New kiln - best location?

[YuOr]

Hello all! My first post here

 

After going to different studios to use a kiln I finally decided to get my own. I never actually fired anything - all the studios I went to have special people/equipment for that. So I left my items there and picked them up after they were done.

Probably L&L E18S-3 or similar (3 inch walls). I have 2 options - which do you think is better? 

Option one - outside wooden shed. We are in Massachusetts, so pretty cold in the winter and hot in the summer. If I use the shed, what precautions do I need to take? Can I still store other not ceramic related stuff in there? I am not sure how hot kiln gets on the outside?  Also worried about difference of the temperatures inside/outside the kiln during winter...

 

Option 2 - my house's basement. We have a storage room, the positive is that it has concrete floor and walls and a small window I could vent into. Negative - it's pretty small and all the electrical and pipes are there so again, I am not sure how hot would it get during firing..

 

Any advise please? Thank you

ps

As I never fired a kiln.... How long does it take. I understand there are 3 parts to it - Warming up, firing, cooling off. So I guess it can be left unattended during cooling off phase, right? How long does it takes to warm up and fire?

[Hulk]

Hi YuOr!

That kiln is about 2.5 cubic feet? A modest size, yet capable of producing significant waste/excess heat, and hold enough work to produce significant fumes as well.

If you go with the basement, I'll suggest a powerful venting setup to remove fumes and excess heat from the space. The outflow required means a way for "make up" air to flow in will be necessary - make sense?

You'll have to provide power; you might consider allowing for a larger or second kiln when you run the wire, then select the breaker appropriate for the current load...

First ("bisque") fire isn't as hot, but typically takes longer, as time to drive off moisture, then burn out "organics" is allowed - seven or eight hours - or more. Glaze fire typically ramps up faster, as little as five hours? My setup takes longer though...

I don't leave the house until the next day - even then, it's still hot enough to burn paper.

[YuOr]

47 minutes ago, Hulk said:

Hi YuOr!

That kiln is about 2.5 cubic feet? A modest size, yet capable of producing significant waste/excess heat, and hold enough work to produce significant fumes as well.

If you go with the basement, I'll suggest a powerful venting setup to remove fumes and excess heat from the space. The outflow required means a way for "make up" air to flow in will be necessary - make sense?

You'll have to provide power; you might consider allowing for a larger or second kiln when you run the wire, then select the breaker appropriate for the current load...

First ("bisque") fire isn't as hot, but typically takes longer, as time to drive off moisture, then burn out "organics" is allowed - seven or eight hours - or more. Glaze fire typically ramps up faster, as little as five hours? My setup takes longer though...

I don't leave the house until the next day - even then, it's still hot enough to burn paper.

Thank you for your response!… by “hot enough to burn paper” - you mean inside, right? Not outside of kiln? 
 

when I look online, the companies offer a vent setup to go with the kiln…. Would that be enough? 

[neilestrick]

5 hours ago, YuOr said:

when I look online, the companies offer a vent setup to go with the kiln…. Would that be enough? 

 

The downdraft vent only pulls out fumes, not heat. So if it's in the basement you'll need to deal with the heat. That could be a couple of open windows with fans, or an overhead hood system like those made by Vent-A-Kiln. Both locations have their pros and cons, but basements are generally the more pleasant place to be loading a kiln in the winter. Check local codes as to whether or not you can have a kiln and vent in the same room with the furnace. If you put it in the shed you'll need to put cement board on the floor, and it wouldn't hurt to have it on the walls by the kiln, too. You'll also need to have a way to vent the heat out during the warmer months. A fan in the open door may do the job, but if you need to close the door you'll have to have a fan through the wall or lots of venting in the roof. My kids' school has their kiln in a shed, and they've got vents all along the roof line as well as along the wall at the floor for good circulation.

A firing typically takes 8-10 hours to get to temp, then anywhere from 12-24 hours to cool depending on the size of the kiln. Once it's off and cooling you do not need to tend it.

I highly recommend getting a wider kiln than the e18S-3. 18 inch wide kilns use a 15 inch shelf, and once you have the posts in there you've only got about 12 inches to work with. It's fine for small cylindrical forms like mugs and vases, but it's very limiting for bowls and plates. A 23 inch wide kiln of the same height like the e23S-3 would be much better- less wasted space, and you can easily fit plates, platters, and serving bowls. Plus you won't outgrow it as quickly.