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neilestrick

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Everything posted by neilestrick

  1. neilestrick
    For holding temp you would need an external digital control box. Orton makes one that would be the most affordable for a kiln that size. See HERE.
  2. neilestrick
    If it doesn't have a switch, then it should just turn on when you plug it in. The problem is that you can't fire clay that way - it needs to heat up slowly. That kiln is probably made for glass annealing, where you get the kiln hot, then put the finished glass work in and let it cool. You would have to monitor the temp with a pyrometer. So for you to use the kiln for clay you would really need to install a switch on it, or plug it into an external digital controller.
  3. neilestrick
    What type of canopy? Popup?
  4. neilestrick
    There are also a couple of folks I've seen on Instagram that make them on a small lathe, or you could rig up sander or a drill like this: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrVlWVTqvYx/. Lots of materials could be worked that way, not just wood, but wood would be the simplest. I built the rim for my banjo using a jig and a drum sander.
  5. neilestrick
    You can't just fire clay in a microwave, so do you mean using one of those microwave kilns? I supposed it's doable, but the ring is going to be far from durable since you're not going to vitrify the clay. Also, for safety reason you shouldn't be using a microwave you use for food. IMO, there are a lot of other materials out there that would be better suited for making a ring, but if you're going to do it I would at least make it from a fine-grained clay that vitrifies, like a good cone 6 porcelain, which will require an actual kiln. This is an excellent opportunity to justify the purchase of a baby test kiln if your budget allows for it. Test kilns are worth every dollar if you're the type of artist who does a lot of experimenting and glaze testing.
  6. neilestrick
    I can't answer your specific question, but what is the project you're working on? The reason I'm asking is because air dry clay has no durability or strength. It's not a good medium for anything other than something to sit and look pretty.
  7. neilestrick
    Those cones are very close in terms of evenness. I wouldn't expect them to be any more even than that. If you're going for a full cone 6 then a 5-10 minute hold ought to do it.
  8. neilestrick
    Try using more of the CMC mix in place of water and see if that helps. Is you gum solution fairly slimy? It should be, like a syrup. You could also try adding some VeeGumT to the mix, about half as much as however much CMC you used. As Babs said, make sure the first layer isn't totally dry before adding the second. It should be dry to the touch, but no bone dry. No sure about cooking, I've never heard that term used in regards to CMC.
  9. neilestrick
    Hi @leelee52, welcome to the forum! Can you post pics of the cones? How far off were they? Have you measured the resistance of the elements? How do they look- are the coils starting to lay over and bunch up?
  10. neilestrick
    A 15-20 minute hold equals 1 cone hotter, so yet, the hold will increase heat work on the rest of the kiln, too. I would first try loading the middle of the kiln tighter and loading the top looser. Put low mass pieces up top, like wide bowls. If that doesn't work, I would try firing a cone lower and holding for 15-20 minutes to achieve the next cone.
  11. neilestrick
    They use an infinite switch on some of the small kilns.
  12. neilestrick
    If it's currently set up for 3 phase, talk to ConeArt and see what will be required to convert it to single phase. Often it's very minor changes. Most likely you will not have 3 phase service available at your house.
  13. neilestrick
    Kilns here in the US usually run on 240 volts or 208 volts, and Skutt only sells one type of infinite switch, the 240 volt model, so you'll be fine using a 240 volt switch on your kiln. Any 240 volt, 15 amp infinite switch you find will work fine. I like the kits that come with the knob because your old knob may or may not fit the new switch. Robert Shaw is a good brand to get, something like THIS, but I don't know if they are available where you are. If there's a local appliance repair shop they may have something you can use, because these switches are usually used on stoves/ovens.
  14. neilestrick
    Hi @McKenna, welcome to the forum! Coneart kilns are well built and work great. If you're willing to do the brick replacement then go for it if the rest of the bricks are in good condition. Since you'll already have the lid off and the elements out it's the perfect time to do the bricks. ConeArt kilns are a little bit trickier when it comes to brick replacement since they have a layer of backup insulation between the bricks and the metal jacket. If it's an older kiln you may find that the backup insulation is very crumbly and needs to be replaced too, so I wouldn't order any parts until you get the bricks out and can assess the condition of the backup insulation and order some more if needed.
  15. neilestrick
    The black spots are just organic stuff. You'll see that on pots, too, as they heat up. Once you get above 1000F degrees they burn out.
  16. neilestrick
    Hi @Terri Cunnyngham, welcome to the forum! The jacket won't affect the firing, but if it's so rusted that it has holes in it then it's not structurally sound. You can order new bands from the manufacturer. With a new old kiln I would inspect the wiring for loose connections and areas that have overheated, and measure the resistance of the elements to see if they're still within specs. Replace any sketchy wires and corroded connectors. Elements that are 10% off should be replaced. Other than that, plug it in and see if the switches work. When wiring those up- to meet code, kilns must be on a breaker that is 25% greater than the amperage draw of the kiln, but not more than 50% greater.
  17. neilestrick
    The fast fire program is too fast for most kilns. It can get close in a small 2 section kiln, but a 3 ring kiln can't fire anywhere near that fast and stay even. A really full load will make it even more difficult, in any size kiln. I would avoid that setting altogether, because most glazes don't look as good being fired that quickly. The TC tubes do extend their life, but not to the degree that you would expect. The heat itself is more damaging to them than the fumes in the kiln. IMO the main benefit of the protection tubes is that they keep the TC metal flakes from getting all over the inside of the kiln. Check them at 75 firings, probably replace them at 100-120. They're relatively inexpensive, and fresh ones will keep the kiln running accurately.
  18. neilestrick
    My customers usually get about 250 firings, some more than 300. If those were the original thermocouples, then they were probably the source of the problem. I'm honestly surprised they were still functional at all after 192 firings. I would replace them every 100-125 firings to be safe. If your elements were reading 20 ohms, then they were only about 4% off. They shouldn't need changing until 10% off. It's normal for the bottom to work a lot harder and run at 100%, especially if it's a packed load and you're trying to fire fast. Which firing program do you usually use? Most kilns can't keep up with 350F/hr and fire evenly. Make sure you're not packing the bottom of the kiln tightly. Put large pieces at the bottom, small pieces in the middle/top.
  19. neilestrick
    I usually do about 1/4". Yes, that can all be the same firing. What cone are you glaze firing to? I would expect a lot more than 192 firings if you're doing cone 6 glaze and 04 bisque. Did you measure the element resistance? How old were the thermocouples?
  20. neilestrick
    Yup, I know exactly what you're talking about. If it were my kiln, I would make a peep hole in it.
  21. neilestrick
    I wouldn't even use it for that. There are so many big chunks missing that it's not going to insulate very well.
  22. neilestrick
    Is it a top loading kiln? If so, you should be able to crack the lid just enough to see what's happening without losing much heat. Again, you'd only have to do that for one firing, to figure out what temp that glaze needs to go to.
  23. neilestrick
    Yup. That's what'll happen until it gets hot enough to burn all that out. There's not a lot of work in the kiln, so if the smell was really bad then your wax must be on pretty thick. Most wax resist can and should be thinned out before use. It only takes a very thin application to resist glaze.
  24. neilestrick
    IMO it's not worth fixing. It needs a floor slab, a lot of wall bricks, new elements, power cord, jumper cords, wiring, etc. Way too much to put into a kiln that old. Save your money for something that's in much better condition.
  25. neilestrick
    Post some pictures of it, including the serial plate.
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