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Looking For A Good Kiln Supplier In The Uk!


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I have rang many companies today asking their advice on kilns. The official skutt suppliers in the uk are very unhelpful and I have already had a bad experience with them when buying my skutt wheel. They forgot to put a plug on it and also forgot to include the head extension for the wheel. A few other companies I have spoken to are not much better. When I am looking to spend over £1500 you would think they would be helpful and not just sound bored.

 

The only company I found that gave sound advice and were helpful was http://www.kilns.co.uk/index.aspx

 

Just looking for people who have bought a kiln in the UK and have good things to say about the company. Give me your testimonies :D

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Not much, but Pottercrafts gave me a free bag of "stuff" to fill in the holes in the base bricks of one of their second-hand kilns. I'm not impressed with my local kiln supply/repair/maintenance company, lucky for you they are in Essex.  I hope you find someone you can trust..........

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Thanks Chilly, hadn't managed to find them before now. I will give them a ring tomorrow and see how they sound.

 

You do mean http://www.potterycrafts.co.uk/  ?

 

I trust the local guy up here but he can take forever to get round to doing a job. I had to buy £300 worth of clay to get him in my studio although he did give me an hour of his time for free looking at the electrics. In the end he couldn't find the problem either haha.

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I have two choices on a kiln.

 

One is 18" diameter by 18" tall internal dimension. SHTL75 http://www.kilns.co.uk/specification.aspx?id=15270

 

My other choice is 16" diameter by 18" tall. http://www.potterycrafts.co.uk/Products/000f0004/P59240

 

They are both in the £1500's and seem similar quality. It is hard to tell as I haven't seen them in person. I think I might have to rent a van and drive down to stoke on trent where they are both made and have a look to really make a good decision.

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Kilns with multiple sections, usually two bricks high per section, are much easier to work on if you need to replace bricks in the future. Also check that the outer metal jacket has a method for tightening it up, not just screws holding it together at the joint. Make sure the control box is hinged, preferably downward but sideways will work. Open it up and see how well the electronics are protected from the heat of the kiln. Is it laid out nice and clean and organized so all the parts are easy to access for changing out? How are the relays held in place- screws or nuts and bolts? Screws are way faster and easier to deal with. Check the quality of the hinge- it should extend well down the back of the kiln for good support. Check the method of holding the lid open- some are annoying. Try out the controller to see if it is intuitive and easy to use. Check the quality and solidity of the stand. Is the thermocouple in a protection tube? Do the elements require pins at the corners to hold them in place? Are the bricks grooved so deeply that they will easily break?

 

Don't be swayed by pretty. Pretty doesn't necessarily mean good.

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Thanks for the list of things to look for. Going to have to write this down as I am always forgetting things.

 

It will be worth renting a car for £50 and going down for a day to have a look, or convince my dad for a road trip... Need to make sure the kiln is worth the money, easy to maintain and will last a long time.

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I bought both my kilns from Potterycrafts and have had them for 11 years with no problems. The larger of the two kilns is very similar spec to the one you have on your link and cost almost the same!. I can't really comment on the service as I just had them delivered and installed by a local electrician and they have worked ever since. I am not a heavy user, firing perhaps 10-20  times a year. It's also worth looking out for discounts, a friend of mine managed to pick up a voucher for me  at Hatfield Arts in Clay.

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I went with potterycrafts in the end. Got the 60L kiln, upgraded the controller to the next model up and they are putting 4 meters of cable onto the kiln for me to connect to the plug all for no extra cost. Very nice people. I went down to see them and the kiln in person. Very nice looking kiln with good electrics and chunky elements. Never seen any using wire that thick. Didn't get to meet the kiln manager which would have been good but I am happy with my purchase. The three year warranty is also nice. Would always love a bigger kiln but the size I can afford will have to do for now.

 

The other company didn't even have one with elements in for me to see or any wires and it was £300 more expensive with no free delivery. Still looked like a nice kiln but potterycrafts beat them easily.

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