liambesaw Posted February 8, 2020 Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 Saw a listing for a 12 cuft kiln on Craigslist, newly refurbished, newly outfitted with a digital controller. This thing is fabulous! Cost me 1500 dollars, but came with enough brand new furniture to keep this sucker full for life. New elements, the full meal deal. So happy now! The only electrical upgrade I needed to do was swap out my 50 amp breaker for a 60 amp because when I was wiring my previous kiln, @Bill Kielb suggested I go with 6 gauge wire in case I wanted to upgrade my kiln later. THANK YOU! So yeah, this will provide quite a bit more space for me and room to grow as well. Couldn't be happier! It's still in my truck right now, but will be setting up once my wife gets home to help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kielb Posted February 8, 2020 Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 Nice catch! And nice job on the DIY Commercial quality wiring job! Your efforts were worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 8, 2020 Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 Congrats! Take a look at the hinge system. A lot of the ovals on the market don't have a system that's adequate. Because the long sides of the kiln are essentially straight, there's a lot of flex there compared to the rounded ends. Opening and closing the lid will put a lot of strain on the bricks at the top, so if the hinge is only mounted to the top section of the kiln, it will destroy those bricks in short order. If that's what you've got, I highly recommend taking some stiff aluminum or steel pieces, maybe 6" wide, and running them from the top of the kiln to the bottom to lock the sections together and stiffen everything up around the hinge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liambesaw Posted February 8, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 22 minutes ago, neilestrick said: Congrats! Take a look at the hinge system. A lot of the ovals on the market don't have a system that's adequate. Because the long sides of the kiln are essentially straight, there's a lot of flex there compared to the rounded ends. Opening and closing the lid will put a lot of strain on the bricks at the top, so if the hinge is only mounted to the top section of the kiln, it will destroy those bricks in short order. If that's what you've got, I highly recommend taking some stiff aluminum or steel pieces, maybe 6" wide, and running them from the top of the kiln to the bottom to lock the sections together and stiffen everything up around the hinge. I'll look into it, the sections are all bolted together but I might run some angle iron down the back just to make sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kielb Posted February 8, 2020 Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 21 minutes ago, neilestrick said: Congrats! Take a look at the hinge system. A lot of the ovals on the market don't have a system that's adequate. Because the long sides of the kiln are essentially straight, there's a lot of flex there compared to the rounded ends. Opening and closing the lid will put a lot of strain on the bricks at the top, so if the hinge is only mounted to the top section of the kiln, it will destroy those bricks in short order. If that's what you've got, I highly recommend taking some stiff aluminum or steel pieces, maybe 6" wide, and running them from the top of the kiln to the bottom to lock the sections together and stiffen everything up around the hinge. Good catch! Always thought if I needed to I would retrofit the cone art system . It’s pretty sound but requires all three pieces to work (back hinge and two side) together and probably not cheap as a replacement set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 8, 2020 Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 5 minutes ago, liambesaw said: I'll look into it, the sections are all bolted together but I might run some angle iron down the back just to make sure Use some wider, stiff sheet metal rather than angle. The wider the better, as it will spread out the stresses over a greater area, and increase stiffness horizontally as well as vertically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 8, 2020 Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 6 minutes ago, Bill Kielb said: Good catch! Always thought if I needed to I would retrofit the cone art system . It’s pretty sound but requires all three pieces to work (back hinge and two side) together and probably not cheap as a replacement set. That's a nice design for an oval hinge system. It puts the stress on the part of the kiln that's stiffer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liambesaw Posted February 8, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 Alright all hooked up and test firing to make sure all the elements are cooking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liambesaw Posted February 8, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 There it be! Gonna need a dang step stool to load it though haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 8, 2020 Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 4 minutes ago, liambesaw said: There it be! Gonna need a dang step stool to load it though haha Eat more vegetables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 8, 2020 Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 Is it an Olympic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liambesaw Posted February 8, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 17 minutes ago, neilestrick said: Is it an Olympic? No, it's a crucible kiln from Seattle pottery supply. Small hometown brand but quite popular around the Northwest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 8, 2020 Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 5 minutes ago, liambesaw said: No, it's a crucible kiln from Seattle pottery supply. Small hometown brand but quite popular around the Northwest Ah yes. I set up a manual version of that oval for someone around here a couple of months ago, and put a wall mount controller to it. I had to speak with their tech since the controls were in a big pile, and he was very helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liambesaw Posted February 8, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 5 minutes ago, neilestrick said: Ah yes. I set up a manual version of that oval for someone around here a couple of months ago, and put a wall mount controller to it. I had to speak with their tech since the controls were in a big pile, and he was very helpful. Their kiln people are very good, Seattle pottery supply's retail people have the opposite reputation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted February 8, 2020 Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 Liam last seen loading a v heavy pot into top loader.. ..wife better check uf you're quieter than usual out there...time for those back muscle workouts you've been gunna do for years! Looks a fine kiln! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liambesaw Posted February 8, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 46 minutes ago, Babs said: Liam last seen loading a v heavy pot into top loader.. ..wife better check uf you're quieter than usual out there...time for those back muscle workouts you've been gunna do for years! Looks a fine kiln! Thanks Babs! Hopefully I don't end up disappearing into it, but I definitely could fit in there comfortably... Might be nice and warm even.. hmmmmm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted February 8, 2020 Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 Want photos of first glaze firing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Min Posted February 8, 2020 Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 Congrats Liam, looks like you scored a great kiln! Now you'll just have to make 3 times as many pots! 4 hours ago, liambesaw said: The only electrical upgrade I needed to do was swap out my 50 amp breaker for a 60 amp 3 phase? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liambesaw Posted February 8, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 26 minutes ago, Min said: Congrats Liam, looks like you scored a great kiln! Now you'll just have to make 3 times as many pots! 3 phase? No, it is single phase, 48 amp, 240v. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeU Posted February 8, 2020 Report Share Posted February 8, 2020 WOW!! You must be floating on Cloud 9. Have some cake--with whipped cream. Real whipped cream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Min Posted February 9, 2020 Report Share Posted February 9, 2020 53 minutes ago, liambesaw said: it is single phase, 48 amp, 240v. Oh, a 12 cubic foot kiln running on 48amps with a 60 amp breaker? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liambesaw Posted February 9, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2020 41 minutes ago, Min said: Oh, a 12 cubic foot kiln running on 48amps with a 60 amp breaker? That's the idea, I don't know if it's actually 12 cubic feet, that's just what the guy I bought it from said. If anyone has an oval cylinder volume calculator it's 25 deep x 27 tall x 37 wide Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 9, 2020 Report Share Posted February 9, 2020 27 minutes ago, liambesaw said: That's the idea, I don't know if it's actually 12 cubic feet, that's just what the guy I bought it from said. If anyone has an oval cylinder volume calculator it's 25 deep x 27 tall x 37 wide Yep, that puts it at about 12cu/ft. What's the max temp, cone 6? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liambesaw Posted February 9, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2020 Cone 10 according to the nameplate, but it also says that if you plan on firing to cone 10 to order with the 4 inch bricks. I'm not planning on going to cone 10 though. We will see how it performs tomorrow. I'm doing a bisque fire right now and will do a glaze fire tomorrow if it's cooled down before I go to bed. I'm sure it will though, the person I bought it from had already fired it a few times to cone 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted February 9, 2020 Report Share Posted February 9, 2020 congrats,liam! do be sure to stiffen the hinge area, i have seen what happens to the ones that have crumbled bricks at the top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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