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Hi Team, I purchased an old Cress B-1411 with 2x Thrumwheels and a kiln sitter. I went to bisque fire to cone 04 and after 14 hours and fully cranked it did not hit temp. I cranked the bottom thumb wheel, and see the indicator light on, and see the bottom coil become red hot. I also here the relay pulsing. When I crank the top thumb wheel the indicator light comes on but none of the coils become hot. I had an electrician friend come by and check the pulses. The top relay does not produce much of any output. I do not see any visual breaks in the coils. My first question is, based on these observations, can I accept that the top relay needs to be replaced? Why is only the bottom most coil getting hot vs. the bottom 2 or 3 (6 rows total)? Ideally this kiln automatically increases its temperature vs. a thumb wheel. If I am going to have to replace one of these relays I would rather replace it with an automatic firing relay that has firing speeds. Is this an easy change or is adding a dial that has a firing speed complex and pricey? Any information / help would he great. Also, if you could let me know the best product to replace the broken pieces that would be amazing. Thanks, Jesse

So, I picked up a new-ish kiln off of an auction site, from a local school district. I knew that the kiln wasn't working, and that it had some damage, based on the photos they shared. But it looked like it was still in good shape, and I didn't spend too much on it, all things considered. The control boxes look practically new, minus a little discoloration on one of the wire wraps, that can be seen in one of the photos in the gallery. Obviously, the BIGGEST issue is, the bottom slab/ bottom brick damage. That was more than I expected. I've never seen anything like this (Heard about, but never seen), but I'm sure Neil has seen things like this from time to time. If you look at the photo of the slab, you can see, and may even be able to guess what happened. You'll notice the melted mass (The shelf posts are stuck in those positions), and even see that some of the bottom wall bricks, along with most of the bottom element came with the bottom, when I took them apart. After I got it into my work shop, I think I figured out what happened. The control is a kiln sitter, with a back up timer. The sitter rod, on the inside has some black "glass" connecting the rod, with the insulating tube, and cone supports. I don't know if that was from a firing before the kiln's "last" firing, or the one, where it stopped working. Regardless, the sitter was not functional, and my guess is the kiln just never shut off. What I thought was a runny glaze on the bottom slab, is actually melted clay. You can actually see pieces that didn't fully melt, still there. I can't say if it was a mid to high fire clay that was just fired too long. Or if it was low fire clay, that was mistakenly fired too hot. Or some combination of any of that. Soooo, I've got some work ahead of me. I need a new slab, which luckily, I have one from another kiln, that I never got around to fixing. Same size and model, just older. Then I need to replace the bottom bricks and element(s). Hopefully, that will get it functional. Time to get to work!

Hello everyone! I bought a small top loader kiln that runs of mains (13amp) and I now need to change the elements. I need to know the model and make in order to get the right wattage/amperage elements. If anyone can tell from the photo below please gimme a shout! It has a dawson LT-3 sitter if that's helpful. Can get more photos if helpful! Thanks in advance

I’ve just gotten up and running with my new-used Cress B23h kiln. I have ran two bisque loads to 06 and last night I got my first collection glazed. I loaded up my kiln with the glazed pieces to fire to come 6. It’s only a small load. I switched it on this morning and left on low for 2 hours and then bumped it up to medium. After about an hour or so the top pilot light went out and I don’t think the top elements are on. I’m wondering if the switch is the problem. When I noticed it was out, I turned the switch a little more and the light flashed on and then off again. Now it won’t turn on at all. The bottom seems to be working fine and the elements were getting red before I shut it down. A little back story if it is relavant- when I first go the kiln, I test fired it, empty, and the top infinite switch sparked inside the control cage. I immediately shut the kiln off and unplugged it. I took out the switch and it had obviously been sparking for a while before I got it. I was eager to get my kiln going and I didn’t have any luck finding a switch I could buy in person but I did luck out that the owner of the potter supply place had a used one he sold me. Got home, installed, and have fired 2 bisque loads without any problem. This time when it stopped, it hadn’t gotten even close to as hot as my bisque fires got. In my inexperienced opinion, I think it looks like it’s the switch that’s the problem? And not the elements? I have put a call into Cress and am waiting on a response from their technician. At the moment I am also trying to find a new switch to buy online because I think it would be a good thing to have, regardless. I am, however, having trouble finding this particular switch. Which is a inf-240-31b. It is on the Cress parts list so I am hoping I can still order it from them but I saw on Robertshaw that it is discontinued? Does anyone know of a place to get these switches? Have you experienced something similar? I am so excited to finish firing my first glazed pieces! So any insight you might have, I would greatly appreciate! You guys were great with my other question, so I thought I’d come back and try again Thanks!

