neilestrick

I don't know if this was already mentioned, but I just saw a video of someone who made their own screens using a store bought screen, but instead of using emulsion she used her Cricut machine to cut peel-and-stick vinyl. She then adhered it to the screen and it functioned like emulsion would. She was screening on fabric, but I don't see whey it wouldn't work to screen onto tissue paper to make your own stencils. She could then peel the vinyl and re-use the screen for another design. I'm sure there are limitations to this method, but if you have a Cricut it seems like a good option. I'm going to give it a try if I can find the time.

Thank you @Minand @neilestrick. My last show I had no helper to pack up and, to my chagrin, was last to leave. The first lesson was to never underestimate the value of a helping hand. The next was I could do this part better, so ought to look into it. Voila! 
Packing before the show is different, you have time. Unpacking and setup is not bad if you’re organized beforehand. Packing to leave…I figured it would go much faster. I looked around and everyone was gone! The security guard was like, “I get to leave when you do.”
Anyway, I appreciate the thread and what people have shared here. It helps. Thanks. 
 

@Jeff Longtin Thanks for the heads up! Are there any issues with the finished molds that come with these differences in thickness and setting times?

Interesting. It makes sense. It would be interesting to try. Maybe I can convince some folks I know to try it.

If you're referring to the splash pan, put a big sponge between your water bucket and the wheel head, with the sponge lightly rubbing against the wheel head. It'll catch the majority of the water. You'll still want a towel on your lap, though.

Patching cracks in plaster is difficult if not impossible. I vote for covering it with a piece of Hardiebacker.

Patching cracks in plaster is difficult if not impossible. I vote for covering it with a piece of Hardiebacker.

Thank you everyone for your input.
I spoke, via Google translate, to the Italian company.
He confirmed that they should just pull out …
”To replace the resistors, you must first remove the resistance cover rods, which have been inserted ‘locking’, to do so you can help with the tip of a screwdriver.”
Unfortunately, due to the high cost (>€300!), increased by 20% import tax…thanks to Brexit (Don’t blame me, I didn’t vote for it!) and my time, the customer has decided it’s not worth spending this much on an old kiln.
I must say that if you do need to contact HobbyCeram, do it in Italian & you will get a really good response.
Again thanks for all your help.
Mike

Top- 15 amps
Middle- 9.5 amps
Bottom- 21.8 amps
If you put the bottom and middle on the same relay you're going to be at 31.3 amps. I don't see on the diagram where it says, but chances are that's only a 25 or 30 amp relay. What you could do is connect the middle elements directly to the infinite switch along with the control side of the top relay. That switch would then only be handling the 9.5 amps of the middles section and the very little power to switch the relay for the top section. Plus that way the bottom section is on its own for candling/preheat. Ditch the timers and the middle control relay. L1 and L2 of  both switches should connect directly to the Sitter, as well as the power inputs to both relays. Someone please confirm as I'm not drawing this out as I write it!

One of my undergrad profs used to say 'If you can't center your life, you can't center your clay'. I think there is some truth to that. I see my students struggle on the wheel when they're having a bad day. They have to put aside their troubles for a couple of hours and just focus on the task at hand.
They often refer to pottery class as therapy, because they know that the other students will listen to them if they need to vent about something that's troubling them. It's nice to see, all of the them supporting and helping each other. They come to class as much for the friendships as they do for the pottery.

You bet. Sorry I didn't catch that!

A typical electric kiln (in the US) has walls that are 3"/7.6cm thick. They're built with standard 3" x 4.5" x 9" bricks turned on their sides. At 12.6cm you're going to get better insulation than a typical kiln, but yes, less brick with more wool would insulate better since the wool is much lower mass. Personally, I wouldn't mess with the wool at all. It's a health hazard, difficult to work with, and not at all durable. If you really want to back up the bricks with something, use some sort of fiber board insulation, not ceramic wool blanket. Regardless of the thickness of the brick, you'll have to calculate the wattage of your elements to account for the mass of the brick, heat loss, etc. Also bear in mind that as the walls get thicker the kiln will cool more slowly. That means longer turnaround times and less control over the firing cycle if you want to add cooling cycles to the firing program. It's better to have thinner walls and let the elements control the cooling rate if you want good control. For instance, L&L builds their crystalline glaze kilns with power to get to cone 12, but uses 2.5" thick K26 bricks so the kiln can cool quickly when needed, and there's more precise control over the firing cycle.

