top load vs front loading kiln

[cmeiselman]

Hi I currently have a 50 year old Cress electric.  i am thinking of the investment of a new kiln.  

I often make tiles. With that in mind, would you recommend switching to a front loader?  or maybe stay top loading  but change to a rectangle or square shaped kiln? Also, if I switch to front loading would the tiles get fired laying flat?  

As of now I bisque fire upright. 

thanks. 

[glazenerd]

About all I fired was tiles. I a 6.5CF square top loader, and a 15.5CF front loader. The easiest method is to calculate your current tile size (in setters?), to come up with the width x length x height. You mentioned upright? ( see below). My top loader has 3” brick, with 1” insulation: extremely energy efficient. Front loaders are the easiest ergonomically, but have more hot and cold spots. When the temp gets into the 1800F plus range: static pressure likes to push the bottom of the door open ever so slightly, which allows cool air into the bottom front of the chamber. Easy to rectify with insulation. The upper rear of the chamber tends to fire hot, which I remedied by drilling a hole from the top; into the rear corner of the chamber. If you fire speciality glaze that is fickle to temperature variations; then a kiln vent would be advisable for a front loader. If the pic I posted resembles what you are doing: then it a simple matter of calculating how many setters wide, by how many setters deep, by how many setters tall: to arrive at a chamber size. Allow 2” of free space around the edges, and calculate space required for shelves and legs. 

Tom

[cmeiselman]

Thank you Glazenerd, that was helpful. The hot spots on a front loader stood out in your message.  I have been firing similar to the picture, that is for bisque.  for glaze fire I lay down on a bed of silica sand.  I do this so glaze doesn't run all over.    thanks you

[Min]

I don't make tiles but I have owned both a front loader and several top loading kilns. My front loader had a floor element plus elements on all four walls of the kiln, coolest part of the kiln was the upper area. Don't recall having cool spots near the door. Hinges on the door were adjustable, door sealed well. Depending on the size of the front loader it might be more difficult to get it through doorways to your kiln area. How tall you are makes a difference too, I needed a platform in front of the front loading kiln to get the top shelf in without really overextending. 

Richard Zakin (kiln building book author) and Frederick Bartolovic article below with some of the things to look for with both front and top loading kilns.

https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/daily/article/An-Introduction-to-Electric-Kilns-What-to-Look-For-When-Buying-an-Electric-Kiln-or-Test-Kiln

 

[neilestrick]

In general, things fit better in  square/rectangular kilns, even when firing round pots, but for tiles they'll fit better only if the size of the tiles works with the size of the kiln. So I'd look at the dimensions that will work best for the size of tiles you intend to fire. Depending on the dimensions, a round kiln may hold just as many flat tiles as a square one. If you can make do with a round one it will be a lot cheaper than a front loader. There are some square/rectangular top loaders on the market.

[cmeiselman]

3 hours ago, Min said:

I don't make tiles but I have owned both a front loader and several top loading kilns. My front loader had a floor element plus elements on all four walls of the kiln, coolest part of the kiln was the upper area. Don't recall having cool spots near the door. Hinges on the door were adjustable, door sealed well. Depending on the size of the front loader it might be more difficult to get it through doorways to your kiln area. How tall you are makes a difference too, I needed a platform in front of the front loading kiln to get the top shelf in without really overextending. 

Richard Zakin (kiln building book author) and Frederick Bartolovic article below with some of the things to look for with both front and top loading kilns.

https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/daily/article/An-Introduction-to-Electric-Kilns-What-to-Look-For-When-Buying-an-Electric-Kiln-or-Test-Kiln

 

this was a good article to start with.  I was already making a pro con list, but now my list is more through.  Thank you

[Chilly]

I fire a top-loader at home and a front-loader at the community centre.  Taking any other factors our of the conversation, for me there are positives and negatives for each.  And all are to do with the shelves.

The top-loader means lowering each shelf down with not much finger space, good posture is needed, straight spread out legs, back bent at the hips.  And it's harder to see that the shelf posts are tall enough.  With the front-loader you have to hold your arms out in front of you with the weight of the shelf trying to do what gravity intends, and you feel like the whole weight is on your fingertips.  Particularly tricky with a full shelf below when you'r trying to maximise the load, and everything is the same height.

I like that with the front-loader I can see into each shelf - even if can't see all the way to the back, so it's easier to move something to gain a little space on a lower shelf at the last minute,  You cannot do that with a top-loader.  I feel the round shelves are more stable on three posts, than the rectangular shelves.  Having one post at the front makes me feel it is less stable. (I don't think it is, it just plays with my head.)

In summary, for me, when loading lots of pots the same height, the front-loader is harder to place the shelf.  If you have a weak back the top-loader is harder.

If you asked me, while loading shelves,  which do I prefer - I'd probably say the other one!

 

[neilestrick]

I actually find top loaders to be easier on my back than front loaders. I think it all depends on what type of strain affects your back more. Reaching out in front of me with a heavy object bothers my back more than reaching down with it. And reaching forward is much harder on my bad shoulder. I find it's easier to judge the spacing between pots in a top loader since you can actually see that space, but awkwardly shaped or delicate pieces are easier to load in a front loader. Pros and cons with both, but top loaders win for me because of price and ease of install.