New Kiln
 

Hello All:

I am very new to this stuff and could use some pointers, but last week I
came across a great deal on a kiln and wheel. The kiln has never been
assembled, it is about 30 years old, it was sold by Westby Ceramic
supply and is 4 rows of 8 bricks each, 3 rows have heating elements and
one row is a spacer row. I don't know where the spacer row is supposed
to be located in the stack, or if it even maters where it is placed. I
had to lay out bricks and trace the ring on them and cut the bricks to
shape for the lid and base of the thing. It's all held together with
bands, 2 for each ring and one for the lid and one for the base. Now I
need to coat the lid and base with this mortar stuff that is in the kit
and install the coils and wiring. The wiring is asbestos covered so I
don't want to mess with it. What do kilns use now a days for wire that
will hold up to the heat? Does anyone have info or experience with one
of these kilns?
Also the wheel that I got is called a spinning tiger. It is missing the
rubber drive thing on the motor shaft so I ordered one from Creative
supply, it seemed awfully expensive for a piece of rubber, It doubled my
cost for the whole outfit!, I got the kiln, Wheel and a box of clay for
$25.
Anyhow, please post any helpful comments that you may have, Thanks,
Brian

i hav eno clue as to how to assempble it but my 1st question is are you
complainging about the price or bragging :o) as for the asbestos wireing it
will need to be takes and disposed of at a hazardous materials site. check with
a local suppy hous eon wireing and information. I would recomend
www.kickwheel.com in atlanta or davens i forget their email address. the
heating elements i woudl imagine are probably ok but if not i think they could
recomend some replacements for you also.


"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for
lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote."

-- Benjamin Franklin, 1759

Thanks for that info Dave, I bagged and got rid of the asbestos last
night. It appears that the big difference between mine and the new kilns
is that the electrical box's on them have an air gap of about 1/2 inch
between the brick and the box, "mine would have been screwed directly to
the side without an air gap. One thing that I found out at Seattle
pottery was that most, if not all, of the new kilns have all the heating
coils on one circuit, like they all come on at the same time. Mine is
set up as 3 separate circuits originally but since I have to wire the
whole thing anyway I will hook all the heaters to one circuit. That is
unless the people on this NG say it's better one way or the other.
Thanks for the help and please keep it coming, Bri

David Coggins wrote:

Hi Brian,

Your bargain kiln sounds very old, but should be OK. There are still lots of
kilns that age in regular use.

Toss the asbestos covered wire away. For high temperature connections, you
cannot use copper wire - the wire must be multi stranded nickel alloy.
There is a high temperature silicone insulated wire available to use on kiln
wiring, with or without braided sheath, which has the necessary multistrand
wiring. It is available from most kiln manufacturers, or you might get some
from a specialist wire store.

If the elements are new, there should be no problem fitting them to the
kiln, you can stretch or bend the wire without problems, until it is fired.
Then it becomes very brittle, and can't be moved unless it is red hot.

Dave

--
"Bri" wrote in message
...
Hello All:

I am very new to this stuff and could use some pointers, but last week I
came across a great deal on a kiln and wheel. The kiln has never been
assembled, it is about 30 years old, it was sold by Westby Ceramic
supply and is 4 rows of 8 bricks each, 3 rows have heating elements and
one row is a spacer row. I don't know where the spacer row is supposed
to be located in the stack, or if it even maters where it is placed. I
had to lay out bricks and trace the ring on them and cut the bricks to
shape for the lid and base of the thing. It's all held together with
bands, 2 for each ring and one for the lid and one for the base. Now I
need to coat the lid and base with this mortar stuff that is in the kit
and install the coils and wiring. The wiring is asbestos covered so I
don't want to mess with it. What do kilns use now a days for wire that
will hold up to the heat? Does anyone have info or experience with one
of these kilns?
Also the wheel that I got is called a spinning tiger. It is missing the
rubber drive thing on the motor shaft so I ordered one from Creative
supply, it seemed awfully expensive for a piece of rubber, It doubled my
cost for the whole outfit!, I got the kiln, Wheel and a box of clay for
$25.
Anyhow, please post any helpful comments that you may have, Thanks,
Brian

I would keep the wiring as three separate circuits. It gives more control of
temperature - in other words you can put more heat into the bottom or the
top, depending on how evenly the kiln fires, or how evenly the kiln is
loaded. Secondly, you might overload the control switch if you ran all the
element through the one switch.

Dave

"Bri" wrote in message
...

One thing that I found out at Seattle
pottery was that most, if not all, of the new kilns have all the heating
coils on one circuit, like they all come on at the same time. Mine is
set up as 3 separate circuits originally but since I have to wire the
whole thing anyway I will hook all the heaters to one circuit. That is
unless the people on this NG say it's better one way or the other.
Thanks for the help and please keep it coming, Bri