neilestrick
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Posts posted by neilestrick
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7 hours ago, Pyewackette said:
I think I finally figured out where those humps come from. Somebody used a heat gun on those bats and left it in one spot too long. Warpage was probably caused by using a heat gun while its turning.
That type of bat is notorious for not sitting flat, at least the round ones. Back when they were made by CI 30 years ago they did the same thing.
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The rule of thumb for burner placement is that is should be set back from the burner port a distance of half the diameter of the burner tip. For example, a 3" burner tip should be set back 1.5".
Does it backburn when it's not at the kiln?
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I assume the kiln was still on when you touched the coils? Super dangerous! Never touch anything while the power is on unless you're measuring voltage with a meter.
10.1 ohms is good. 120 volts divided by 10.1 gives us 11.88 amps, x2 = 23.76 amps per kiln section. So when you wire them in series, 10.1 x 2 = 20.2 ohms, and 240 volts divided by 20.2 = 11.88 x 2 = 23.76. So good to go. Now you need to get two infinite switches, something like THIS. You may be able to find them cheaper if you search around. Just make sure they're 240 volts, 15 amps, and include the knob. Robert Shaw is my preferred brand, but I'm sure there are others that work just fine too.
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5 hours ago, SDAVIS said:
Do you know if there’s a manual available online somewhere? I haven’t had any luck finding one yet.
Any Kiln Sitter manual will work. For firing this particular kiln, see my instructions above.
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I shape simple extruded handles by putting them inside oval cookie cutters. Extrude the strap, let it set up slightly so you can handle it without messing it up, then push it against the inside of the cookie cutter to get the shape. Leave it in there until it's set up enough that it will hold shape when you take it out. Makes a nice curve that's comfortable to hold. You can buy multiples of the same size cutter from folks on Etsy who 3D print them.
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14 hours ago, SDAVIS said:
Does anyone know what a reasonable price would be for a similar second-hand kiln? I’m considering buying one but trying to understand reasonable pricing…. Thanks in advance.
Depends on the condition of the bricks, elements, etc. If it has some broken bricks and needs new elements, then maybe $300. If it's in really good condition, maybe $600. More if furniture is included. A new digital kiln of that size is $2100.
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Clay-King seems to have a bunch in stock. Maybe they're fulfilling distributor orders and don't have enough to sell directly from their website. FYI, their 220C is the greatest clay knife ever. Of course those are out of stock, because everyone agrees with me!
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I'd put thin foam sheets between them with them tight to each other, and transport them standing up, not laying down, on something soft like a sheet of styrofoam. Tie them or block them to the side of the car/truck so they can't fall over.
- Pyewackette, Hulk and Rae Reich
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3 minutes ago, Pyewackette said:
However it also seems to be easier to find clay bodies with less than 1% absorption in cone 10.
Cone 6 porcelain is definitely under 1%. Stoneware bodies can be, but many are closer to 1.5%, which is still pretty tight and within the range we call acceptable for functional work.
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@Pyewackette That makes sense. You like the atmospheric stuff, which gas kilns are great for and electric kilns are not great for. I will argue that cone 6 porcelains are just as good as cone 10 porcelains. I've used cone 6 porcelain for years and years and I don't see any advantage to the cone 10 porcelain I used to use. Both are white, glassy, and translucent.
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42 minutes ago, Pyewackette said:
- reduction
- high fire
- reduction
- no elements to replace, and fewer electric/electronic doodads overall
- reduction
- It can do everything an electric kiln can do (though bisque firing seems like it might be trickier) but an electric kiln can't do what a gas kiln can (for instance reduction)
- reduction
- reduction
- reduction
- reduction
I've got a reduction obsession now. I've been spoiled having access to regular reduction firings.
