Moving a Duncan DK 1029-1 and bringing it back to life

[Bubba]

I am the proud new owner of my first kiln, a Duncan DK 1029-1!  I am in the process of figuring out what I need to do to get it home safely and bring it back to life (building a dedicated shed, hiring an electrician to properly install a 240 outlet, etc.)

It has had very little use and the bricks and elements look new, but it was stored in a garage and the outside of the kiln and control panel look pretty bad.  I am thinking I will have to replace the control panel (or, get professional help to do so).  I'd like to get it going again as a kiln sitter, no fancy electronics.

I am hoping I haven't bitten off more than I can chew, but the price was right.

I'm happy to have any advice, but my intial question is what is the best way to safely haul a kiln?  Luckily it doesn't have to go far,  but it does have to ride in the back of a pick-up truck up and down some of Oregon's infamously bad gravel roads.

[neilestrick]

Does the kiln come apart in sections or is it all one piece? Is the floor joined to the bottom of the kiln?

[Bubba]

Hi Neil -

The top 3rd of the kiln comes off, and the stand is not attached.  Not sure about the bottom, but it appears to be in 3 sections.  I can't find much info about this model kiln - I have the original Duncan manual in front of me but it's not specific to this model.  It's 7 cf.

[neilestrick]

Move it in sections, don't try to lift it all at once. Unhook and remove the lid. Stack the sections in the truck, making two stacks if you can. Put foam board underneath each section. The pink house insulation board works well. Set down the wall sections first, with the lid and floor slabs on top (if the floor is a separate piece). Foam board separating everything. Wrap it all up with plastic stretch wrap and secure the load as best you can. I use a cargo tarp and that works really well. If you put straps over the top, put foam board between the straps and the kiln. Don't crank down too tight with straps or you could crack the bricks.

[Bubba]

Awesome!  I hear you loud and clear.  I'll let you know how it goes.  THANK YOU!

By the way, I live in Oregon now, but for a couple of decades of my younger years I lived in towns neighboring Grayslake (Gurnee and Waukegan) - such a small world.

[davidh4976]

The bricks are quite fragile, so in addition to the advice already given, do not attempt to lay the kiln sections on their side. Even when hand carrying the sections, do not hold them any way except upright and flat. When hand carrying, keeping the sections on a piece of plywood will help.  All of this will keep the kiln walls from flexing.  Flexing of the kiln walls can do a number on the firebricks.

[Bubba]

Excellent!  Plywood, great idea!  THANK YOU!

[neilestrick]

If the body bands are tight  (check them) then the plywood is unnecessary, and you can definitely tilt the sections to get them through doorways. Just don't grab along the inside lip of the bricks you you could crack the grooves. Use the carrying handles and you'll be fine.

[Piedmont Pottery]

If the controls are corroded you may want to look at an external computer controller.  That is what I did on my old Duncan 1029.  It will cost more up front but will really help with more consistent firings.  You will have to drill a small hole for a thermocouple to go through.  all the infinite switches are set to Hi, or bypassed altogether.  I did leave the kiln sitter inline to have a failsafe option. 

[Bubba]

I have a referral to someone who "repairs" old kilns who I will need to call in order to bring the kiln back online.  I had it in my mind that I would keep the kiln "manual" with a new kiln setter, and I could always add the computer controller wall panel later.  You are saying that even with the computer wiz-bang thing, I can still manually fire it?