Kirsten Drummond-Barrett on fri 30 dec 05
Hi all,
I am a newer ceramicist - we have had our own studio for only a few
months - and we are finally getting used to our new L&L electric kiln,
however I have a few questions about its use.
After 7 times' use, the edge of the lid is crumbling (I mean coming off
in your hand) and there are hairline fractures inside the kiln. Now,
with what I've read, the hairline fractures are simply part of the
firebrick adjusting to heating/cooling and are okay, but what about the
actual pieces coming off?!
Also, my partner and I are trying to do cone 10 high fire firings. When
we did a fast cone 10 high fire, everything was underfired. A slow high
fire was successful, but then again the commercial crackle glazes came
out clear with no crackling. (that I htink is just a glaze to clay body
issue..?)Is this normal?
We wanted a Coneart, but couldn't afford one. The dealer guy said
Conearts are MADE to go to cone 10, but that some of the other kilns
may say they go to cone 10 but really don't. I am worried that this may
be the case with the L&L after our experience with the fast high fire.
I know my questions may show inexperience and I usually just linger in
the background on this list, but as we've already spent so much $$ and
we still haven't gotten the electric bill yet... ;)) i have to ask
these ?'s so we can figure out if we should return the kiln.
Thanks in advance,
Kirsten
www.barrettconsulting.net/pottery/finalSite.html
site in beta
Andrew Douglas on tue 3 jan 06
Kirsten - this is interesting as I am seeing the same thing. I have fired
four times - two biscuit firings to 1100 or so degrees C and two glaze
firings to around 1280 deg C.
A couple of things I'm thinking of doing, re reaching cone 10 is to actually
put cones in when I fire. I don't believe the controller - well, i do, but
I'm not certain that cone 10 is a fixed temperature. I read somewhere that
cone 10 can be reached at a lower temperature if you climb slow for the last
few hundred degrees, but if you climb quickly, then you need to reach a
higher temperature to get cone 10.
But i don't know what to do about the crumbling bricks (the cracks I'm
ignoring - and trying not to move the kiln at all). My top-loader has a
metal surround which is held by clasps. These surrounds are looking a bit
saggy now and I've been wondering whether to tighten them up a bit - might
at least hold the thing together.
Andrew (another inexperienced lingerer who's over-spent on stuff - my 'free'
christmas presents - although highly appreciated - probably were the most
expensive gifts I've ever given, considering :)
>After 7 times' use, the edge of the lid is crumbling (I mean coming off
>in your hand) and there are hairline fractures inside the kiln. Now,
>with what I've read, the hairline fractures are simply part of the
>firebrick adjusting to heating/cooling and are okay, but what about the
>actual pieces coming off?!
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William & Susan Schran User on wed 4 jan 06
On 1/3/06 6:47 PM, "Andrew Douglas" wrote:
> But i don't know what to do about the crumbling bricks (the cracks I'm
> ignoring - and trying not to move the kiln at all). My top-loader has a
> metal surround which is held by clasps. These surrounds are looking a bit
> saggy now and I've been wondering whether to tighten them up a bit - might
> at least hold the thing together.
A loose metal band around the lid could lead to issues of
breaking/cracking/crumbling. They band should be tight around the brick to
support the weight and movement of the lid.
-- William "Bill" Schran
Fredericksburg, Virginia
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
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