I have a bisque fired ceramic with a large crack in it and have heard many times that 'Paper Clay' is the answer - slip/clay + magic water + toilet paper (c. 30%). I've looked all over but can't seem to find the answer to what state the clay should be in when making the paper clay for a bisque fired piece. One article suggested I needed to bisque fire a piece of the same clay, then grind it down into a powder and then mix/blend it with the paper and magic water. But most articles don't mention the bisque firing part. Do I need to bisque fire a lump of clay or is it OK to make up the paper clay with raw slip/clay and then bisque fire again the whole piece? Many thanks for whoever can give me some clarity on this!

Hello! I have recently made the transition from earthenware to stoneware to create mugs and dinnerware. I am fairly confident I applied the glaze to thickly to these mugs as I have made three and all three have small thin hairline cracks around the areas of thicker glaze... bummer.. a lesson learnt. I wonder if i can save these mugs though? The cracks are only on the outside surface there are no cracks to the bottom or inside. Shall I write them off (use might be dangerous) consider them seconds or try to repair the cracks? I have seen a few methods of repairing on google, I don't want the repairs to be too obvious, Would be nice if i could repair and re-glaze to blend the appearance of the repair. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I may be a little sentimental over these as they are my first function stoneware makes.. Emma

Evening Ceramic Arts Community, After a long stint of teaching without a kiln, and then having the opportunity to work for a semester with one, I got the bug again and remembered how much I love clay under my fingernails. Serendipity steps in and I'm offered a free kiln just to clear it out of its current residence. Hopeful, but hesitant I visit the kiln to snap some pics and see what I can find out, as its been a long time since undergrad... So please take a look and let me know if/ what can be done. Skutt Model K Crack in the brick on kiln floor Flashing peeled away on base Lid loose, hinge partially attached. Chip in brick along top edge Exposed elements Much obliged, Eric

Hey All, I'm sure this topic has come up before but I can't seem to find much in the forums. I work at a High School and therefore have a limited budget I'd like to (hopefully) spend on wheel repairs. We have 4 Shimpo RK-Whispers and one of them is on the fritz. When you start it spinning the wheel head stutters and spasms for a second before it jerkily spins. While it's spinning it emits a very high pitch squeal. I assumed it just needed to be lubricated but the stuttering is what worries me that it's something different. The wheels are about 7 years old and past the warranty I believe. Any advice would be great. Thanks! -Brett

Hi all, I have recently purchased a Podmore wheel to find that the whole electrics system needs repairing! not ideal Everything else in the wheel seems in good condition and would be a shame to write the wheel off! My uncle fixes motorbikes and deals with electrics so had a look at it and got it working but then it stopped again. we figure that someone previously has done some soldering work on it and basically it needs a replacement electric system. I rang Potterycrafts who took over Podmore in 1982 and asked if it could be refurbished or if they sell the parts and they said I would need to find an electrician who wanted to fix it for me and the modern wheels are so different electrically wise that we cant even combine the two. The wheel is currently in swindon, Wiltshire. Any ideas of how to get it fixed or who to ask? i really dont want to scrap it

Hi, folks, Have 'inherited' an old Olympic kiln, Model #2831(no additional letters), 240 v, max temp 2250, cone 6 (all this is on the metal label). According to our neighbor it had been in the barn for a looonnng time. It's about 4' tall on a stand and maybe 25 or so inches in diameter. Mostly intact but according to an electrician who looked at it will need at least one new element and replacement of one of the plugs that connect the three sections together (chewed by a desperate mouse apparently). I've looked on line using the model number and serial number but haven't found anything to match. Since there are at least 2 parts that need replacement (perhaps more since I'm not sure about the kiln controller box - that's where the chewed plug is) I am wondering if anyone has suggestions about how where to look or whom to talk to so that I can figure out if the kiln can be made operable. Thanks and Happy New Year! Kristi

