Mark C. Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 As seen in my photo of my meters one is for the house (smaller) which is 7 inches of water column on a manometer gauage or 1/4 pound presure The larger meter which has a large regulator which is adjustable-mine is set for just above 1/4 now as the kilns fire fine with the low presure. Not sure of your main heating system but if its electric I would guess a whole house gas heater would be cheaper unless your electric rates are super low. Our gas company now charges about 4-5K for the large meter sets-that all used to be free. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 Gas is generally cheaper for heating. Is the current system electric baseboard or a forced air electric system? Switching to a forced air gas system would be a major overhaul if you don't already have air ducts in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 I have put in a few forced air systems in a few homes I have been part of the build in my lifetime. Its Much harder to retro fit that system. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrgpots Posted September 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2014 How do I move this small monster? Is there a mechanism that Alpine uses to do this? Jed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted September 7, 2014 Report Share Posted September 7, 2014 Forklift only- or crane with web harness If the bottom has two parallel legs which are flat on bottom you can use steel rollers to fine tune it.Thats egyptian style-I have moved a few very heavy things including kilns this way-from a trailer (was fork lifed in) to a site and rolled it out with come alongs and rollers and man power. The photo looks like its on cinder blocks. Moving this will tell you who your real friends are. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrgpots Posted September 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 The school stopped the auction early and sold the kiln for $150 to someone who had pull. Jed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 WHAT??? This happens always and is so disheartening after your research, so much for schools needing funds eh? Sorry to hear this Jed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrgpots Posted September 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 It just means I have more time to perfect my conversion gas kiln... Now I have time to make a 3-4" insulating layer of fire clay, lava gravel, and refractory around my little conversion kiln. One bag of refractory ($50), one bag fire clay($35) and 3-5 5 gal buckets of lava gravel(free) should give me a cheap insulating layer. Will cover all sides, top, and bottom. Why do some get the great deals? Jed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 Insider deal-happens all the time. If I had to guess it would be the ceramics teacher who ran a now closed program. I saw the same thing with a peter pugger pug mill last winter. The teacher thought he could get it for next to nothing . Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 sorry you lost out on your kiln, bet another one will popup soon. It seems like I see them from time to time, good luck with your conversion mods. Hey how do you feel about the firings in your conversion? Do you mind my asking the ball park of what you spent doing your conversion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 Did you find out from the building department the deal about a gas hookup? Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrgpots Posted September 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 sorry you lost out on your kiln, bet another one will popup soon. It seems like I see them from time to time, good luck with your conversion mods. Hey how do you feel about the firings in your conversion? Do you mind my asking the ball park of what you spent doing your conversion? I bought an old Paragon 18" wide x 26 deep for $50. I made two burners from black pipe for $24. I have two old hair dryers for the blowers. The base of the kiln is old cinderblock. The lower part of the chimney below the damper is hard firebrick and the chimney above the the damper is medium duty brick. I made the damper from refractory clay. I made an O2 sensor from a car oxygen sensor, a $5 micrometer, and a 1/2 in dia x 4 in long tube of Mullite refractory from E-Bay for $12. So total investment so far is about $170. I will invest another $100 for the outer insulating layer. This will give me a 7 inch kiln wall, floor, and lid. I have about 2.9 cu feet of usable space for firing. I can acheive good reduction results. I have had problems getting to cone 8-10. This is why I am adding the insulation to the outside. I am still learning how to fire gas, so it is still early for my final assessment. I must admit that the first time I got a nicely reduced pot, I was hooked. Jed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrgpots Posted September 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 Did you find out from the building department the deal about a gas hookup? Mark That was my homework for yesterday. But since the kiln was sold, I did not follow up on it. I will need to do this for next time though. jed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 sounds like you nailed it, I am going to try and find an old 1027 to do for kicks and hopefully start learning how to do more than hit the start button on a pre-programmed electric. U going to keep an eye out for an old Alpine or do you have other ideas now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrgpots Posted September 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 I always keep my eyes open for "stuff." jed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 sounds like you nailed it, I am going to try and find an old 1027 to do for kicks and hopefully start learning how to do more than hit the start button on a pre-programmed electric. U going to keep an eye out for an old Alpine or do you have other ideas now? The day I began pushing start on a pre-programmed electric was one of the best days of my life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 Did you find out from the building department the deal about a gas hookup? Mark That was my homework for yesterday. But since the kiln was sold, I did not follow up on it. I will need to do this for next time though. jed I would go ahead and find out what the hoops are to jump thru before finding anything so you know ahead of time what may or may not be . Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrgpots Posted September 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2014 sounds like you nailed it, I am going to try and find an old 1027 to do for kicks and hopefully start learning how to do more than hit the start button on a pre-programmed electric. U going to keep an eye out for an old Alpine or do you have other ideas now? The day I began pushing start on a pre-programmed electric was one of the best days of my life! It that kind of like the two happiest days of a man's life?...... The day he bought his first boat and the day he sells his last boat? Jed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted September 10, 2014 Report Share Posted September 10, 2014 sounds like you nailed it, I am going to try and find an old 1027 to do for kicks and hopefully start learning how to do more than hit the start button on a pre-programmed electric. U going to keep an eye out for an old Alpine or do you have other ideas now? The day I began pushing start on a pre-programmed electric was one of the best days of my life! It that kind of like the two happiest days of a man's life?...... The day he bought his first boat and the day he sells his last boat? Jed I own two boats and do not want to sell either. The best day of my life was not buying either one. I have yet to have a kiln I can push the button and forget. I can turn a knob and walk away on my fire right ramp up controller if that counts Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted September 10, 2014 Report Share Posted September 10, 2014 So the boats were gifts Mark? Or an effort to break you away from the clay studio?? Could the costs of them be considered in a health claim?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted September 10, 2014 Report Share Posted September 10, 2014 One was from my mothers estate when she passed-I bought my dream boat for my other business-diving The other boat I paid for with pottery funds-its also a dive boat man must be nurtured by more than clay alone.And in my case its the ocean. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Potter Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 I know this is an old convo, but if anyone is listening I'd like to pose a few questions about the HF 24 Alpine posted by jrgpots, and welcome input with anyone who has experience with the older model HF 24 Alpines. Firstly, how's it going with this kiln? Have you got it firing? I ask because I have the exact same kiln, in excellent working condition. Specifically, I'd love to know what size shelves you use for stacking the kiln, and what luck you've had with your firings in reduction? Are you using (2) 14" x 28" shelves, making the overall size 28 x 28 or are you using (2) 11 x 28's making the overall size 22" x 28"? I'm asking because I fire to Cone 10 myself with the exact same kiln, and prefer to reduce my work, but find that the Alpine almost always fires the bottom half or third of the load in oxidation, and the top in reduction. For years I didn't mind because I was doing a lot of temoku which oxidizes really well, but now I'm working mainly in Shino and I'm trying to think of ways to gain control of the reduction and make it even throughout the kiln, without causing a lot of carbon trapping. Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted October 16, 2019 Report Share Posted October 16, 2019 You should be able to get that kiln to reduce throughout. They're great kilns once you get the setting dialed in. You need to make sure there's back pressure out both spy holes during reduction. One will have a lot, the other just a puff. If you've got back pressure out both, then you know the atmosphere is the same throughout the kiln. You have to find the balance between the damper, gas and air to create the degree of pressure and reduction. If you're not getting back pressure out the bottom spy, then you need to close the damper some or increase the air and gas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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