QotW: Do you repair your kiln, or hire an electrician/specialist to do the job?

[Pres]

Hi folks, I have seen a LOT of kilns having problems of late on the forum. Many folks asking for help/advice on whether a kiln is worth fixing, or if they should buy a certain questionable kiln. Makes me wonder how many people know enough about kilns to repair them by their self or if they will hire a tech for their problems. I can remember back when I first started firing an old Amaco kiln that there were all sorts of problems with the coils falling down, and bricks breaking because I jammed a shelf against it. Then we got a new kiln, and had an electrician come in to wire it to the wall, and set it up. He knew wiring, but didn't know much about kilns. . . relied on me, which by then I had gotten a little more savvy about what I fired. When the first element burned out a few years later, I reported it, and waited and waited, ordered new ones, and waited. Then I had an afternoon where there was a pep rally and teachers were in-servicing. I asked for the time, and an hour after everyone left I had replaced the elements. Next week the electrician arrived checking on the kiln came to me asking what was wrong. I explained everything and asked him to check over the work. He pulled the box checked the leads ran a few tests with a multimeter, came back and said it was all good. Said there was a kiln up at the Jr high that was having problems and asked if I would go up and look at it with him. . .said sure!

SOooooo ! QotW: Do you repair your kiln, or hire an electrician/specialist to do the job?

best,

Pres

[Mark C.]

Always done my own work-from electrics to gas. Once 50 years ago I melted my 60 amp service and called a friend (an electrician at the time) who tught me how to fix it. He became a electrical contractor and I used to work for him now and then never looked back on hiring anyone for electrical work. I call for code updates now and then . Gas kilns same deal build them and fire them-up to about 12-14 under my belt now. Worked as a plumber with a plumber contractor back a the in the 80s never needed one to run pipes . Being a potter for me means knowing a lot about manicanical things. I learned them for those in the trades-same with home building -framing and roofing. Potter for  me means the whole of an all-arounder. 

[Pres]

@Mark C.Amen to "Potter for  me means the whole of an all-arounder. " and everything else you said. 

 

best,

Pres

[Min]

We do our own kiln repair but there is something that came to our attention regarding installing kilns. When we were shopping around for a new home insurance policy quite a number of years ago most home insurance providers wouldn't insure me unless I could prove a licensed electrician did the direct wiring for the kilns. 

I don't think the "Potter" designation means you have to do absolutely everything. Are we ruling out people who use pre-made dry glazes, bottled glazes, bought clay,  etc. Slippery slope.

Edited November 20, 2023 by Min

[Hulk]

We try to maintain and repair all we can, excepting where it's warrantee or insurance work, beyond our ability/experience, just too big a job, and/or stuff we don't want to do.

First kiln was a 1983 all manual.
I wasn't hep on how to safely work on the main panel with the solar, so hired a contractor to install wiring for the kiln (ouch, $$$).
Disassemble, move, assemble, setup, we did all that.
Direct vent, overhead vent, we designed and built.

Second kiln, brand new automated - having learned somewhat about solar when we upgraded the wiring to our son's well house - we ran the wiring this time, and same "we did that" as the first kiln, re-using the direct vent*.
The kiln is running a glaze fire now (first one!); it has one bisque fire under its belt.

Certainly, it's possible I'll need help repairing/maintaining the new kiln, however, it looks straightforward; plan is we'll do it.

We call for help when we need it, e.g. going up on the roof to clean out the gutters, I'm not doing that.

Building the wall for the Studio, running wiring for lights, plugs, and dedicated circuit for the mini-split, we'll do all that; the sheet rock, top, texture, paint, that too; hanging and casing the door, baseboard, all that.

The example in our family was very much do it yourself, do the maintenance and repair. I'm curious (still!), cheap, and need to get focused into stuff to stay busy. Along with "saving money" by diy, one has control of the quality.
We had access to tools from the start. My brother and I took everything apart.
I worked in several trades.
...was just reflecting t'other day on how much learning is associated with mistakes, yes, all along and into the present, no doubt more in the future.
...for example, when closing the kiln wiring/control box, it is possible to arrange the wires so that in closing, wires push each other unconnected. Ah.
...  "  ", I'd forgotten the glaze that beads up on the waxed surface can drip - catch them before turning the ware over! Ah.
 

*The overhead vent to be re-purposed as a dust vent, for glaze prep.

[JohnnyK]

I do ALL my own work. Having been a remodeling contractor for almost 40 years, I've become skilled in almost all the building trades. On top of that, I have an innate skill for using my hands and mind to do pretty much anything. I just ordered a set of coils from Euclids for my old Cress FX23P and will be installing them as soon as I get them. I've also created a splash pan for my old CI wheel and have built an extruder for which I will soon be designing and adding an expansion box. I've also fabricated many tools that I had a need for like trimming and carving tools, banding wheels from old ceiling fans, etc. I also thought about making my own burnishing tools by creating useful shapes and glazing them as opposed to using random shaped polished rocks.

I guess I'm in the same boat with @Mark C., knowing how to do most everything necessary to make it as a potter 

[Pres]

3 hours ago, Min said:

We do our own kiln repair but there is something that came to our attention regarding installing kilns. When we were shopping around for a new home insurance policy quite a number of years ago most home insurance providers wouldn't insure me unless I could prove a licensed electrician did the direct wiring for the kilns. 

 

@Min I also had an electrician put in my kiln line as there is a gray area in the local code about 220 line installation. When we set up the garage to be separate from the house kiln line was put in as part of the job. I also had the line for the heat put in by an electrician. However all of the repairs on the old kiln including replacement of coils, insulators, switches etc had been done by me. The new kiln, who knows if I get to the point of repairing it.

 

best,

Pres

[Kelly in AK]

With the gas kilns it’s all me, and that’s been a long slow learning curve. It started with “don’t blow yourself up.”

My experience with electric kilns is a different. I count on electricians. However…I learned, as many do, electricians in general are unfamiliar with kilns. If you find one who is into kilns, they’re a gem! I’ve learned enough to do a lot work myself, but I’m not yet confident to flip any switches till a pro checks it over.

Except the thermocouple. I don’t need a pro for that. 

[Chilly]

My partner re-wired and replaced elements.  I've applied curust on the worst of the casing.

We did employ a sparky to put an outside/caravan type socket direct from the fuseboard, so I could run one long cable, instead of the short one to an extension lead to the garage sockets.