Hulk

Hi Gill, Tim, There are several good choices for new kiln; L&L is certainly a very good one... I have a seven cubic foot kiln, which was a bit big for starting out, but now I feel like it was a good choice for me. Fifty amps will limit your sizing down a rung from there. How much work to fire at one time, how often, and how big the ware? I've fitted my kiln with a powered vent and also a powered overhead hood. The former, I'd advise as a necessity, and the latter also necessary if you expect to be in the area whilst firing, for the heat and there's some fumes, even with the powered vent. If/when a new kiln becomes a serious topic for me, L&L Easy-Fire e23T will be on the short list. Perhaps forum regulars will compare/contrast the Jupiter series against some of the other choices. I'd spend the difference on somewhat else.

Hi Jennie! Looks like DTP-56DC-E is the controller model. See image attached to first post, here: Programing Evenheat Perfect Fire For Bisque - Equipment Use and Repair - Ceramic Arts Daily Community The kiln is equipped with a "Perfect Fire" controller by Canadian Instrumentation (or something like). The condition, size, and firing range of the kiln would likely be key factors for you to consider, also features, power requirements, pricing... Look for an EvenHeat info thing - model number, voltage, phase, etc., like this: What type of work are you interested in doing? Low fire, "mid" fire (cone 5/6)? How big? What space do you have available? Do you own the space, is it isolated from living/working area, is there adequate power available ...there's more questions. Ahem, to start, what specific kiln model and specifications, pictures would be great, outside, closeup of the info thing, and good pics of the inside as well.

I'll dry upside down - after trimming and handling, when the rim portion is cheesy hard - mugs and cups, not open ended stuff, like bowls. The openings stay round; I do run a tapered rounder on it a few times, just checking, and if there's somewhat out o' round, the rounder trues it back most o' th' time. I also fire rimside up, having put some effort into making it smooth and just so. The foot I'm expecting to have to dress off - polish, or sand and polish.

Oh, aye! I got a diagnosis on account o' my GP was too busy to see me - staff said "you can go to Urgent Care." The Doctor who owns nearby urgent care is very thorough. I was there most of the day, awaiting my turn, however, worth it, for the Doc spent over forty five minutes and ran through detailed decision/evaluation tree with me. My GP is a dismiss-er. Any road, for hands, I'd recommend layers on the lower arm and wrist, as well as the typical glove, such that the tissue of the lower half of the lower arm and wrist are kept warm, as well as the painful bits. For feet/toes, a wool knee sock with the foot cut off, for the lower leg to shoe top, and another cut off ankle sock underneath that, as well as the typical as much uncut sock as reasonably fits in the shoe - point being to keep lower lower leg and ankle warm. From there, when ground is cool to cold, insulating foot covering is so important, for heat floods outta the foot to the floor, particularly stone, tile, and the like type floors. Brr.

On the prune fingers and toes, some say it is related to absorption o' liquid by the skin, hence, pruning should be delayed by saltier water. Soft water, I believe, is as "salty" as the treated hard water it comes from, where the calcium has been replaced by sodium. Could be Shawnhar's well water had less stuff dissolved in it than the city city water. The other theory I'm finding is that pruning of fingers and toes is an adaptation to improve grip. I have Raynaud's in me toes - right tiny toe, sometimes also th' one next t't as well. The problems evaporate with increasing Spring temps, however, they have been returning with onset of cooler weather. I'm able to reduce the severity o' th' symptoms by wearing wool socks, changing out damp socks, always slippers inside (no more bare feet ), extra layers on ankle (key strategy*) and lower leg. Doc says spasm of muscle tissue around the artery reduces blood flow, hence purpling, swelling, numbness, pain. A very bad case could result in digital loss. Per Wiki: "This happens due to spasms of blood vessels in those areas. The spasms happen in response to cold, stress, or emotional upset." l don't believe my Raynaud's has any to do with wet; cold, most def, most def! The onset is marked by slight swelling, and a bit of pain + numbing; from there, a bad case (for me) involves purple flesh, more swelling, and more pain. Swelling bein' rather opposite of pruning... *I'm cutting the feet offa socks, using the upper portion for extra layers on the ankle - breakthrough! Likely I wouldn't be able to bike without this simple adaptation.

