10,000 posts

[Mark C.]

Ok I;m feeling like and old timer now.

Nothing earth  shattering-firing a few glaze fires today. as usual on Tuesdays . Also working with Skutt kilns on my new kiln bands which are showing rust in 11 months and 4 bisque fires. That rust really was a bummer to find with so little use.

We will see how this shakes out.

[neilestrick]

I'm going to try to crank out 800 posts this weekend to catch up.

Bummer about the steel. Even with rust it should last for many years, though.

[CactusPots]

Rust on the inside or the outside?  I just got a used 1227, the outside doesn't look so bad, but it's dropping rust on the floor from the bottom inside band.

[oldlady]

keep an eye out for rust dropping into the kiln just as you close it.   i have begun wire brushing the entire top band before loading to get the loose stuff off.   still happens, though.

[liambesaw]

1 hour ago, CactusPots said:

Rust on the inside or the outside?  I just got a used 1227, the outside doesn't look so bad, but it's dropping rust on the floor from the bottom inside band.

Bottom inside band? Madness!

[CactusPots]

23 hours ago, liambesaw said:

Bottom inside band? Madness!

The inside of the bottom band.   Better?

[liambesaw]

13 minutes ago, CactusPots said:

The inside of the bottom band.   Better?

It actually scares me!  Do ye fire wet bisque and candle for a long time?

[CactusPots]

This is a new to me kiln.  Don't know the exact history of it.  Would that be your take on how a kiln may have gotten this condition?  I think it's going to be functional for now.  If next year is functional at all, I may have some work done on that bottom ring, replacing a few bricks and a new band.

The Skutt kilns definitely seem to be prone to rust.  Low grade stainless, no doubt.

[liambesaw]

I'd say either wet bisque or lots of salts. (Soda ash, neph sy bodies, etc).  

[Babs]

Rust happens, My new square kiln with stainless steel sides, not bands, gives rust coloured stains to cement floor.

30 - 40eg C days, no salt save sea air and dry as a bone bisqueware.

Freaked me but as Neil.writes, it"ll last a while, see me out.

Old lady's warning a good one. I vacuum top of bricks and suck out bung holes in lid as can get small flakes onto top shelf ware.

[neilestrick]

The inside of body bands are more prone to rust than the outside, as all the moisture that comes out during firings works through the porous bricks. Some of the rust may also be from non-stainless steel backing plates that are often put behind the body bands where handles and hinges are attached to increase strength in those areas. All but the best stainless screws will also rust where the penetrate the brick. I've removed non-stainless screws that looked like a push pin from rusting out so much, just a screw head and a thin pointy bit.

[Mark C.]

Buy 316 stainless screws if you want them to last

you get them here. I order a lot of things from this supplier-they are in my state and have great service and quality stuff (no junk)

https://www.mcmaster.com/screws/tapping-wood-and-drywall-screws/drive-style~phillips/

[liambesaw]

Fingers crossed neither of my kilns have rusted apart from some screws on the hinged area.  They're outdoors under cover so I'm sure it's only a matter of time.

[Bill Kielb]

Maybe time to design that kiln catholic protection system or maybe spray the backsides of all the bands with cold galvanizing zinc spray every five years.