New (OLD) kiln, but sitter damage in transport. Help?

[Tumbleweed Pottery]

Hi all. I just acquired my c. 1969 Cress B-23-H. Elements look great, brick looks great. Seller fired it this week to cone 05 and cone 6, and it worked beautifully. She started to fire it up for me, and the elements heated nice and even. She showed me how to use the kiln sitter, so that's how I know it was intact when I bought it... but transport was not kind to it.

Every other part of the kiln made it just fine, but the jostling/vibrating of a 3-hour car ride caused part of the tube assembly to chip off (yes, the kiln was empty when we transported), and subsequently a bracket fell out. It cannot be put back into its original position, because that part of the tube is just chipped away. See below:

It seems to me that as long as I can replace the tube assembly, all should be good. It is a model mfr-j. What do I need to look for in order to replace this? Which part should I order?

My husband is an engineer/electrician, so replacing complicated parts is like second nature to him. As long as I order the right part, he should be able to replace it.

Is getting a new tube assembly going to require us to get a whole new kiln sitter? Am I going to have to cannibalize an old kiln to find one this old? Any help is appreciated. How disappointing to open up the kiln, and see this...

ETA: I think I need to acquire this tube assembly, but need to remove the current one to measure the correct length. Would you all concur?

[liambesaw]

Yes you need to measure the old tube to order the new one, they're real easy to remove!

[Pres]

Your sitter should have a model number on the outside, that would assist you, at the same time the thickness of the brick helps determine the length of sitter. 

 

best,

Pres