Mark C.

Drilling is the very very last resort-the PB blaster soaking for days then varouis mechanical tools would be my go to. Never had that fail ,heat before drilling for sure as well
drilling will screw up the threads so that means retaping to the next larger size. patience is whats needed here and I have little myselg except when it comes to the se situations .
The easy outs are the ticket as Hulk posted above -. Drill only the center-then soak it for a day or two then use the easy our-You tube this to see how if you do not have experience with tham

(I fired the kiln up to about 2100 F by having my gas pressure as high as it would go with no standing flame from the vent)
You say you are adjusting gas presure-is this with the meter regulator?
after that you say you turn it up-I'm confused its already on max? you said
Or a presure regulator somewhere else?
Or is this just the single valve to kiln? and its full on 
In terms of reduction that small flame out top does not mean the whole kiln is reducing. I can get a flame out of my 12 cubic upodraft with hardly any reduction in middle or bottom. To get that I need the damper in some. 
The damper need to be part of the cycle.
The only way to keep the bottom from overfiring is to use a damper
It sounds like you are still just barley getting enough gas down that long 3/4 inch gas line. Can you adjust your meter presure with a manometer ?do you know how to do that?This is a 1/4 pound presure (7inchs on a monometer right)
 

I have had Brent wheels sit for a decade with zero issues on start up. Electrics same deal-I life ina mosit rainforest for winters  but no summer humidity 

Here is what an older potentiometer looks like (all white unit) .The whole unit these days is all Black plastic
Brandon covered all this well and then older units do get brittle and like this one in photo is cracked but can be epoxied to get more life from it.
You need to be handy a bit to repair unit or replace the potentiometer
 

The belts are small single V belts as I mentioned and that will last a lifetime-I mentione this in above pots
This wheel NEVER had a belt guard underneath most likely. 
I do not see any trim pots in your post on Feb 17th
The trim controls for wheel are in the bottom of foot pedal not on the control board-it has no adjustments for anthing take the bottom cover off foot pedal-you will see a red and blue wheel that takes a straight blade screwdriver one is high end one is low end. They work together to fine tune them
The two holes in deck someone drilled to attach a splash pan is my guess and use silicone to fill them as they will allow water to get under deck and be a rust issue
Just for you info Brent never made a model B in the early days-see the brochure at top of this post for all the early models.Your 1/2 HP motor means it was a model C . I have that same wheel only an earlier model that does not have the plastic deck but a formica flat top with no ridges around perimeter. Model Bs which came later all had 1/3 HP  motors as they are today
No one left at Brent knows this stuff anymore i feel-all the old timers are long gone I think.
That foot pedal is one of the early models and Brent has no parts for them. They do wear out over time so baby it if you can. You can buy a cheaper potentiometer here and fabracate it into this pedal here . Your potentiometer is white  as all the early ones where white and now they are all black.
When your contol board stops working the oldest control board brent sells will work fine for you but you will need a larger control box to fit it into.
These early boards fit into a shallow steel electrical box and used toggle switches not rocker as you noted.You can buy rockers for cheap when that control board stops working later.You may get lots of years still on that board or not its a unknown. I keep a spare board in stock in studio but I have 5 wheels adn like to keep tham all working well.
This is down the road for you as I have been there and done that long ago in terms of the larger plastic control box and new controls and reaplacing the foot pedal as well with the newer style.
I have a spare  foot pedal that was just sent to me from a person on this board who replaced theirs if you need one in the future.
Let me know if you need any other info just PM me
 

Whatever you do do not powder coast it inside as it will all chip out into the clay.
Yes on the de-rust paint OUTSIDE ONLY. Yes on the sandblast.
If the barrel is aluminum it can be be welded at a shop if its steel its ever easier to weld
This pug mill looks like a beater so pay very little for it. It pre vacuum I assume which means you still need to wedge the air bubbles out so plan on that
They make nicer units and I have seen many a bluebird with the vacuum feature for sale used as well.
This unit is pretty far gone and will take some big work to get it cleaned up -hopefully it's free to start with

