discountsection Posted March 25, 2023 Report Share Posted March 25, 2023 Hi, i just bought a J.J Cress Electric Kiln Model A-22-H with 240 volts and 22 AMPS. I got it for 75 bucks at a garage sale. which at the time felt like a good deal but the longer i tinker with it i wonder if it’s worth the trouble. i have the time and money to sink into it-but i have to admit that i’m a novice. i know the coils probably need to be repaired due to the age of the kiln/general maintenance. but the electric panel on the outside of the kiln is what intimidates me the most. i attached pictures on this thread of the kiln and would really appreciate any information or advice on what i should do next. thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discountsection Posted March 25, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2023 this is a link to the pictures i took of the kiln, for some reason it isn’t letting me attach them to the thread regularly: https://imgur.com/a/KwF9imt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted March 29, 2023 Report Share Posted March 29, 2023 Hi and welcome to the forum! Sorry about the wait, we’re usually quicker than this. The number of pictures you uploaded is 1) absolutely marvellous, and shows all the good details we need, and 2) would have been too many for our server to handle. But in looking at them, I hate to say it, but the person who sold you that should have paid you $75 to haul it away. Cress Kilns is still in business, and still sell A series kilns, but only smaller sizes as testers. They haven’t sold A series as large as yours for a very long time. The serial number on yours says it was built in 1965. The electrics are very outdated, and may have never have had things like relays or switches replaced. Judging by the state of the rest of it, I’d be worried about internal corrosion. Replacing and upgrading the box is a project that people here have taken on with good success, and you mention you have the time and money for it. I wouldn’t have chosen it as a first project, but I fully respect anyone who loves to jump in with both feet. You’d learn a lot. BUT. Before you start, get a lead test on those bricks. Nothing fancy, just a swab from that website we all love and hate. Proceed accordingly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted March 29, 2023 Report Share Posted March 29, 2023 Looking at your pictures, there has been some work to restore parts like the controller/sitter box, but there is so much work to be done on leads, and even though the elements and bricks look reasonably sound, the rest is toast. As @Callie Beller Dieselsays, check the bricks for lead. If you are inclined to be a puzzle hobbyist and good with mechanical and electrical, after the brick test go for it. If the brick test is bad, you have to dispose of the kiln properly to hazmat waste center. Sorry for the bad news, but maybe the test will be fine. best, Pres Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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