DansCustoms Posted December 12, 2022 Report Share Posted December 12, 2022 1 hour ago, neilestrick said: If it has all the original wiring, maybe not. There's a good chance the wire insulation is pretty crispy and brittle. Give it a good inspection and see if the wires are still soft and pliable. If they're crispy and crunchy when you bend them, I'd replace the wiring. Power cord included. The power cord seemed to be the only part that was not pliable or soft. I traced everything that I could see that powers unit. Thanks for tips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kielb Posted December 12, 2022 Report Share Posted December 12, 2022 (edited) 4 hours ago, DansCustoms said: So bricks stay functional if intact . Bricks do stay intact but an extremely interesting question. Lead at one time was used as a flux, no longer. One of the insidious issues with lead is it gets absorbed or transported to everything. You could do a couple lead swabs on the bricks just to check. An automatic shut off device would be great as far as operating. This kiln may have a kiln sitter. Lots to learn for sure, understanding more about clay and what temperature you will be working in will become super important as to whether this will work for you. Post a picture or two, inside and out. This kiln is old enough so probably good to let folks here see it to provide more informed precautions. As far as an interesting story of potentially how to pollute an entire planet with lead google Thomas Midgley. Edited December 12, 2022 by Bill Kielb Hulk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hulk Posted December 12, 2022 Report Share Posted December 12, 2022 (edited) Asbestos insulated wiring, asbestos varnished wire cloth, asbestos paper - were all in use as late as 1988. Also, asbestos woven cloth, and several other permutations, something to watch for. Edited December 12, 2022 by Hulk spelling, word order Bill Kielb 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted December 12, 2022 Report Share Posted December 12, 2022 If it's a round kiln then it most likely does not have any of the dangerous stuff, as they are pretty simple construction- bricks cut at an angle with a steel band holding them together. There are some models that use some fiber insulation behind the bricks but those are uncommon in round kilns and easy to spot. If it's a square/rectangular kiln, then it most likely does have insulation of some sort behind the bricks. In a kiln that old it could be something harmless or something dangerous. In those cases just keep everything together and if the bricks ever need replacing, don't do it. Post some pics. Sounds like it may not have a Kiln Sitter shutoff device. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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