I have had a fair amount of Requests for older info on Brent wheels-all from the 70s mainly thru PM's and E-mails. I'll cover all the questions I have answered in the past years here.
This is my original Brochure from 1969-1970-I bought a model C then from Robert Brent himself. At that time the model C and CXC where the only two models he made. The CXC was a direct drive transmission and could spin a 3/4 ton truck . The model C had two separate belts. Both had flat heavy duty decks with flat formica on top. The foot pedals where like in photos not like todays models. 
You can replace the potentiometer  by following that link at top of Equipment page on Brandon's post.
The splash Pans  where galvanized sheet metal and just slid in under the wheel head with no attachment .You can make one from say a plastic bowl like container. I like to find them at Asian Markets as they have the best selections
The CXC has a 1/2 steel thick deck and weight 160#s -yes 1/2 plate steel. The Model C was 1/4 inch thick deck and weighed 120#s. I still have my model C and its heavy.
The transmission takes 90 weight oil in that CXC. 
The control boxes where metal electrical boxes and were to small for all the contents and can be replaced with deeper boxes if you are working on one.
Any rust can be neutralized using Ospho bought online or any Ace Hardware store and let set for 24 hours then spray with flat black paint after 1st wire brushing away the loose material.
If your motor is blue (its original) the brushes are not user changeable -just take it to an electric motor shop and have them change out any neaded bearings or brushes at the same time.
If you have a bearing out on the wheeled (its all one unit) you can unbolt it from deck and replace with new Brent wheelhead but the shaft size on the model C was 5/8 and the new shaft/wheelheads are 3/4 so you will need new 3/4 inch shaft belt pulley as well
In Brent wheelheads the bearing and shaft/wheelhead are one piece so you need the whole deal.. The good news is they can last a lifetime unless you are a production potter.
All newer Brent motors have user friendly replacement brushes (non Blue motors).
Hope this helps those who buy these older Brent wheels
The wiring brochure is from the old days-the last document is the spring tension on wheels from the  late 70s onward written by an old acquaintance from Amaco/ Brent  Paul Scowden

Good question I post my yearly firings for many years here and did so a few weeks ago
here 
 

I use and own all kinds of brushes in the ceramics studio .Some I had as a Art major in collage (oil /water color and ceramics use) .I'll never use them all up in my life as i collected way to many to over the decades. I had a brother who bought a bunch from Japan in the 70s for me and a mother who went to china in the 80s and brought back a bunch for me. Since then I have amassed way to many on top of those I already had. I was also given a few boxes of the flat wide ones that are white hair wooden japanese one. She had a case of them.Then somewhere in the 80s I started to make my own. Well now maybe its time to think about letting some go. I did sell a bunch of pottery tools on one of the pottery facebook sites last year when cleaning out a studio area. Time to do more of that.Doing that with camera gear now as its a winter downsizing I do every year.

You need a timer knob as yours is missing as well.

When it comes to kilns (and I assume this is an electric only thread) I do it all myself. I have a manual electric skutt (no computer) I added a fire rite control that turns it up as fast or slow as I need. I do not fire this much anymore as most pots are bisqued in my gas kilns. I have rebuilt a few of these type of kilns. pretty easy stuff. Same with shelves I do all the maintenance . I never fire over bisque temps in my 10 cubic skutt.I have upgraded to better connectors (not crimps) and leave all switches on high (the fire rite turns the kiln on and off) I did replace some of the jacket a few years ago and have more jackets in a box but have yet to finish the job..I think I fired this once last year.Its cone sitter kiln for turn off with a safety timer.I did repaint all the contol boxes a  non skutt color when the red color flaked off with rust. I have upgraded to real stainless screws as well so they do not rust. Any time I work on it I make it better with better materials when I can. Thees manuel kilns are pretty bullet proof and go for a long time without trouble.I have had 3 skits over time (all used) and if I bought new one it would be an L&L.
I would hope L&L used better stainless screws and parts. My beef with electric kiln companies is they skimp on quaility on small parts to save a few bucks. The stands are to small and the controls get to hot from lack of space and insulation. The stainless can be of poor quaility as well and rust.Not sure if any manufacture has it all figurted out. I do like the hard element holders  of top brands as well this feature alone is worth it in my view as the bricks break out every element change if there is not hard holder.

Just for reference once I reach bisque temp in all my gas Kilns (I have 4)
I usually leave the gas setting alone and just use the damper to contol kiln
no need to micro adjust  gas settings thru a firing past 1800-2000

Just for reference once I reach bisque temp in all my gas Kilns (I have 4)
I usually leave the gas setting alone and just use the damper to contol kiln
no need to micro adjust  gas settings thru a firing past 1800-2000

I forgot to add use cones all over to see whats going on. I suggest going slow and not using to much gas. You need a digital pyrometer to make sure you are climbing when it stalls if it stalls adjust the damper 1st ,If this fail and you have a piece of metal (lightweight ) pipe add it to lid to increase draft as noted in above posts or use a few soft bricks to do the same deal with damper on top. Try not to over gas it (meaning more gas is better as this is often not the case. 
Since your burners like mine are fixed you only have the gas to turn up or down and the damper. My updraft is exactly like this with those only two functions. A  little damper in makes it climb slowly
Now if all this fails I would like to know how much more gas you have meaning whats left on the valve 1/4 turn or less ( FULL PORT  ball valve only)

As I said I have burners like yours on asmall updraft. They are a little different but non adjustable all the same. Just make sure you have a good volume of gas to supply them . Pipe is large enough all the way from meter.With monimal restrictions.
Yes put a shelve on top of load under the lid and use staggered shelve is possible on split levels. Uss a damper -you choice of material 

