refurbishing my kiln

Greetings. My first post to the group.
I have to questions, pertaining to my old kiln.
The kiln is about 20 years old, an old olympic, 2.5" firebrick.
I purchased it used.

1. I didn't know enough at the time I purchased it to ask what had
been fired in it. I'm now getting VERY scared that the kiln was
used to fire lead glazes. I'm sure it was used to fire hobbiest
ceramics. I bought it 10 years ago. Does anybody have any advice
on testing to see if there is lead in the bricks and on my pots after
firing? I've read that just using a kiln that had been used for
lead glazes can be hazardous.

2. I use it to fire to cone 6. I don't consider this a fire hazard at
all (it advertises itself as a cone 1 kiln). It's just quite inefficient.
So, I'm wondering if anybody has ever removed the metal sheathe from an
Olympic, wrapped it in fibrefrax and then recovered with perforated
stainless. I've considered building my own kiln (the local store here
has excellent plans), but I only have 40 amps to play with in my studio
I don't want to go through the work for such a small kiln.
So does anybody have any advice on adding insulation to my kiln?

3. I lied ... I have another question. How difficult would it be to
add an electronic controller to my kiln?

Thank you in advance.

"Mark Tigges" wrote in message
m...
Greetings. My first post to the group.
I have to questions, pertaining to my old kiln.
The kiln is about 20 years old, an old olympic, 2.5" firebrick.
I purchased it used.

1. I didn't know enough at the time I purchased it to ask what had
been fired in it. I'm now getting VERY scared that the kiln was
used to fire lead glazes. I'm sure it was used to fire hobbiest
ceramics. I bought it 10 years ago. Does anybody have any advice
on testing to see if there is lead in the bricks and on my pots after
firing? I've read that just using a kiln that had been used for
lead glazes can be hazardous.

2. I use it to fire to cone 6. I don't consider this a fire hazard at
all (it advertises itself as a cone 1 kiln). It's just quite
inefficient.
So, I'm wondering if anybody has ever removed the metal sheathe from an
Olympic, wrapped it in fibrefrax and then recovered with perforated
stainless. I've considered building my own kiln (the local store here
has excellent plans), but I only have 40 amps to play with in my studio
I don't want to go through the work for such a small kiln.
So does anybody have any advice on adding insulation to my kiln?

3. I lied ... I have another question. How difficult would it be to
add an electronic controller to my kiln?

you can get standalone controllers that you wire to your breakerbox or plug,
set your kiln on high, and then just plug the kiln into the controller.
$500-600 range. see http://www.cdvkiln.com/ for some.

Thank you in advance.

lead burns out above cone 6 so after you've fired to cone 6 more then once you
*should* then have a sterile kiln.

i don't think you'd have to worry about the lead getting into your fired
glazes.

certainly ventilate the kiln area!

steve



Subject: refurbishing my kiln
From: Mark Tigges
Date: 10/20/2004 2:37 PM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:

Greetings. My first post to the group.
I have to questions, pertaining to my old kiln.
The kiln is about 20 years old, an old olympic, 2.5" firebrick.
I purchased it used.

1. I didn't know enough at the time I purchased it to ask what had
been fired in it. I'm now getting VERY scared that the kiln was
used to fire lead glazes. I'm sure it was used to fire hobbiest
ceramics. I bought it 10 years ago. Does anybody have any advice
on testing to see if there is lead in the bricks and on my pots after
firing? I've read that just using a kiln that had been used for
lead glazes can be hazardous.

2. I use it to fire to cone 6. I don't consider this a fire hazard at
all (it advertises itself as a cone 1 kiln). It's just quite inefficient.
So, I'm wondering if anybody has ever removed the metal sheathe from an
Olympic, wrapped it in fibrefrax and then recovered with perforated
stainless. I've considered building my own kiln (the local store here
has excellent plans), but I only have 40 amps to play with in my studio
I don't want to go through the work for such a small kiln.
So does anybody have any advice on adding insulation to my kiln?

3. I lied ... I have another question. How difficult would it be to
add an electronic controller to my kiln?

Thank you in advance.








steve graber