Kiln wash all over the inside?

[Crystal W]

Hi everyone.

My Google skills have failed me on this question and so I am hoping someone here will have an answer.

My friend has come into possession of a kiln that was previously used for glass only. It was never fired above 1200F. But the entire inside of the kiln has been coated with kiln wash. It's on the side bricks, on the top of the lid, and yes, on the elements.

All I can find online is that kiln wash should only be used on the bottom of the kiln, but not why. Beyond shortening element life/possibly necessitating replacements and the possibility of flaking, is there anything to be aware of? Does this constitute damage, should she not fire it this way, etc.?

Any info would be super helpful.

Thanks!

[neilestrick]

3 hours ago, Crystal W said:

Beyond shortening element life/possibly necessitating replacements and the possibility of flaking

This is more than enough to be worried about.

Are you sure it's kiln wash and not ITC coating? If it is ITC, then you shouldn't have any problems if it was applied properly. If it's kiln wash, I would be worried about how it will affect the elements, and at some point it will start flaking and the kiln will need to be totally scraped down, which is not an easy project to do without damaging the bricks. She can probably flip the lid slab, but if it's cheap crappy kiln wash it could cause the elements to fuse to the bricks. At some point the kiln will probably be more trouble than it's worth.

[Crystal W]

Thanks for responding!

How could we tell the difference? It's a white/slightly offwhite coating all over the kiln. It does look smooth and even, and does not appear to be cracking or flaking.

[Dick White]

Can you post a well-lit picture of the inside of the kiln. That will help us identify if it is ITC or ordinary kiln wash. Also, can you take a picture of the electrical rating plate that is on the side of the kiln or the control box. You say it was used for glass and has never been fired above 1200℉ - perhaps it was designed only for glass and would not be capable of the higher temperatures of ceramics.

[Crystal W]

I will be able to take and post some pictures tomorrow afternoon.

It's a Skutt 1027-3 so I am relatively certain that it is capable of ceramics temperatures but I can double check for sure.

[PeterH]

Thread on ITC coatings.

 

 

[Mark C.]

Is the coating grey at all on cooler edges of lid or top edge  or all white

and is it sprayed or brushed?

[Callie Beller Diesel]

Was the glass kiln operator the first owner of the kiln, or was it second hand to them? This is an oddly shaped and overpowered kiln for a glass artist, even if the controller would help offset some of that.  The differences in temperature throughout the height of the kiln present real problems for glass artists, who need finer cooling control than those of us working with clay.

I could sort of see justifying spraying a pottery kiln to use with glass with ITC if they thought it would help increase that cooling control, but it would have been much, much easier and less expensive to buy a glass kiln in the first place. . 

If you’re slumping, fusing or annealing, normally you’d use kiln wash on a shelf or a mould, the same way a potter would. Some warm glass folks will forego even kiln wash in favour of kiln paper sheets, because the texture from a brushed on wash can transfer to the piece. 

[Min]

3 hours ago, Mark C. said:

and is it sprayed or brushed?

+1

[Crystal W]

4 hours ago, Mark C. said:

Is the coating grey at all on cooler edges of lid or top edge  or all white

and is it sprayed or brushed?

Grey at the top edge. It appears to have been brushed at least on the inside.

 

3 hours ago, Callie Beller Diesel said:

Was the glass kiln operator the first owner of the kiln, or was it second hand to them?

I do not know, but there is a note affixed to the control panel with instructions for burning on decals.

I managed to get some photos, attaching them.

[Mark C.]

I have sprayed ITC in a few electric back in the day-it goes on with a splatter looking surface and does not look like that on the elements. Looks like kiln wash to me

Once the itc is fired it turns white except say under the lid on top where therte is no heat and then its stays grey.

I think you have kiln wash. Why anyone would brush the elements is beyound me

I am assuming the kiln has been fire since doing this if not youcould still wet the wash and remove it .  Unplug kiln and try to sponge a small area to see if it will rewet and turn into a cream that sponges off? If so let us know then we can tell you how to get off the walls lid and elements.

Do not fire it  if its still able to rewet  as firing it will make that impossible .

[Crystal W]

Thanks for all your help. I was able to verify yesterday that the kiln wash can not be rewet.

Thankfully we have found someone that does kiln repair work willing to take it for parts. So sad!