Can anyone tell me about this lil kiln?

[Philo]

Can anyone tell me what this lil kiln is for? It's so tiny and there are NO markings on it at all. I don't know if it's a kiln, enameler,  glass oven, or toaster.

I got these 2 kilns for free and know nothing about them. Any info would be appreciated.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rw41l0hzy8vrvy3/Screen Shot 2022-07-23 at 7.00.13 PM.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6mwdyrveg9m05a6/Screen Shot 2022-07-23 at 7.19.56 PM.jpg?dl=0

[Callie Beller Diesel]

Hi and welcome!

Oh man. They both look older than dirt. Cool!

The round one looks like it might be some kind of casting crucible, but I’d have to see the inside to be sure. Casting what? Dunno. Could be glass, more likely metal. Finding it with what does look to be a pottery kiln makes me wonder if someone was doing some kind of lost wax casting. Or if they just liked fire-based hobbies. 

In the first image I can kind of make out that the bottom (square) one has a label that might read Cone Art, which is a kiln brand made in Ontario. Tuckers is their main distributor. That kiln does have a cone sitter, which means it’s probably some kind of pottery kiln. Glass kilns don’t usually use pyrometric cones.

 If you can get an image of those rheostat knobs at the bottom, or if there are any other manufacturer’s marks that are not on that cone sitter (the black box), your best bet might be to email Tuckers to see if they know anything.  If it’s an old Cone Art, they can give you specs.

[Philo]

Thanks! The bottom one is a "fine art" amaco kiln. I did find that thru the serial numbers. THe little one tho, has NOTHING on it. Here's the inside of the baby one.

[Callie Beller Diesel]

Yeah, it’s probably some kind of metal casting kiln, given the staining around the elements. Something was burnt off in there, but I couldn’t say what. You’d need to build a crucible for it, and have all the necessary accoutrements.

Without being there to test the resistance on the elements, I’d venture you’d have to replace the electronic components to make them useable.

[PeterH]

Nothing substantial to add, but this maybe of interest.

The description "fine art" amaco kiln seems to relate to a series of kilns, can you find a more specific model number (might look like FA-<digits>). I'd hope there is a plate somewhere giving voltage, current, model number, etc.  ... Can you find it and post a photograph?

PS My impression is that these may not have been intended/marketed as general-purpose pottery kilns, for example the FA-44 is described as:
http://www.americanceramics.com/html/amacofineartkilns.html
The FA-44 is a well-insulated front-loading kiln with the capability to fire to Cone 03. Practical for small classrooms and studios, the FA-44 kiln is ideal for metal enameling, china painting, and glass decorating projects. An optional base is available for storing supplies and kiln furniture.
... @Callie Beller Diesel would you use a cone sitter for any of these applications?

China painting typically relates to decorating already fired and glazed porcelain, hence:
https://kilnfrog.com/collections/porcelain-china
Porcelain or China Painting Kilns are typically smaller versions of Pottery kilns. They also typically fire at lower temperatures at 2000F. A kiln intended to function for pottery and ceramics is designed to fire to higher temperatures over 2200-2350F degrees, these high temperatures are necessary for firing the clay.

I don't know if it's possible to find  low-fire bodies and glazes which can be used at these temperature.

[PeterH]

19 hours ago, PeterH said:

I don't know if it's possible to find  low-fire bodies and glazes which can be used at these temperature.

When considering this it might be worth looking at the responses to this question on another thread.

 

[Callie Beller Diesel]

On 10/4/2022 at 6:44 AM, PeterH said:

would you use a cone sitter for any of these applications

No, not for all of them. 

China painting/decal firings, maybe. I’ve used china paint decals and lustres in a partially loaded, well ventillated manual kiln, and they seem to turn out fine. But not for anything glass related. Annealing rates need a lot more control than we use for ceramic things. Annealing programs involve controlling the cool down at specific points more than they do ramping up.  With ceramics, mostly we just do a shutoff, and while you can do a rudimentary drop and soak if you have a suitable pyrometer, but it’s less accurate than a computer controlled thing. Enamelling, I can’t speak about. 

[High Bridge Pottery]

It certainly looks like a home made kiln if these are the connections for live an neutral. Brickwork feels off too, the bottom element groove looks like it's made in between two bricks and not grooved into a brick.