Tumbleweed Pottery Posted May 30, 2019 Report Share Posted May 30, 2019 Hi all, I am buying my first kiln, a Cress B-23-H with a kiln sitter, this weekend. Won't have the wiring done for a while yet, but I'm curious if you can fire one of those old bad boys to cone 019-018? I am interested in some metallic overglazes, and I've never used them before. Any insight is helpful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liambesaw Posted May 30, 2019 Report Share Posted May 30, 2019 (edited) You can fire a kiln with a kiln sitter to any cone lower than it's rating. Just have to buy the pyrometric bars of that cone number. Curious as to why you're buying that model though, it's only rated to cone 6, which means it will only hit cone 6 with new elements, so it's really more of a low fire or bisquing kiln. Edited May 30, 2019 by liambesaw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumbleweed Pottery Posted May 30, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2019 9 hours ago, liambesaw said: You can fire a kiln with a kiln sitter to any cone lower than it's rating. Just have to buy the pyrometric bars of that cone number. Curious as to why you're buying that model though, it's only rated to cone 6, which means it will only hit cone 6 with new elements, so it's really more of a low fire or bisquing kiln. The woman I’m buying from is firing it today to test. I will ask her if she is glaze firing. I only fire to cone 6 anyway. But that does concern me about the new elements. I plan to fire using Amaco Potter’s Choice and celadons, which I know are 5/6. She is liquidating her studio and selling me all her commercial glazes (pints), kiln furniture, kiln, like-new Shimpo RK whisper, tools, ware boards and bats for $1,400. She has a modest little studio, but the deal seems considerable. My husband is an electrician/technician for the FAA and works on landing equipment. He could replace the elements pretty easily. How much am I looking at for all new elements in the kiln? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liambesaw Posted May 30, 2019 Report Share Posted May 30, 2019 1 hour ago, Tumbleweed Pottery said: The woman I’m buying from is firing it today to test. I will ask her if she is glaze firing. I only fire to cone 6 anyway. But that does concern me about the new elements. I plan to fire using Amaco Potter’s Choice and celadons, which I know are 5/6. She is liquidating her studio and selling me all her commercial glazes (pints), kiln furniture, kiln, like-new Shimpo RK whisper, tools, ware boards and bats for $1,400. She has a modest little studio, but the deal seems considerable. My husband is an electrician/technician for the FAA and works on landing equipment. He could replace the elements pretty easily. How much am I looking at for all new elements in the kiln? Elements are usually 40-50 bucks a piece, so it depends on how many are in there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyK Posted May 30, 2019 Report Share Posted May 30, 2019 Judging by everything else you'll be getting as part of the deal, and the fact that you plan on firing regularly to ^6, You'd be better off selling the kiln as a low-fire unit and buying a higher rated kiln. I did just that...selling my B-23-H as a low-fire/bisque kiln and getting a used ^10 kiln for my ^6 firings... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted May 30, 2019 Report Share Posted May 30, 2019 Any kiln will get to cone 018, it's the hotter stuff that's an issue. If you plan to fire to cone 5/6, your elements can only wear a little bit before they don't work. You end up changing the elements a lot more often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeeJay Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 I just acquired a Cress B23H kiln and don’t have a manual for it. And am not finding any online either. Do you have any suggestions on how I can find info like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liambesaw Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 4 minutes ago, CeeJay said: I just acquired a Cress B23H kiln and don’t have a manual for it. And am not finding any online either. Do you have any suggestions on how I can find info like that? Cress kilns is still a company, so you can contact them for a manual. But most kilns are pretty much the same thing or a variation of the same. You can look up videos on YouTube about operating a manual, kiln sitter or digital controller depending on which your kiln has, and the directions will usually translate to that kiln. Good luck and welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 Contact Cress. They’re really nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeeJay Posted January 17, 2021 Report Share Posted January 17, 2021 On 1/14/2021 at 11:07 PM, liambesaw said: Cress kilns is still a company, so you can contact them for a manual. But most kilns are pretty much the same thing or a variation of the same. You can look up videos on YouTube about operating a manual, kiln sitter or digital controller depending on which your kiln has, and the directions will usually translate to that kiln. Good luck and welcome! When I called them they said they no longer support that model. So far I have not found a manual for it anywhere. I’m still searching for directions. It has the dial on the bottom and a dial on the top, I don’t know when to turn these dials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kielb Posted January 17, 2021 Report Share Posted January 17, 2021 (edited) The dial on the bottom appears to be the sitter timer which is set at the beginning of the firing a bit longer than the firing should take as a redundant way to turn off the kiln in the event the sitter doesn’t. It is usually marked in hours and will count down to zero where it turns everything off. The sitter directly above is the device that turns the kiln off when the desired cone is reached and