savannahpina Posted February 26, 2019 Report Share Posted February 26, 2019 Hello I’m new here! I may be buying a used electric skutt kiln. Model 231 max cone 8. As far as a visual inspection what should I look for before buying? Specific problem areas or things I should know that would be a deal breaker ? Also any links to get more familiar with kilns ? Thank you :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 26, 2019 Report Share Posted February 26, 2019 What cone do you plan to fire to? If you'll be doing cone 6 work, elements in a cone 8 kiln won't last as long as a cone 10 kiln. As for what's a deal breaker, that depends on what level of repair work you're comfortable doing. For some, rewiring the whole control box is not a deal breaker, for others it is. In general, though, you want the wall bricks, floor, and lid to be in good condition. The electrical system can all be easily replaced. If it needs new elements, though, that'll cost you about $350, more if you pay someone to install them. If the wiring looks old and corroded, or the wires aren't soft and flexible any more, they'll need to be replaced. If the plug is corroded, you'll need a new power cord ($100). If it's got the old interbox plugs, you may need to upgrade that as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savannahpina Posted February 26, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2019 22 minutes ago, neilestrick said: What cone do you plan to fire to? If you'll be doing cone 6 work, elements in a cone 8 kiln won't last as long as a cone 10 kiln. As for what's a deal breaker, that depends on what level of repair work you're comfortable doing. For some, rewiring the whole control box is not a deal breaker, for others it is. In general, though, you want the wall bricks, floor, and lid to be in good condition. The electrical system can all be easily replaced. If it needs new elements, though, that'll cost you about $350, more if you pay someone to install them. If the wiring looks old and corroded, or the wires aren't soft and flexible any more, they'll need to be replaced. If the plug is corroded, you'll need a new power cord ($100). If it's got the old interbox plugs, you may need to upgrade that as well. I’d love to be able to fire to cone 8, not sure how much use this kiln has had all ready. As far as longevity I’m just starting out and learning about kilns so even if I had something that’ll only last me a couple years I’d be happy with that. I’ll be sure to ask and check the things you mentioned. Still figuring out what would be best for me. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 26, 2019 Report Share Posted February 26, 2019 16 minutes ago, savannahpina said: I’d love to be able to fire to cone 8, not sure how much use this kiln has had all ready. As far as longevity I’m just starting out and learning about kilns so even if I had something that’ll only last me a couple years I’d be happy with that. I’ll be sure to ask and check the things you mentioned. Still figuring out what would be best for me. Thank you! If you fire a kiln to its max, then it won't reach temp once the elements wear even a little bit. for best element life, you want to fire 3-4 cones below the max rating of the kiln. If you have a multi-meter, you can check the element resistance and compare it to new elements to see if they're worn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayne Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 Did you buy it. What is an acceptable price range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.