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neilestrick

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Everything posted by neilestrick

  1. neilestrick
    It doesn't matter.
  2. neilestrick
    @chloemmetcalf What are the dimensions of the kiln interior. If we know the volume of the kiln we can compare that and the wattage to other kilns of similar size to get an idea of how hot it will get.
  3. neilestrick
    Kilns rated to 2300F are cone 8 kilns. It'll get you to cone 6, but your element life will not be as good as a cone 10 kiln. You'll likely get 70-80 firings from a set of elements instead of 130-150. The elements just can't wear as much before they're too worn to do the job. If you're only doing a bisque and glaze once a month that's probably not a big deal. If you're firing weekly, the added cost of elements will add up quickly. Also, look up what new elements for the kiln will cost. The price can vary greatly among Paragon kilns.
  4. neilestrick
    The problem for me is when mixing chrome-tin pinks for my students. I have 7 and 10 gallon buckets in my studio, which means anywhere from 1.3-2 pounds per bucket and that gets expensive pretty fast even with just two colors. If it was just for me I wouldn't care at all. It would take a lot for me to consider a glaze to be too expensive for my own work.
  5. neilestrick
    The posts must align vertically all the way from the top of the kiln to the floor. The shelf may warp or crack if a post is sitting on the shelf but is not supported in the same spot below the shelf. You can usually get away with it if there's only one shelf above, or if you're putting in a quarter shelf, but I would not expect a shelf at the very bottom to carry the weight of multiple shelves above it without a post aligning underneath. You can't tripod the full shelf and then have 4 posts sitting on top of it, because only 1 post would align and the unsupported areas would carry most of the weight.
  6. neilestrick
    You have to use 4 posts under the full shelf so they line up with the half shelf posts. This is the problem. With 4 posts there's a good chance the shelf will rock, leaving one post not making contact and putting a lot of stress on the shelf there, resulting in cracking or warping. I really don't understand using a full shelf on the bottom and the rest half, but it's the way many people think it should be done. There's no benefit to having a full shelf on the bottom.
  7. neilestrick
    I'd ask her what cone she's fired it to.
  8. neilestrick
    I prefer Corelite. They're about the same price and last longer.
  9. neilestrick
    Yes, you just have to make sure they're sitting evenly. A waster slab across the joint is also helpful.
  10. neilestrick
    The GT400 is a good wheel for most people. It'll handle the vast majority of what most potters make, especially students.
  11. neilestrick
    Looks more like a glass kiln than a pottery kiln. Like Mark said, photos of the inside would help, as well as the dimensions of the interior.
  12. neilestrick
    I don't think you can just put a block of clay into a container and suck the air out of it. The clay is likely much too dense for that. When clay goes through a pugmill vacuum chamber it's being moved around and cut up via the auger, or in the case of larger industrial 2 stage puggers, it's cut into small bits as it enters the vacuum chamber, then moved out via an auger.
  13. neilestrick
    I prefer half shelves. More flexibility, easier loading, and half shelves tend to last longer. Posting gets awkward when using both full and half, because you end up having to use 4 posts on a full shelf and they don't always sit evenly, which puts a lot of stress on them.
  14. neilestrick
    @HenryBurlingame I own 8 of the 1/3 hp models and 1 of the 1/2hp models. I cannot tell the difference unless I have something really, really, really big on the wheel. I've centered 25 pounds on the 1/3hp models just fine. They can handle anything a Brent CXC can handle because they have a ton of torque despite the lower hp rating. As for the controllers, there are 5 or 6 different adjustments that can be made in the Skutt controller, such as IR Comp, top speed, low speed and a couple others, so you can dial in the pedal exactly how you want it. If you like IR Comp then you can turn it up. It's there, they just turn it off at the factory. Brent only has top and bottom speed. The Skutt pedal also has a much longer travel, which gives you better control. Skutt parts will be cheaper, although you shouldn't need any parts for either brand for a long, long time. I don't know what changes they made with the new Red line, but they still offer the SSX drive, so it doesn't sound like they changed much.
