Refractory Cement---Do's and Don'ts?

[MFP]

The little Olympic electric kiln I recently bought has some dings in the top surface of the lid. Any particular cautions about putting a new layer of refractory cement on the lid?

[Bill Kielb]

I have used green patch pretty successfully to fill most dings and dents. Just do not let it come in contact with elements if doing any minor fixes in the interior. There are more color matched repair products available.

[MFP]

Thanks Bill!  Fortunately, it is only the lid. The interior is pristine.  With all the new procedures, just wanted to make sure there was not something I didn't know. So much has changed. 

[neilestrick]

The mortar must be thin or it will crack. Water it down a bit as needed.

[Denice]

I have used a lid patch made by Paragon,   I repaired a  defective lid with it.  It was a Skutt lid that I purchased as a defective lid for fifty dollars, the finish on the lid bubble up on the first firing.    I talked to Paragon about it and they said it was a perfect for the patch because it hadn't been fired very much.  Lids that have many firings will move and shift dropping pieces of patch on your glazed work.  You can always put a shelf over your glazed work to keep dust and pieces of brick off your glazed pots.  I scraped off all of the loose areas I could find and followed the directions on the patch.   The patch starts looking thin after several firings so I apply another layer of the patch, it has been a couple of years and still looks great.     Denice

[MFP]

Thanks Neil. I got it directly from Olympic. One ding is kind of deep....about a 1/4 inch but I was not going to try to fill it. Bill already warned me about the lid heat loss--so I will keep that in mind when firing it. 

[MFP]

Thanks Denice....I was only going to put it on the exterior. That is where the damage is. The inside is in really good shape. I don't know if I should be concerned. The elements heat but I didn't wait around for them to turn red...I hope they are OK. Doing a bisque soon.  So will find out!  Fortunately elements for it are dirt cheap. BTW---I am with you on the B mix...it's crankier than porcelain for crying out loud!  I don't like a clay that is constantly trying to un-center itself.  That New Zealand porcelain  I tried has the same nice smooth texture but throws far better. 

[MFP]

Neil.

There is quite a  bit of damage along the edge of the lid on one side.  It looks like refractory rodents nibbled on it....I assume it is from people leaning on the edge or something. I was going to put mortar on the exposed brick....is that appropriate? It would prevent any further crumbling. 

[neilestrick]

A thin layer will help prevent future crumbling.

[MFP]

Thank you Neil.

[MFP]

Neil,

When I was firing this little electric yesterday, I could see under the lid and into the kiln. Is this normal? If not, what is the fix?

[liambesaw]

36 minutes ago, MFP said:

Neil,

When I was firing this little electric yesterday, I could see under the lid and into the kiln. Is this normal? If not, what is the fix?

It better be normal, mine shoots out a laser almost all the way around when it's at temp.  There was a recent thread about it, and it's because the lid expands when hot and goes slightly concave, so the edges pull up just enough to let light out.

[MFP]

Thanks.....I never watched one this closely before.  Since I bought this second hand, I was testing with a pyrometer to make sure the kin sitter worked. It did. But while sitting there with the pyrometer, I noticed this eighth inch gap.....it was disturbing. It makes me wonder how much the gas one is going to expand. I read something in the manual about adjusting the straps with those screws in the back.....I am not sure I really understood it. We should ask Neil.

[MFP]

I could actually see into the top of the kiln....can you with yours?