separate building,
an old garage... And when I check it, I don't even have to go inside, I
just walk around to the side where I can see the digital read out
through the window. I am 14 weeks pregnant, and in the last few months
have managed to teach my husband how to glaze my pots.. Yeay! He even
started loading the kiln by himself. He has no prior pottery
experience and I am quite proud of him. He says he could get into
glaze experimentation, and is the one still thinking about how to build
a charcoal kiln.
Since I "was" seeing this small plug in kiln to be an immediate
purchase.... If I could find one for the right price... I would not want
to have to do so much hovering over the kiln at this point, just because
I am pregnant. The CO monitor is a good idea... Just one more thing we
have to get. The local fire department made us get fire/smoke
detectors, and it is rigged to an outer alarm so if something goes wrong
the whole neigborhood can hear.
LJ
As it is... We have to look for another car (I am currently stuck with
no wheels)... And I would love to find a $500 car... But here in Maine,
we have to have cars inspected every year, and they have to meet certain
requirements.... Which means one is not allowed to just drive a car till
it dies-unless it has a good sticker. But to get the good sticker on an
older car, you have to take it to the mechanic and spend money,
sometimes more than you want to spend on a 10 yr old car.
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