  15. neilestrick
    I've seen it done both ways, and it totally depends on the kiln and how it was designed. Often the flue opening is tall enough that putting the shelf up high enough to be above it isn't possible and wastes too much space. In that case I would leave the bottom shelf a couple inches from the back wall. If you have a flue channel in the floor of the kiln, so that the bottom shelf can be above the flue opening without wasting space, then I would first try it with the shelf against the back wall and see how it goes. In general, I think the target bricks and the bag wall height are going to have more of an effect on performance than the orientation of the bottom shelf.
  16. neilestrick
    Isn't that pretty gritty, though? I think the 60 means 60 mesh grog/sand?
  17. neilestrick
    I'm not familiar with Laguna bodies. Is that the only brand you have available near you? Is vitrification and glaze fit important to you, or do you prefer a cone 10 body so it's more forgiving? I assume you want white, not brown, since you were using BMix?
  18. neilestrick
    Hi @Wtimmins What upgrade are you referring to? How many thermocouples does the kiln have? Make sure it's set for the correct number of thermocouples. Does it take the program ok, and how long does it fire and how hot does it get before you get the LAG error code?
  19. neilestrick
    B-Mix, even with grog, does not have a good particle size distribution. It's mostly very fine particles, and then large particles from grog. Not a lot of in-between sizes. You want a body that has a good variety of particle sizes, so a stoneware body that has fireclay, ball clay, grog, etc.
  20. neilestrick
    There's certainly a lot about it that looks like Paragon, but also a lot that doesn't. The inside of the control box looks very Paragon. could be they made it to someone else's specs. For comparison, the L&L and Skutt kilns of that size pull 48 amps and are rated to cone 10. They are a bit overpowered, though, because the 27" tall version also pulls 48 amps and is rated to cone 10. The Paragon TNF233, which this kiln may very well be, is rated to cone 10 at 40 amps. I would definitely contact Paragon and see what they think. You have solid state relays. Are there any mechanical relays in there, too, that function as safety relays? Are your bricks 2.5" thick or 3" thick? That will affect the peak temp as well.
  21. neilestrick
    It will pull 17 amp regardless of which switch is in there. The elements determine how many amps the kiln pulls. The issue is that we don't want to run 17 amps through a 15 amp switch. What model is the kiln? How many element does it have? Post some pics of the current switch, the serial plate, and also open up the control box (unplug the kiln first) and takes some pics so we can see how it's wired. If the switch is indeed dead, there may be other options depending on how it's set up.
  22. neilestrick
    The bricks look similar to Paragon, but a lot of kilns are made that way. Without seeing them in person I couldn't say if that blue kiln is a Paragon or not. What type of connectors does it use for the element feeder wires? The control box does not look like a Paragon to me because the vent holes are not the same. Paragon uses louvers, not holes, and a different color blue. Paragon elements may fit it, but they may not. Can you post a picture of the bricks where the elements transition from one row to the next?
  23. neilestrick
    Does it have a Kiln Sitter? Start with the lid propped open an inch or two. 1. Bottom switch on. Wait 1 hour. 2. Second from bottom switch on. Wait 1 hour. 3. Close lid. Wait 1 hour. 4. Next switch on. Wait 1 hour. 5. Top switch on. If it has a Kiln Sitter, wait for the cone to bend the kiln shuts off. If it doesn't have a Sitter, you'll have to put cones in the kiln and watch through the peephole for them to bend.
  24. neilestrick
    Normally I'd say yes, letting it sit for years can cause problems with glazes. Specifically, the level of solubles in the glaze water. However your shino already has a ton of solubles, so I don't think it will be a big issue. I'd look at the kiln setting first. You won't get good carbon trapping if you didn't create enough carbon or did it too late in the firing. You also need to let the pots dry well, so the salts have time to migrate to the surface.
  25. neilestrick
    Since it is happening with different colors of different brands, and different glazes, the problem is not with the underglazes or the glazes themselves, but rather the clay. When you say you've used 3 different white clays, what is the max firing temp for those clays? Were they all rated to 1300F? If so, that may be part of the problem. Using a clay that is made to mature at the temperature you're glaze firing to may solve the problem. When glaze firing to cone 05, were you using a body specifically made for low fire? Does the underglaze shiver if i you don't put a clear glaze over it? Adding kaolin to slip is problematic, and adding slip at the wrong time (too dry) can also cause problems. One other possibility, do you have lotion/moisturizer on your hands while touching the bisque? I've seen that cause crawling, but I suppose it could also cause shivering.
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