What specifically do you like about reduction- certain glazes, certain clay bodies, the process,...? Not being negative about it here, just getting a feel for what you want from a kiln. I talk to a lot of people who want reduction simply because that's all they know and haven't had much experience with oxidation, or have been working at a studio that had horrible oxidation glazes. If you can be happy with cone 6 oxidation, the whole process of getting kiln set up and firing successfully will be faster, easier, and less expensive. I totally get the allure of reduction- I fired gas, wood, and salt for 12 years before switching to electric, and loved it.
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Red earthenware bodies get their color from iron. Adding iron will only make it darker, and it's a bad way to color a clay as it tends to increase brittleness. Generally red bodies get darker the hotter you fire them. So firing lower will give you a more orange and less red color. However firing lower may not be an option with your glazes, and it also will increase the porosity of the body. If you want a truly orange body, then you may want to try adding a stain to your clay, but that may work best with a white body.
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It's super old, but that doesn't mean it won't work. It's all about how much it's been used, not how long it sat around. I recently had a kiln in my shop that was 40+ years old but had never been fired.
Anyway, because your kiln is only rated for cone 6, it will only get to cone 6 if the elements are in perfect condition. That means you'll only get about 35 firings before the elements need to be replaced. By contrast, a cone 10 kiln will get 130+ firings before they need to be changed. Your kiln is great for low fire work, but not so great for cone 5/6 work. Do the elements all get hot? If you're not sure, put a small piece of paper on each element and start the kiln. Let it run for a couple of minutes and see if the papers all burn/smolder. If not, then there's a problem with that element. Could be the element, could be the wiring, could be the switch. If they all work but the kiln won't get to temp, then the elements probably need replacing. You'll have to contact Cress and see if they still make elements for your kiln. If you decide to use it, you'll need a 20 amp circuit to power it.
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Happy to help! @Pyewackette what is it about the gas kiln that you want?
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@Edie S. That little chip on the Sitter tube won't affect anything. The rod is still in great shape, so I'd say the kiln hasn't been fired much. Can you post a pic of the control box on the kiln so we can see what sort of switches it has? Most manual kilns work the same way, but Cress has had some unique setups over the years. Also post a pic of the serial plate on the kiln. The plate on the Sitter is just for it, not the kiln.
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2 hours ago, Edie S. said:
https://quickshare.samsungcloud.com/9KHv9uZ5aSco
Here are a couple pictures of the kiln sitter.
Am I required to download the file in order to view them? All I see is the Samsung logo, and no offense, but I'm not going to download anything. Better to load the photos directly onto the forum.
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@Pyewackette A 28" quad ring weighs 78 pounds, and it's terribly awkward to lift and carry alone. A 23" quad ring weighs 61 pounds, and is still unwieldy enough that I wouldn't try to lift it by myself over a piece in the kiln.
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1 minute ago, Pyewackette said:
How much do they weigh on theJD2936-3 (100A), and how much on the JD236V-3 (80A)?
I'm checking on this. I'll get back to you.
5 minutes ago, Pyewackette said:They do not list a 36" tall version of the Equad pro in the 23" diameter, only 27".
You don't want a 36" tall version of the eQuad because you won't be able to reach into the bottom without pulling it apart. Only 6'4" tall people can reach the bottom of that kiln. You need the Jupiter if you go that tall.
6 minutes ago, Pyewackette said:I don't think I need new elements for the phase change of the kiln you already sold me. L&L only lists ONE part for quad elements for the EQ2827 and it specifically labels them for either 1 or 3 phase. Were you thinking of the Easy Fire? That one DOES require new elements.
Correct. As I said, the eQuad uses the same elements for both single or 3 phase for each voltage. They'll only need to change elements if they need to run it on 208 volt service.
11 minutes ago, Pyewackette said:What is the advantage/disadvantage of the bottom element being available in the Jupiter and NOT being available in the EQuad Pro?
Bottom elements are only needed if you are firing really heavy loads like a kiln full of plates or tiles. The Jupiter is a bit more customizable, so they offer it there. The eQuad is sold as-is, no customization, mostly because the control box can't fit more stuff.
