Jay45601 Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 I am considering the purchase of an Olympic Medallion Artist Series 2827HE and wanted to know if anyone else owns the Medallion Artist Series of kilns by Olympic and how do you like or dislike it? I haven't taken any pottery classes in 15 to 20 years and always had used the large gas kilns of over 20 cu. ft. that my college classes provided. This one is electric and seems to have all the whistles and bells and appears to be a good price at this time of the year for a new one. Thanks; Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Fireborn Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 I don't know much about an Olympic, some personal friends of mine have one and they have no problems with it, they fire cone 6. I will tell you to shop around and research a lot before you buy a kiln. There is a lot to know before you hook one up to your studio, that kiln has a very big breaker requirement for example and is something to check into before just ordering it, and then realizing your breaker box can't support it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bioman Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 This is the one I own. Works fine at a reasonable price point. I mainly fire to cone 6. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay45601 Posted January 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Anyone fire to cone 10 for stoneware and porcelain in this kiln? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bciskepottery Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Check to see if the kiln is one zone (one thermocouple) or multi-zone (2 or 3 thermocouples). You will get more even firings with multi-zone. Also, for just getting back into pottery, 10 cu. ft. is a lot of kiln space to fill up. I've mostly seen 10 cu. ft. in community studio/production studio environments. I opted for a 7 cu. ft. (L&L) -- and it holds a lot of pots. You don't want to buy too small, but at the same time, too large means much longer waits between firings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugaboo Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 I have an Olympic, the art center here has 2 Olympics and I know several local potters that also have them. I have this one: http://www.greatkilns.com/kiln-varieties/electric-kilns/freedom-series/f1823he.html I fire to cone 6, the kiln I have will go to cone 10 but I don't fire that high. I have had no issues with this kiln, in fact I love it and for me it's a good size. I started out 3 years ago and it let me make and fires smaller loads so I could learn faster without the long waits to fill a larger one. Doing this also allowed me to correct mistakes I was making with less loss a large load might of done. I was also limited by my breaker box so be sure yours can handle whatever size you get. This kiln still works for me because I have learned to tumble stack bisque loads and I can get an amazing amount of bisque in it. Last load was 10 dinner plates, 12 salad plates, 8 cereal bowls, 12 16 ounce mugs, 2 12 ounce mugs, 24 small spoonrests, 12 large spoonrests, 3 bisque molds for 16 oz glassware, 1 12 oz mug bisque mold, and a set of floral push plate molds for nesting dishes, several dozen beads and some other random stuff. I use only 1 shelf plus the bottom for bisque loads. Also since I do a lot of custom orders having a slightly smaller kiln means I can create and fire those orders quicker as well. I have looked into getting another kiln simply so I could bisque fire one and while its cooling down (it takes about 24 hours to cool down) I could run the 2nd kiln with a glaze or transfer load. I would get the same kiln I have if I did it for that reason. I have also looked in to getting a test kiln that would run off a regular outlet so I could fire individual pieces, but other than looking through to see what my options would be I haven't pursued this further. I have fired over 100 times in this kiln and it is still within its beginning temperature and time parameters. I have treated this kiln kindly and use the vent, kiln wash, cookies, stilts and bisque catch bowls when testing new glazes. I got the stackable version so when it's time to replace anything I can hopefully do so myself. Good luck on choosing the kiln that works for you. I would start with your breaker box and let that help you decide on the size you need. Once you have that select whether a stackable or solid jacket would be better, if it's going in a basement or carried over any distance to set it up a stackable is easier to move. Decide if you are going to fire to cone 10 or not as that will limit you. Also decide on the shape you want, do you make tall sculptures or huge wide platters they have tall and wide kilns available. I would also definitely get the upgraded controller, I wouldn't own a kiln without one. I hope this helps and doesn't make it even more confusing. T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay45601 Posted February 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2016 I really appreciate everyone's comments and glad to hear that there are no glaring problems with this kiln. The price seems too good to be true and it comes with some furniture. The reason for the 10 cu. ft is that I tend to throw large and my goal is to try to reproduce Roman and Grecian amphoras that were used in shipping vessels during Roman times, the types you see Bob Ballard discover as wreaks on PBS at the bottom of the Mediterranean or Dead Sea. I need a tall kiln and would try to get 3 or 4 fired upside down because the base of the containers that held Wine or Olive Oil were just narrow pegs. Also, I love throwing large bowls in general which probably won't have much of a market if I try to sell them, but they are nice to look at and display around the house. I'm looking to buy an old house that has an old 1940s garage that my truck won't fit into; I plan to turn that into a studio and run 200 amp electric from the house out to it. I'm a dreamer, I know, but that would be a nice way to spend my retirement years; making pottery and being part of art shows. Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bioman Posted February 10, 2016 Report Share Posted February 10, 2016 I understand that firing at cone 10 will lessen the life of the elements; that is unless this was already upgraded to cone 10 compatible elements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 10, 2016 Report Share Posted February 10, 2016 Firing to cone 10 lessens element life a lot, even if the kiln is rated for cone 10. You'll get half as many firings as cone 6. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted February 10, 2016 Report Share Posted February 10, 2016 ask an electrician about running 200 amps from the house to the garage. you might first ask you local electric provider about putting 200 amps into the garage with its own meter. some places do not allow it but it might be an advantage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay45601 Posted February 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 When you're talking about elements you are talking about the electric coils around the outside of the inner walls? How often do you have to change them when you're just firing at cone 6? I know it's got the 3 inch firebrick lining. I wish I could have larger gas kiln like I used when I was in school, but living in town, I doubt the fire department would be real jazzed with that while I'm living within the city limits, much less the neighbors who see flames coming out the th stack. Are elements expensive and hard to change? Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bciskepottery Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 I changed elements in my L&L after about 100 firings -- bisque and cone 6 glaze. The glaze firings were starting to take longer and the coils were beginning to show signs of fatigue (flattening). Others have gotten more firings. I chose to replace mine before they stopped working. Changing in an L&L is easy as the kiln has the hard ceramic element trays. Not sure about an Olympic; some other brands have grooves and/or require pins to hold the elements in place. Ease of element changing was a key factor in choosing an L&L. Bailey kilns now have a similar element holder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay45601 Posted February 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 Thanks bcisepottery, that's real good and useful information. Sounds like I need to keep a record of firing times, both bisque and final cone 10 glazing. Is that stuff very expensive and can it be done easily by a layman like myself or do you need to find a kiln repairman? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bciskepottery Posted February 18, 2016 Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 Basic kiln maintenance can be done by yourself . . . changing elements, thermocouples, and relays. Most kiln manufacturers have both guides and videos on their sites to show you how to do those things. I have also used a kiln repairman . . . actually, the guy who installed the kiln for me. Always good to build a relationship with your local suppliers, installers, etc. and support local businesses. You can find good prices on the internet, but for some items I like to support the businesses around me even if it costs a bit more . . . so they are there when I need them. Potters like to encourage folks to shop locally; well, the same should run true for potters buying locally when possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 18, 2016 Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 I get 150 firings out of my elements, which is typical. That's a combo of bisque and cone 6. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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