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New Project! Electric Kiln Conversion


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Since day 1 I wanted to do wood firing. I started with an electric kiln and although it is possible to do interesting things I'm still focused on ultimately doing Anagama. I cant truly test Cone 10 glazes in my electric and want to get as close to possible to that environment, which means a way to do reduction, neutral and oxidation. So I got a broke down Duncan kiln donated to me and the burner came in today so I'm super excited!!! Stripping it down tonight and getting the elements out then will figure out how to cut the burner port and the top opening. Then I have to find a 40 - 50 gallon tank. Gaaaaaaah excited!

burner.jpg?w=675

 

duncan-kiln.jpg?w=675df

 

 

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I couldn't find it in the PMI archives but there was an article around 2003 on converting electric kilns to wood. BUT

there is a difference in the animal. The article laid out 3 electric kiln horizontally plus a fire box and a flu. Wood requires a good draft. Electric kilns are passive radiant heat. See if you can find the article. It had a well designed kiln.

Marcia

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Thanks for the replies and the links. Actually, Bciskepottery, I saw your page and got some great inspiration to do this! I dont yet have a pyrometer but have cones. I get conflicting information about chimney. Square burner hole apparently means round chimney hole and vice versa? I dont think it should matter that much. We just want to get a good even distribution of heat. Also another question I had was the chimney in relation to the burner port, it seems that if it is at the back of the kiln the heat will just hit the back wall go up and exit. If the chimney is on the same side of the kiln as the burner port it would have to travel inside, up and back to exit which seems would give a better distribution of heat. 3/4 of the way to a downdraft ;-)

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Thanks for the replies and the links. Actually, Bciskepottery, I saw your page and got some great inspiration to do this! I dont yet have a pyrometer but have cones. I get conflicting information about chimney. Square burner hole apparently means round chimney hole and vice versa? I dont think it should matter that much. We just want to get a good even distribution of heat. Also another question I had was the chimney in relation to the burner port, it seems that if it is at the back of the kiln the heat will just hit the back wall go up and exit. If the chimney is on the same side of the kiln as the burner port it would have to travel inside, up and back to exit which seems would give a better distribution of heat. 3/4 of the way to a downdraft ;-)

 

I have only read about there relation in area of burner port/fire box to flue exit area. Your kiln looks very similar in size to one I am waiting to convert when I find somewhere to put it :( . Do you have the specs for the burner you are using? I was probably going to use updraft and see how that went, if it was very uneven. Seems the easiest way.

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Thanks for the link to the electric woodfire conversion. I'll check it out!
It occurs to me that if I make the exit flu a long rectangle such as on the Codyo site link above I can put kiln shelves in any place I want and see if back, middle or front are the most optimal along with giving the option of increasing and decreasing the damper. With that decision out of the way I can implement that tonight. Woohoo!

HighBridgePottery - Its the MR100 Venturi Burner from Ward Burners. We spent time on the phone to go over the project and I was under the assumption that this was 6 cubic feet but it was actually only 4 with the extension when I got it. I got the regulator that allows for 11"WC pressure which is a standard. We went this way with the larger burner so that I could have some wiggle room with the pressure and not have to go full blast with a higher pressure. It shouldnt matter that the kiln is smaller, it will heat faster. If I was wrong and it was larger I might stand the chance of not getting enough BTU to heat or have to go to a higher PSI. Anyways, give them a ring, I got the standard reply back in email which was to call in and discuss. There are just too many variables to consider to do via email. Very friendly guy and I'm sure he would walk you through even if you are considering a weed burner or other brand of burner. Also I should add that I'm going to cone 10 so that factors in. Going to cone 6 would be easier and the 750 burner should be plenty.

I'll keep you all in the loop. Hopefully this thread helps others who are considering making this type of conversion. Sure beats 4k for a new gas kiln! I'm going to fire this one until it disintegrates. :D

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That's interesting Chantay.  I know some here, have posed the question, as to whether you can lay vertical kiln on its side.  The consensus is you shouldn't.  They aren't meant to take stress in that arrangement.  

 

The link Bruce provide is interesting.  Maybe something to try someday...

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i have seen pictures of someone else's kiln on a hillside.  the shelves are square and fit across the hexagon on the slanted part leaving some air space underneath.  this one was a woodburner.

 

if anyone wants to build one of these, i have 2 large kilns that are dead.  one has all wiring removed, the other does not.

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I found the picture of the electric kilns linked together to make a wood fire kiln.  It is on the Instagram feed of Ryan McKerley.

 

https://instagram.com/p/nQ4jHKPtLr/?taken-by=ryanmckerley

 

No copy past option here.

Do they take it apart with every firing, then? Load one section at a time? The octagon shape probably holds together well enough on its side, with the bricks mitred at the seams. And they can be latched together, solving that problem. A community effort.

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Prepare yourself for some uneven firings.

Also do not put a chimney inside chamber-waste of space.

Mark

 

Why the uneven firings? The hardest part is going to be to get the heat evenly distributed. There are a few options like a buffer brick, 45 degree input burner port, etc.. If I can get one single shelf to cone 10 I'll take it. Its for glaze testing and expirements with reduction and some small wares.

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  • 2 years later...

I know this thread is like 3 years old. I just wondered how things ended up? Did you get it working, and did it fire  really unevenly? I'm planning a similar thing but probably downdraft with external chimney, I only have one burner though. 

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  • 1 year later...

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