Mark C. Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 Well just so you know sooner or later it happens to all of us. The ceramic gods try and knock you over. I had a fully packed load of bisque in the Skutt 1227 fire to say cone 2-5?-I do not know really know how hot it got. I have not had this happen for at least 2- 3 decades maybe ever 4. It’s always a few things that add up and get you not usually one. In my case I have a skutt 1227 manual kiln with a Dawson cone sitter and a timer along with a fire right dial ramp up switch. I packed the kiln as I always do. 60 sponge holders 100 spoon rests 36 bowls and over 50 mugs along with some misc. stuffers. I tested the rod and it seems a bit stiff but loosened up right away (1st mistake) I set the cone sitter up and spun the timer for a few to many extra hours (second mistake). Now usually I check up several times on an electric but for some reasons I was a bit to casual with this shut off. I checked out the window and he light was off but failed an earlier evening look see (3rd mistake) This early am I noticed the kiln was a bit to hot on the pyro as it cooled off-seemed to be taking a lot longer. Finally I had it open to find the wares where pretty cooked and had that telltale hard ring. I loaded the whole kiln load into the truck and am taking it to the rock crusher plant to turn it into road base in AM. The thing about this is you should just move on and just remake the pots –I’ll throw a slug of them in am as well and this is already feeling better when I can not see these cooked pots. Best to move on than fight it in the glaze room. Just so you know I fired this kiln 3 days ago and all was well with that bisque. I noticed today the rusty floor (stainless-ho-ho) band busted loose so I called Skutt and ordered that band and a new lid band and handle as they are almost touted with rust. I ordered as well a new Dawson tube with new guts and am starting over all new parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 Thought you were going to write that you had run over the dog on the way into your kiln with the carload! Hmm Mark! Decision to get rid of them , I hope this is read by many. Time is so wasted trying to resurrect overfired pots. Unforgiving stuff this clay. Such a wise move to get on in there and start to throw a kiln load again. Kiln sitters timers et al are all just just fine till you decide to rely on them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glazenerd Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 Kilns are like people: as we age we start requiring more maintenance. I have noticed a few of my rusty bands breaking loose lately. (Will let your imagination run wild trying to figure that out.) Nerd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JBaymore Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 Studies of airplane crashes have shown that it is not usually one single situation that cause the crash. It is a cascading series of events, any single one of which would not have been critical. But put them together and the crash is inevitable. best, ....................john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 I have some completely rusted bands on my little 20 year+ test kiln. I am procrastinating replacing the metal wrap. I think I could replace the whole thing in a morning. Just need a kick in the ***. The support bands that are below the hinge are completely loose. I guess it is time. Rust is a big issue down here in the tropics with toxic air from Matamoros, Mx mixed with the salt air from the Gulf of Mexico. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChenowethArts Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 Oh @Mark C., This makes my heart hurt to hear of this sort of disaster. It is still painful for me to dump an entire load of over-fired bisque and I try my best to be watchful of the kiln while firing. My most recent disaster involved the use of a lonnnng pre-heat for some thicker pieces that were not bone dry before placing them in the kiln (yes, I know that's a bad practice). Well, on this one occasion the kiln ramped up slowly to 200f and seemed to be holding...but when I returned after lunch and errands, it had blown passed the 200f mark and was already at 370f+. Of course, there were explosions and a mess to clean-up after cooling. From what I have learned, even a small blip in the electrical current (a spike, a brown-out, or a brief interruption) can alter the program...it hasn't happened again since then, but I do watch more now. @glazenerd I just hate it when my rusty bands break loose. You made my inner-teenager snicker Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benzine Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 Studies of airplane crashes have shown that it is not usually one single situation that cause the crash. It is a cascading series of events, any single one of which would not have been critical. But put them together and the crash is inevitable. best, ....................john And my guess is, one of those series of events involves "human error". I think a lot of incidents throughout history can be traced back to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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