Hi there, I recently bought my very first kiln. It's VERY old, I think from the 60's or 70's. I was assuming it would have cracks in it, but I am a little concerned about the condition of the firebrick on the top. It's so crumbled it's almost falling into the kiln. I've seen a few websites that say the cracks don't matter unless the elements are sagging because of it, but I just find it hard to believe that with it this damaged they can still insulate (especially at the top). I've attached a picture of it. Can anyone tell me if I need to repair these bricks or not? Or does it just not matter if I can still get to temperature alright? Thanks in advance, Sigourney

Hello! I bought a used Brent C wheel months ago and it runs but it's just a slower than what I'm used to and doesn't stop right when I release pressure on the pedal. I figured I got it at a good price and I had asked someone and they said to get this item: http://www.theceramicshop.com/store/product/2740/Foot-Pedal-Assembly%2C-Brent/and it would apparently fix my problem... but really it made little to know difference. In summary the issue is that the wheel runs slow, and doesn't stop as immediately as I would wish. Any suggestions? Thank you

I have a big sale coming up this weekend and I put the last bisque load in yesterday afternoon. I come into the studio today to find the kiln reading Error 1. This is a Skutt kiln model km-1227 firing a bisque load to cone 04. This error is about the ramping up rate being less than 12 degrees per hour. Possible causes include large load which isn't the case, and issues with either the relays, elements, or voltage. Normally, I would just call the kiln repair man, but he was here in July fixing this kiln. The issue then was the electrical plug. It had some discoloration around one of the prongs, and he re-wired and replaced the whole plug section. I also had an electrician come out and check the wall wiring and outlet to make sure the problem was isolated in the kiln plug, which it was. The wall wiring is fine. The kiln has been running about twice a week since the repair just fine. The other issue is that our power had been out all morning before I turned the kiln on. Questions: 1) would a power outage cause the kiln to sense low voltage? 2) do you think the issue is with the wiring or is it just ANOTHER issue with the same kiln that happened to pop up right after the first issue? 3) Am I correct in assuming trying to re-run the kiln will result in the same error or create a bigger problem? Most importantly: 4) Will the load be underfired and need to be fired again? Or do you think it's okay to glaze? I have no idea what temp it was at when the error occured and it's still too hot to open and look at. My other kiln is doing glaze loads all week and if I need to re-fire I will not get this entire kiln load done in time for the sale. Thanks!!!

Hey folks ! Hoping someone can help me out! I'm replacing an element in my kiln for the first time. Everything was going smoothly - I removed the old element and put in the new one but i can't for the life of me loosen the barrel connector (I think that's what it's called) from the electrical wire running from the switch. I need to loosen it to remove the old element wire still inside and to make the electric wire make contact with the element. I'll take a pic and attach it below. It's a barrel connector with a screw in it to keep it tight and I can't loosen it at all!! Is it safe to use a lubricant of some sort on the connector? If so, which brand? My supplier is already closed for the weekend so I can't go to them for help. I've gashed up my fingers from the screw driver and pliers slipping lol. Any help would be super appreciated. I have a massive show coming up and I'm falling behind. Thanks so much!!!

I cracked a large vase in the green ware stage and repaired it. It made it through the bisque firing only to crack during the glaze fire! This was a wedding gift for my son! I'm so disappointed! Has anyone had luck repairing a finished piece? If so, please help! Signed Desperate in NC!

Hello! I'm not sure if this is the right forum or web site for this question, but... I have an old bone china tea set (c. 1920) whose tea pot has some worn gold gilding, both on the edge and on the outside decorative pattern. Is any repair possible? Are gilding pens or paints food safe? Would I be trashing the value of the tea pot? Thanks for any advice or thoughts...