Marcia Selsor is also listed there - Alternative Firing

Weather here is very mild. While a damp box-like setup may yet be in my future, I'm still slowing/controlling drying individually - an inverted vessel over each piece. I've several two quart, three quart, gallon, two gallon, and five gallon containers that see regular use, also a good spray bottle for misting. Separate "accommodations" for each piece is more trouble, however, I like to be able to bring each along on its own timeline... ThruTraffic, misting and covering is likely already in your repertoire, however, if you're using plastic sheeting, you might try rigid vessels, inverted, which may not "leak" as much, don't blow around, and also don't shed clay dust (I loathe plastic sheeting!). The other idea that occurred t'me, although likely the humidity is rather high (Wunderground indicates 60% just now), a misting system for your work area might be somewhat to consider, and/or a swamp cooler? Evaporative coolers probably aren't a "thing" there, as they are in dry areas, however, if it knocks the heat down a bit and the wetter air slows down clay drying... Other thoughts: I'm adding a smidge of "reclaim fixit" to reclaim; doesn't take much to slow down drying quite a bit. Per Glazenerd's advice, eight parts OM4 ball clay, one part feldspar, one part silica. Am not finding the original thread(s); here's a reference: https://community.ceramicartsdaily.org/topic/25610-problem-with-clay-texture (see Callie Beller's post). I prefer clay a bit softer than what comes in the bag from the supplier; softer clay also takes a bit more time to dry...

We sold the hoa home, modest profit, on account o' we were movin' to our retirement house. Hoa has some benefit, however, I'm ok with waiting on the County to fix the road, maintaining and watering our front yard all on our own, and taking our chances with what the neighbors choose to do and don't do - aye, thaat's the rub... On the bike maintenance, the "rule" bein' keep your garage door SHUT, I just laughed.

If'n a private garage, and if there's any language in the hoa "rules" that catches against your hobby/production setup, recommend you block the sightlines to your kiln, for "they" will certainly be looking. A home ago, we had hoa, which stipulated no mech work in garages. Really. Oil change, tune up, tire rotation - all that, with door closed. Bike maintenance, however, did that with the doors wide open, and, yes, "they" did challenge that activity... Any road, proper wiring, fire/smoke detector(s), fire extinguishers, and sufficient ventilation are important, as is your commitment to monitoring your firing.

Hi Pye! Watch that left turn at Albuquerque. Clay Planet and Aardvark clay ship two bags (fifty pounds) in USPS large box, 12"x12"x5.5" - they smoosh them a bit to fit, but fit they do*. Where to put it, that's a good point. If you place it IN the cab, place so it less likely to be a hazard, if, eh? At the back end, just inside the roll up door would seem both the easiest and worst place. You might plan for an easily movable pathway. Where the weight is fore/aft (and side/side), and that it's well braced against braking force may be considerations. Acceleration may be less of a consideration, but not to be ignored. Hope your trip goes well! While you're at the clay supply, anything else? Glaze ingredients, tools ('specially heavy stuff)? *Mail person appreciates a hand with them boxes - leave a note the day afore, meet 'm with the hand truck day of, etc.

Simon says, "keep practicing!" Watching the many accomplished throwers on you tube, you'll see a variety of techniques. After a while, watch again, you'll see it different...

Have found that if/when there is any inconsistency - a dry spot in the clay, lump of dry clay, a bit of some thing, a bubble (particularly this!), then the clay doesn't flow uniformly. The clay will pile up behind an obstruction, and thin out otherwise. For a wet spot, the clay flows faster and thins out, leaving a thick spot otherwise. All that to say that centering, keeping it centered, and uniform development are easier with consistent clay. Coning, aye that. Likely you'll find: a) an inconsistency in the clay, b) clay is moving around on the bat/wheel head, c) you've sheared the clay (this is usually near the wheel head - by trying to move it too much, too fast) when the clay won't cone up and down and stay round, one o' those three, or maybe somewhat new? Each is very hard to recover from. fwiw, I'm looking to center the clay where it meets the wheel head first, then work on the rest. On t'other hand, when ready to open, am looking for the mass of clay to be uniformly round - centered - except the little bit right at the wheel head. Opposite, I know, but that little bit won't make it up into the wall anyway. At the beginning, though, if the bottom won't center, the rest won't either, my experience, see a,b,c!

How 'bout a seven cubic foot, sixty amp circuit, kiln vent and powered overhead fume hood, surround sound, and a mop bucket?

Feels good to laugh, thanks! Yabba dabba dooo! My folks used to let me stay up for new episodes (way back, when we returned to the States, 1961...), 8 p.m. air time; I almost alway nodded off shorty after the opening montage... I can hardly imagine running a kick or treadle - too many aches and pains a'ready. I'd try it, if'n there were no alternative...

Aye I'm curious where the weight is (if any), for manually turned wheels typically have some rotating mass...