Jump to content

Kao Wool Question


Recommended Posts

Can Kao wool be used on the outside of a Kiln for better insulation? Also , there is a product "which i cannot remember the name of" that you spray on Kao wool to make it more rigid, and/or attatch with...

 

Thanks for any help, Jim...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only way to add it to an electric kiln would be to get it between the bricks and outer jacket. You'd have to get a longer jacket to accommodate the added thickness, and you'd have to use fiber board which doesn't compress, not kaowool. But even when done at the factory I find it to be a big mess. I hate working on kilns that have the extra insulation, and I have yet to see any real numbers to back up claims of substantial energy savings. There have been several discussions about this here on the forum. Do a search and you'll get a lot of info.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

there are two chemicals i think that we used to use years back when making raku kilns out of old 55 gallon drum and small galvanized pails to glue fiber insulation in place, colloidal silica and sodium silicate... are either of these the agent you were referring to?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1515art yep and a product simply called Rigidizer that goes on after its glued in place... Thanks..

 

Well i was hoping it would be easy but it sounds like it might not be worth the effort...   The reason is for a slower cooling time.I know i can down fire but with manual controls it just means less sleep lol... I do not like to fire unless i am awake,i guess i just feel safer. I should fire it a few times in the new room which is smaller 10X10 with concrete  walls... maybe that in itself will be enough... I still need to drop the ceiling a little bit to clear some pipes and put up some concrete backer board or something...

 

thanks for the help ... 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Crusty,

when I'm firing my small electric kiln sometimes ill stack 3 or 4 inches of old random pieces of fiber insulation on top of the lid of the kiln. I've done this quite a bit the added weight is minimal and although i was at first concerned this might promote cracks in the lid bricks, i have not had any problems, when i do this the cooling cycle is much longer. my gas kiln has fiber on top also, it was old stuff i had laying around and i think it helps, there is a picture of my gas kiln in the gallery you can see the fiber stacked on top.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can see putting Kaowool or Fiberfrax ceramic blankets on top of a front loading kiln where they are put in place and then left alone but moving them on and off a top loading kiln is going to kick up a lot of airborne fibres. MSDS for Kaowool here http://www.fabricationspecialties.com/pdf/kwblanket_msds.pdf  Nasty stuff to be handling if you don't need to.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hi min,

very smart to be extra careful, but i don't believe this stuff is any worse than any other fiber insulation the particle size is pretty large. MSDS sheets have a way of making everything seem pretty bad for you, the fibers that produced health issues in lab animals were engineered to increase exposure and were different than what we are using. 

 

"There has been no increased incidence of respiratory disease in studies examining occupationally exposed workers. In animal studies, long term laboratory exposure to doses hundreds of times higher than normal occupational exposures has produced fibrosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma in rats or hamsters. The fibers used in those studies were specially sized to maximize rodent restorability." 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest JBaymore

Refractory Ceramic Fiber  - RCF- ceramic fiber - etc.

 

FYI:

 

• IARC (WHO) has classified RCF as a possible human

carcinogen (Group 2B).

 

• In the USA NTP has classified respirable RCF as a

substance reasonably anticipated to be carcinogenic.

 

• CEPA (Canada) has classified RCF as “Probably

carcinogenic†(Group 2);

 

• In Europe RCF are classified as a carcinogenic

substance in animals. (1B under new CLP classification system)

 

• ACGIH has classified RCF in category A2: Suspected

human carcinogen

 

 

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2006-123/pdfs/2006-123Ch1.pdf

 

https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/syntheticmineralfibers/

 

best,

 

.................john

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.