13 minutes ago, Pyewackette said:What's the EQuad Pro got that the Jupiter HASN'T got?
A nice simple control box that doesn't have a bunch of external cords, so fewer parts and easier maintenance.
13 minutes ago, Pyewackette said:Am I correct in assuming that only the Jupiter can be easily unstacked for loading large items?
Correct.
14 minutes ago, Pyewackette said:I was shocked to find out that the elements for the EQuad pro are $118 apiece and you need EIGHT of them for the 4 section EQ2836. Ditto the JD2936-3. However elements for 23xx series are only $10 cheaper and I would still need 8 of them for a 36" tall kiln (which only seems available in the Jupiter series in a 23" diameter). I'm not seeing a huge advantage in going to a narrower kiln. Is it such a huge difference to wire for 100A over 80A? The situation there won't be the same as here, all the existing 240v circuits will be in use so I'm going to have to add service either way. (In my own house here I don't use a dryer or the stove and there was an additional 50A and 20A circuit added by a previous owner, also unused by me, so I had plenty of unused capacity).
The Quad elements last a lot longer, so they pay for themselves and you don't have to change the elements as often. The difference in hooking up 100 amps vs 80 will depend on a lot of factors, so you'd need to get quotes from your electrician.
15 minutes ago, Pyewackette said:Given the expense of the elements I am, of course, very interested in your report of how your elements have been holding up, or anybody who fires Quad elements. However, with a larger kiln, I am thinking I would only be doing one bisque and one glaze fire per month at my peak soooo ... I would think one set of elements MIGHT last me for the rest of my pottering life, depending on how often I push it all the way to cone 10.
Firing bisque and cone 6 (40/60), standard elements last about 130-150 firings. With the quads they last about 250 firings or more. I've had customers get 300+. The more you fire to cone 5 and above, the greater the benefit of the Quad elements.
- Min and Pyewackette
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I would contact the manufacturer of the kiln or burner system. It requires changing the burner orifices to a smaller size, as well as the necessary hoses and regulator(s) for the propane tanks.
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With a baby kiln, as long as you're not firing lusters or similar materials that make for very toxic fumes, simply running a fan out a window will most likely do the job. A full downdraft system should not be necessary. Put it in the basement near the window, and get a window fan to pull out the small amount of fumes the kiln will produce.
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The kiln you got rid of has a 27" tall interior, which is pretty tall. If you need taller than that then the 36" models are the way to go, but I would look at if you really need that much total volume, or if you can get away with a narrower model, which would be cheaper and not require such big electrical loads.
You will not be able to lift the rings on and off by yourself with a 28" model. With a 23" model would still get help just to make sure you don't bump the work in the kiln.
The Jupiter does not have floor elements unless it is special ordered.
The eQuad uses the same elements for single or 3 phase on each voltage. An element change is needed to change voltage, though. No power cord on the single phase models. Single and 3 phase models use different terminal blocks where the power connects, see HERE. You could use the 3 phase block on a single phase kiln, but not the other way around.
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Almost 7 on top, 6 on bottom.
What model kiln, and how was it packed?
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New Relays Failed in a New Way
in Equipment Use and Repair
Posted
The clear relays run hot because the box that they're in is shallow. You'll notice on the top that there are 5 louvers. They switched to the black relays at some point, presumably because they were cheaper, and found that they burned out really fast, so they made the box deeper (6 louvers) to provide more air flow, and it made more room for the wire terminals so they didn't have to use right angle terminals with those relays. They recommend still using the clear relays in the 5 louver boxes. The clear ones are rated for high heat areas, and in general they do pretty well.
@Hyn Patty You need a new wiring harness. You've still got the original 20 year old wires connected to the relays, and they are most likely what is causing them to overheat. I see this all the time in Skutt kilns, and new wires solve the problem. Transformers rarely fail, and I don't see how it could cause the relay to fail, but as long as you have one coming, go ahead and replace it and all the wiring in the box at the same time.