Summit Gas Kiln Conversion Kits

[rayaldridge 279]

Is anyone here familiar with the electric-to-gas conversion kits manufactured by Summit?  The one I'm considering is the GV-18.

 

A while back someone was clearing out their storage shed and I got an old worn-out kiln, a Lockerbie kick wheel and a venturi burner (they had been planning to make a raku kiln out of it.  I'm not interested in raku, and I fear one burner will be inadequate for efficient Cone 8 firing.   The GV-18 kit has two burners and a steel stand.  By the time I bought another burner and fabricated a stand, I'd probably be close to the cost of the conversion kit, which is a little over 200 bucks.

 

Any experience or opinions? (I'm aware of the drawbacks of updraft kilns.)

[neilestrick 3,330]

Lots of talk here on the forum lately about the struggles of firing little round updraft kilns. Do a search and you'll find lots of tips about how to get them to fire somewhat evenly. Search 'updraft', 'round gas', 'olympic', etc. Be aware that once you place the necessary bottom and top shelves in the kiln you're going to lose a lot of your stacking space, especially in a kiln that small.

 

Is there any sort of air adjustment on those burners? From the photo they look like plain old pipes.

[rayaldridge 279]

Neil, I don't know; I've only seen pictures.

 

I don't really mind the loss of setting space, since at the moment I'm mostly doing small experimental forms.

 

Believe it or not, my first kiln was a circular updraft built of sandstone and mud and fired with wood.  That lasted a couple firings, though somewhere I still have a lead-glazed cup I made in that kiln.  Then I built a woodfired updraft out of red brick, which lasted through a few earthenware firing before melting down.

 

Of course, that was back in the Neolithic.  My wheel was a truck rim filled with concrete, with the shaft held to a sturdy fence with greased leather bearings.  My only reference was an ancient copy of Bernard Leach's book, which I came across in the Las Vegas library, of all places.

[rayaldridge 279]

Neil, I think you were right.  I found an old ClayArt thread in which the kits were discussed, and there seemed to be no way to adjust primary air.

 

I guess I'd be better off to buy another decent venturi burner and put together my own support frame.

[neilestrick 3,330]

Neil, I think you were right.  I found an old ClayArt thread in which the kits were discussed, and there seemed to be no way to adjust primary air.

 

I guess I'd be better off to buy another decent venturi burner and put together my own support frame.

 

It's ridiculous that they made burners without air adjustment! That's just foolish. Those types of kilns have enough problems even with good burners!

[shorthill 0]

I converted an old electric kiln to a gas kiln using the Summit-18. I have been using it for two years now with absolutely no issues. I love the versitility of being able to move my kiln in and out of the garage for firings due to the steel wheels. I am actually looking for another, larger old electric kiln to construct a second kiln!

[Bluebird in paradise 0]

Hi- bought a summit conversion kit in 2003- never used it as I moved to Australia! Now I’m ready to do it! Been firing fibre gas kilns in Australia to cone 10 redux. My question is- I don’t have the template- I need better instructions- pics/video and info on flu etc? Any advice on the summit Gv-24 kit? Thanks!

[Mark C. 3,712]

I suggest you use the personal message to whomever you want a response from on this old thread from 2015 as that message will go thru an e-mail to that person.Ray has not visited this site since 2016