the single knob on top turns your kiln power from low through high. Cress has a general manual on their site for these early models https://3fs7rd1xi6sy2zofjv3g0a0q-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/BASIC-KILN-MANUAL-FOR-ABC-KILNS-1.pdf This kiln also appears to have an extension ring on top, so it may be rated only to cone 6 which generally means it is most suitable for lowfire glaze and bisque work ....... cone 04. Google firing a manual kiln, basically you will need to learn how to set the timer, arm the sitter and then manually turn up the power on some schedule. If you understand the why, and how long of bisque and glaze firings and know these going in it will remove much of the mystery about how fast should I turn up the power. google bisque and glaze firing speeds probably gets a lot of good written material on the subject. The basic information is in the manual above along with a suggested firing schedule. Edited January 17, 2021 by Bill Kielb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyK Posted January 17, 2021 Report Share Posted January 17, 2021 I just checked the operating manual that I have and it is the same one @Bill Kielb notes in his response...go with that. I used those basic instructions with my B23H for a year with good outcomes for low fire work until I installed and Orton digital controller. I ultimately sold that kiln to someone who just wanted to do low-fire work and bought a used FX23 to do cone 6 work and just plugged the newer kiln into the Orton controller. Bill Kielb and CeeJay 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted January 17, 2021 Report Share Posted January 17, 2021 @Tumbleweed Pottery @CeeJay I spoke with Jay at Euclids this week and he said they can probably make new elements that will increase the max temp rating of these old kilns to cone 10. It may require other changes to the system, such as switches and service wiring, but it would make the kilns much more functional for cone 6 work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kielb Posted January 17, 2021 Report Share Posted January 17, 2021 (edited) 7 hours ago, neilestrick said: It may require other changes to the system, such as switches and service wiring, but it would make the kilns much more functional for cone 6 work. This is always an idea I struggle with but should absolutely work and work fairly easily. New wires, maybe switches, service cord etc... attention to detail so everything is to or above rating electrically for sure and the most important part I strongly suggest, relabeling the kiln very permanently with the new wattage and amperage in the event you ever sell this kiln or even give it away. Edited January 17, 2021 by Bill Kielb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTPotter Posted March 6, 2022 Report Share Posted March 6, 2022 I have an original manual that came with the original purchase of the B-23-H model. I can scan the pages into one large pdf and then email to whenever might want it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goat Posted June 27, 2022 Report Share Posted June 27, 2022 I would love to have a copy of the manual for B 23 H. I have yet to use mine as I don’t have a manual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kielb Posted June 27, 2022 Report Share Posted June 27, 2022 (edited) @Goat Hmm, did you try the general manual listed above that Cress has on its website? https://3fs7rd1xi6sy2zofjv3g0a0q-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/BASIC-KILN-MANUAL-FOR-ABC-KILNS-1.pdf Edited June 27, 2022 by Bill Kielb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaLoft Posted September 17, 2022 Report Share Posted September 17, 2022 On 3/6/2022 at 2:23 PM, DTPotter said: I have an original manual that came with the original purchase of the B-23-H model. I can scan the pages into one large pdf and then email to whenever might want it? Can you send me the manual pdf?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted September 18, 2022 Report Share Posted September 18, 2022 @RebeccaLoft your best bet might be to follow the link in the post directly above yours. The manuals haven’t changed a lot in the last few decades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pure Country Posted October 11, 2022 Report Share Posted October 11, 2022 On 3/6/2022 at 2:23 PM, DTPotter said: I have an original manual that came with the original purchase of the B-23-H model. I can scan the pages into one large pdf and then email to whenever might want it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pure Country Posted October 11, 2022 Report Share Posted October 11, 2022 I could use a pdf of the B 23 H model. Appreciate it so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pure Country Posted October 11, 2022 Report Share Posted October 11, 2022 Omasquiltcave@gmail.com for pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted October 11, 2022 Report Share Posted October 11, 2022 2 hours ago, Pure Country said: I could use a pdf of the B 23 H model. Appreciate it so much! @DTPotter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTPotter Posted October 12, 2022 Report Share Posted October 12, 2022 Hey All - didn’t realize so many folks wanted the manual, never got any notifications for replies. I’ll find it asap and post it publicly here. Hulk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bianca Posted December 28, 2022 Report Share Posted December 28, 2022 On 3/6/2022 at 12:23 PM, DTPotter said: I have an original manual that came with the original purchase of the B-23-H model. I can scan the pages into one large pdf and then email to whenever might want it? Hello, if you have the scanned version of the manual please could you send it to me. I’ve just received a B-23-H used as a gift and need to figure it out. thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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