Assuming it's not due to the pedal being caked with clay like mine, open up the control box and look for the adjustment dials. If that wheel has the same controller as mine, there are 6 dials that you'll need a small screwdriver to adjust. There's one labeled MIN SPD (minimum speed), which should fix it. Yours may be a little different than the one below, because mine is an old wheel, but it should be similar.

 

One of my undergrad profs used to say 'If you can't center your life, you can't center your clay'. I think there is some truth to that. I see my students struggle on the wheel when they're having a bad day. They have to put aside their troubles for a couple of hours and just focus on the task at hand.
They often refer to pottery class as therapy, because they know that the other students will listen to them if they need to vent about something that's troubling them. It's nice to see, all of the them supporting and helping each other. They come to class as much for the friendships as they do for the pottery.

The timer switches at the bottom of the control box are supposed to hold the temp on low for 2 hours before it ramps up, so there is likely a problem in one or both of those switches. Replacements may or may not be available.
I worked on a similar Duncan last week where we tore out all the relays and timer switches, and wired the elements directly to infinite switches. The original setup had two switches, but with 3 element groupings I had to add a third switch to the panel. It's now a fully manual kiln, but the owner has a lot more control over firing speed, and can candle overnight with just the bottom ring on low. Doing this is a good option for keeping these kilns running and making them more user friendly. You just have to make sure you don't overload the switches since infinite switches are only rated for 15 amps, however these kilns usually max out at 15 amps per element grouping.

In my experience, they may or may not warp back. Doesn't hurt to try, though. Just make sure they're really clean on the bottom so they don't drop stuff onto your pots.

I would make holes before firing, into which you could epoxy two threaded rods after firing, that could then be bolted to a base. Make the holes slightly larger than the rods to allow for shrinkage and make room for the epoxy.

One of my undergrad profs used to say 'If you can't center your life, you can't center your clay'. I think there is some truth to that. I see my students struggle on the wheel when they're having a bad day. They have to put aside their troubles for a couple of hours and just focus on the task at hand.
They often refer to pottery class as therapy, because they know that the other students will listen to them if they need to vent about something that's troubling them. It's nice to see, all of the them supporting and helping each other. They come to class as much for the friendships as they do for the pottery.

One of my undergrad profs used to say 'If you can't center your life, you can't center your clay'. I think there is some truth to that. I see my students struggle on the wheel when they're having a bad day. They have to put aside their troubles for a couple of hours and just focus on the task at hand.
They often refer to pottery class as therapy, because they know that the other students will listen to them if they need to vent about something that's troubling them. It's nice to see, all of the them supporting and helping each other. They come to class as much for the friendships as they do for the pottery.

I would make holes before firing, into which you could epoxy two threaded rods after firing, that could then be bolted to a base. Make the holes slightly larger than the rods to allow for shrinkage and make room for the epoxy.

One of my undergrad profs used to say 'If you can't center your life, you can't center your clay'. I think there is some truth to that. I see my students struggle on the wheel when they're having a bad day. They have to put aside their troubles for a couple of hours and just focus on the task at hand.
They often refer to pottery class as therapy, because they know that the other students will listen to them if they need to vent about something that's troubling them. It's nice to see, all of the them supporting and helping each other. They come to class as much for the friendships as they do for the pottery.

I would make holes before firing, into which you could epoxy two threaded rods after firing, that could then be bolted to a base. Make the holes slightly larger than the rods to allow for shrinkage and make room for the epoxy.

One of my undergrad profs used to say 'If you can't center your life, you can't center your clay'. I think there is some truth to that. I see my students struggle on the wheel when they're having a bad day. They have to put aside their troubles for a couple of hours and just focus on the task at hand.
They often refer to pottery class as therapy, because they know that the other students will listen to them if they need to vent about something that's troubling them. It's nice to see, all of the them supporting and helping each other. They come to class as much for the friendships as they do for the pottery.

One of my undergrad profs used to say 'If you can't center your life, you can't center your clay'. I think there is some truth to that. I see my students struggle on the wheel when they're having a bad day. They have to put aside their troubles for a couple of hours and just focus on the task at hand.
They often refer to pottery class as therapy, because they know that the other students will listen to them if they need to vent about something that's troubling them. It's nice to see, all of the them supporting and helping each other. They come to class as much for the friendships as they do for the pottery.

I think you're probably dealing with a lot of inconsistencies in your materials. Especially the clay- it's a big unknown. I say simplify things as much as possible- if the engobe has been problematic for a long time, use a slip or something else instead, or start with a new recipe. Or even find a different approach to what you're trying to achieve in your work.