When it comes to kilns (and I assume this is an electric only thread) I do it all myself. I have a manual electric skutt (no computer) I added a fire rite control that turns it up as fast or slow as I need. I do not fire this much anymore as most pots are bisqued in my gas kilns. I have rebuilt a few of these type of kilns. pretty easy stuff. Same with shelves I do all the maintenance . I never fire over bisque temps in my 10 cubic skutt.I have upgraded to better connectors (not crimps) and leave all switches on high (the fire rite turns the kiln on and off) I did replace some of the jacket a few years ago and have more jackets in a box but have yet to finish the job..I think I fired this once last year.Its cone sitter kiln for turn off with a safety timer.I did repaint all the contol boxes a  non skutt color when the red color flaked off with rust. I have upgraded to real stainless screws as well so they do not rust. Any time I work on it I make it better with better materials when I can. Thees manuel kilns are pretty bullet proof and go for a long time without trouble.I have had 3 skits over time (all used) and if I bought new one it would be an L&L.
I would hope L&L used better stainless screws and parts. My beef with electric kiln companies is they skimp on quaility on small parts to save a few bucks. The stands are to small and the controls get to hot from lack of space and insulation. The stainless can be of poor quaility as well and rust.Not sure if any manufacture has it all figurted out. I do like the hard element holders  of top brands as well this feature alone is worth it in my view as the bricks break out every element change if there is not hard holder.

You need a damper-I suggets thin broken kiln shelve say 1/2 inch thick so that the weight is minimal -or just a soft brick which is light still
Also I would run as the larger pipe (I thought you said it was 3/4) all the way to kiln. It looks like you necked it down somewhere in last 10 feet with smaller flex? Its usually not a pressure issue with natural gas its a volume issue, so keep the pipe as big as you can to the kiln.
I have those same type of burners on an updraft .  You cannot change your altitude  so you need to have all the other functions perfect 
 

Wondering if a  pipe chimney would draw more  air through, and damper needed for sure.
 

You need a damper-I suggets thin broken kiln shelve say 1/2 inch thick so that the weight is minimal -or just a soft brick which is light still
Also I would run as the larger pipe (I thought you said it was 3/4) all the way to kiln. It looks like you necked it down somewhere in last 10 feet with smaller flex? Its usually not a pressure issue with natural gas its a volume issue, so keep the pipe as big as you can to the kiln.
I have those same type of burners on an updraft .  You cannot change your altitude  so you need to have all the other functions perfect 
 

You need a damper-I suggets thin broken kiln shelve say 1/2 inch thick so that the weight is minimal -or just a soft brick which is light still
Also I would run as the larger pipe (I thought you said it was 3/4) all the way to kiln. It looks like you necked it down somewhere in last 10 feet with smaller flex? Its usually not a pressure issue with natural gas its a volume issue, so keep the pipe as big as you can to the kiln.
I have those same type of burners on an updraft .  You cannot change your altitude  so you need to have all the other functions perfect 
 

When it comes to kilns (and I assume this is an electric only thread) I do it all myself. I have a manual electric skutt (no computer) I added a fire rite control that turns it up as fast or slow as I need. I do not fire this much anymore as most pots are bisqued in my gas kilns. I have rebuilt a few of these type of kilns. pretty easy stuff. Same with shelves I do all the maintenance . I never fire over bisque temps in my 10 cubic skutt.I have upgraded to better connectors (not crimps) and leave all switches on high (the fire rite turns the kiln on and off) I did replace some of the jacket a few years ago and have more jackets in a box but have yet to finish the job..I think I fired this once last year.Its cone sitter kiln for turn off with a safety timer.I did repaint all the contol boxes a  non skutt color when the red color flaked off with rust. I have upgraded to real stainless screws as well so they do not rust. Any time I work on it I make it better with better materials when I can. Thees manuel kilns are pretty bullet proof and go for a long time without trouble.I have had 3 skits over time (all used) and if I bought new one it would be an L&L.
I would hope L&L used better stainless screws and parts. My beef with electric kiln companies is they skimp on quaility on small parts to save a few bucks. The stands are to small and the controls get to hot from lack of space and insulation. The stainless can be of poor quaility as well and rust.Not sure if any manufacture has it all figurted out. I do like the hard element holders  of top brands as well this feature alone is worth it in my view as the bricks break out every element change if there is not hard holder.

I use a shop blender for all zinc =think zinc margarita and blend away then add that measure beaten zinc to bucket and sieve normally.

I tend to want to finish work than dry slowly. I use plastic sheets from laundry bags (for delicate work) to thicker plastic from my banana boxes which has some holes in it.
So say handles throw dry on plaster and handle same day cover that night and then dry fast 
If its slab built fish than its cover  with plastic sheets and keep in cooler place either down a few levels  in shop or is shade outside in summer-depending on the season .
I have not had a wet box since collage-(thats 48 years ago) I'm way more into drying faster than slowing the work down.Its a production potter thing .Now some work like teapost need to slow and again it wrap in plastic and keep on lower level in shop. I may be done making teapots come to think about it.

Good question I post my yearly firings for many years here and did so a few weeks ago
here 
 

testing is the only way to know and they both need to be the same temp maturing clays for best results