Used Skutt Overpriced Electric Kiln?

[AVPottery]

I have a lead in my home town on a Skutt Electric Kiln.  Used kilns never really seem to sell for more than 500 so I was a little sticker shocked about a local kiln I found on craigslist.  I emailed the seller telling them I would be interested when they bring the price way down.  The listing started at 1700 and they recently brought it down to 1200.  I think this is still way overpriced and especially now that I got a picture of the insides.  Im no expert on resale value though.  It looks like the bottom element had some sort of blow out a bunch of bricks are broken and the element is warped and hanging out.  I attached an image they sent me.  Curious what you experts think?  I really don't want to spend more than 500 bucks and it looks like this one is going to need some work.

 

EDIT:  Its a SKUTT 1027-208

 

I don't have any experience with electric kilns or repairing them but figure I could if i need to.  I really want to find an electric so i don't have to bisque in a gas rocket engine.

 

As usual thanks for any feedback,

 

-Andrew  

[Mark C.]

Forget about that kiln-its way overpriced-the wrong voltage to boot.It need new element for sure and is busted up. Unless you have that voltage at your place which is very rare.

Move on to another

[AVPottery]

Forget about that kiln-its way overpriced-the wrong voltage to boot.It need new element for sure and is busted up. Unless you have that voltage at your place which is very rare.

Move on to another

 

According to the kiln tag, its single phase.  My understanding is that 208 will work on 240 in the home.  Although I agree that the kiln is questionable.

[Mark C.]

From Big Ceramic store info page-

Sometimes we get asked "should I get a 208 V or a 240 V kiln?". This isn't a choice you make, it is determined by the power you have available. Every location will have a specific voltage, and you need to select a kiln that matches that voltage. We always confirm voltage with you when you place a kiln order.

With rare exception every home/residence in the USA will have 120 V and 240 V single phase power available. Industrial/commercial locations (and sometimes schools) will have 120 V as well, and well as either 240 V or 208 V power, in either a 3 phase or single phase form. (Some industrial locations might even have 480 V power.)

 

 

(208 V is different. It is most often found in schools, industrial settings or occasionally residences where industrial power is available (like farms, or converted industrial areas). Most kilns we sell can be ordered in 208 V versions, but sometimes have different maximum firing temperatures because of it. Check the specifications or ask. 208V is created by using 2 legs of a 3 phase circuit, 120 degrees out of phase.

 

Neil is the expert on this subject

[Foxden]

The seller isn't realistic. Keep looking, that is a popular sized kiln and you should be able to find one in much better condition at a better price - if you are patient.

[oldlady]

the evidence of your eyes should tell you that this kiln has had a poor caretaker.  the two metal things on the floor come from the kiln sitter.  i cannot see it in the photo but why are they there and not in the slots in the sitter?  what is wrong that all those crumbled bricks are on the floor?  who does anything to a kiln that would cause the elements to be squished out like that?

 

looks like someone thought  "this is made of brick so i can pound the h... out of it and store these concrete blocks on top of it".

 

walk away and don't look back.

[AVPottery]

Thanks for the feedback, I offered 100 bucks with a maybe.... I told them I would probably just turn it into a gas kiln as its not worth much otherwise.  Probably wont hear back from them.

[Pugaboo]

I looks like it was dropped at some point and damaged the bottom row(s) of brick causing the bricks to crumble and the elements to fall out and get mangled. It might also explain why those pieces are laying on the bottom not up where they should be. You have no idea what damage was done to the innards by such a jolt. I would definitely take a pass on this one, probably even if they did come down in price by a lot.

 

T

[Dick White]

That kiln has been badly abused, but even if you replace the bricks and elements (cost, about $400 for the parts alone, condition of the kiln sitter unknown so that may be extra) you still have a manual kiln. Keep looking. Be aware that the total purchase cost of an electric kiln is a lot more than the kiln. You need to budget for installing the proper electric service (i.e., a heavy duty circuit, a dryer plug will not suffice) to the location you want the kiln, and that itself will run several $100.

 

As for the notion that a 208V kiln will work in a 240V residential setting, that is a definite maybe. 208V elements will heat faster when juiced to 240V, but will break down and fail more rapidly. In the converse situation, 240V elements plugged into a 208V commercial setting, will likely not reach mid/high-fire glaze temperature, but might work for bisque or slow low-fire glaze.

[Stephen]

Just bought a new 1027 with 3" brick and electronic controller for $400 more than his original asking price on this old beat up kiln sitter version.

 

Ya know I would do some research on converting kilns into gas before going down that road with just any old electric kiln. There are considerations and the few dollars to buy kiln to convert is not all there is to consider as it is just a tiny portion of what you will spend, just a thought. There are a lot of conversion threads here so a search will get you started reading the things to consider and you may decide you want a different type of designed gas kiln that a converted would get you.

[Thuraya]

a Skutt 1027 208v is only a 208v because it has 208 volt elements in it. Ordering 240v elements is all one needs to do in order to make it a 240v klin as all of the other parts are exactly the same. It's all about how much resistance the element coil has.