Pottery Kilns - Making or Otherwise, Gas or Electric?

[eSCHEn]

I think we have some members on here who do pottery / ceramics and I wanted to pick your brains for some first-hand advice

I got into pottery several years ago and loved it but access to a kiln hasn't been possible for a fair while now so I haven't been able to do it

I keep an eye on the second-hand markets but there aren't any local or within reasonable travelling distance. I can't afford a new one so have been thinking about building one. I can go gas or electric for the fuel but I'm not sure how easy the regulation on a gas unit would be for firing?

I did stoneware and earthenware but have never filled, fired or done anything with a kiln myself. It was always done by the pottery place I went to, but I think I need to be able to reach and maintain cone 10 for the stoneware to be dishwasher / microwave safe?

Volume-wise I was looking at commercial electric units and they seem to be ~45l internal volume for a 13A supply which is what I was thinking of targetting for ease if I went electric.

Of course, if anyone has one they are looking to move on then I am all ears

 

[Misterg]

I think I need to be able to reach and maintain cone 10 for the stoneware to be dishwasher / microwave safe?

Not being a pottery person - is that about 1300°C ?

There's a used machinery dealer near Birmingham that we've bought ovens from in the past (work), but 1300°C capability is less common.

Industrial Furnaces and Ovens

www.rileysurfaceworld.co.uk

 

[julianf]

My friend does pottery for work. Sells and teaches.

She just bought a new kiln. I think it was about £5k.

Offered me her old one, foc, but its big, and i have nowhere to put it.


Theyre a bit more (only a little bit more) complicated than just on/off - they do temperature gradients over time - stages, if you like.

You could, im sure, do it with a PID and your stop watch, but easier just to press a button, and have a controller do it all for you.


If you keep an eye on your local fb market place, kilns come up every couple of months or so. Be aware that the elements dont last forever, and are expensive to replace (i guess someone on here would / could wind their own, but if you just buy them theyre a few hundred quid)

 

[eSCHEn]

Not being a pottery person - is that about 1300°C ?

There's a used machinery dealer near Birmingham that we've bought ovens from in the past (work), but 1300°C capability is less common.

Industrial Furnaces and Ovens

www.rileysurfaceworld.co.uk

Cone 10 is ≈1260ºC IIRC but happy to be wrong Nice machines but a tad large and/or spendy!

My friend does pottery for work. Sells and teaches.

She just bought a new kiln. I think it was about £5k.

Offered me her old one, foc, but its big, and i have nowhere to put it.


Theyre a bit more (only a little bit more) complicated than just on/off - they do temperature gradients over time - stages, if you like.

You could, im sure, do it with a PID and your stop watch, but easier just to press a button, and have a controller do it all for you.


If you keep an eye on your local fb market place, kilns come up every couple of months or so. Be aware that the elements dont last forever, and are expensive to replace (i guess someone on here would / could wind their own, but if you just buy them theyre a few hundred quid)

Been watching for a couple years now Julian, they are not common around here as it's not a historical industry I think I had intended on doing any element winding myself if that was the kind required, the 'loop around the blocks' system also looks nice to install.

 

[voipio]

Wood-fired kilns seem to be gaining some traction. Environmentally friendly, apparently.

How to Build a Kiln for Pottery - Wood Fire - wood Fire Ceramic

How to build a kiln for pottery: This wood fired pottery kiln is easy to build, fire it as a solo project and reach 1200 degrees in 12 hours.

www.woodfireceramic.com

Kilnshare might also be worth considering, Glasgow pops up in the list of locations: :

Kiln Share – Kiln Rental Near Me

www.kilnshare.com

 

[Maker]

Am I right in thinking you need a gas kiln to create the reducing atmosphere required for reactive glazes?

 

[eSCHEn]

Wood-fired kilns seem to be gaining some traction. Environmentally friendly, apparently.

How to Build a Kiln for Pottery - Wood Fire - wood Fire Ceramic

How to build a kiln for pottery: This wood fired pottery kiln is easy to build, fire it as a solo project and reach 1200 degrees in 12 hours.

www.woodfireceramic.com

Kilnshare might also be worth considering, Glasgow pops up in the list of locations: :

Kiln Share – Kiln Rental Near Me

www.kilnshare.com

Problem is I want to work here at my place where I am comfortable and moving stuff is just not viable due to its fragility.

Am I right in thinking you need a gas kiln to create the reducing atmosphere required for reactive glazes?

No idea if you can only achieve it with gas but it's not a primary need to be able to do stuff like that. Baby steps!

 

[Dozzer]

my other half does pottery with her SIL, she has a kiln (that im not allowed to use for sintering )
Most decent kilns have ramp rates and cone temps, so its more about the heatwork to fire the clay you are using than a specific temp.
some even come with firing schedules,

You buy these little cones to put in that wilt when they hit the right temp for that clay,
https://www.claymansupplies.co.uk/content/1/uploads/productinfo/firing schedules.pdf

apparently i have to go build my own if i want it for lost wax casting & sintering

 

[gaz1]

Wood-fired kilns seem to be gaining some traction. Environmentally friendly, apparently.

How to Build a Kiln for Pottery - Wood Fire - wood Fire Ceramic

How to build a kiln for pottery: This wood fired pottery kiln is easy to build, fire it as a solo project and reach 1200 degrees in 12 hours.

www.woodfireceramic.com

Kilnshare might also be worth considering, Glasgow pops up in the list of locations: :

Kiln Share – Kiln Rental Near Me

www.kilnshare.com

thats been improved upon with a rocket stove or even a gassifier and burns alot less wood in doing so

 

[eSCHEn]

Absolutely you are not dirtying up her lovely clean kiln with filthy metals and waxes!

 

[julianf]

Been watching for a couple years now Julian, they are not common around here as it's not a historical industry I think I had intended on doing any element winding myself if that was the kind required, the 'loop around the blocks' system also looks nice to install.

The one that i was to be gifted is still sitting in their yard (or at least was a couple of weeks ago).

Its been out there about 5 weeks, i guess.

It may be too wide for a pallet though, but i can check if youre keen?

Probably no good if the controller has been out in the rain, but the rest of it would dry out, im sure.

Be aware - i think it cost about £15 per firing in electricity.

 

[daedalusminos]

My OH is a potter, I maintain her 130l 9kw electric top loader...was £3k, about £5K now though it's about 15 years old with 750-1000 firings (elements last about 250 firings).

There's not much too them, a box, refractory bricks and ceramic fibre. Kanthal A1 element wire, a couple of contactors (primary and secondary), a pyrocouple (type R thermocouple) and controller....or cones and a simmerstat

 

[eSCHEn]

The one that i was to be gifted is still sitting in their yard (or at least was a couple of weeks ago).

Its been out there about 5 weeks, i guess.

It may be too wide for a pallet though, but i can check if youre keen?

Probably no good if the controller has been out in the rain, but the rest of it would dry out, im sure.

Be aware - i think it cost about £15 per firing in electricity.

Very nice of you Julian but I think if it's potentially too large for a pallet then it will be way beyond what I can run here sadly. Thank you for the kind offer though

[...]

There's not much too them, a box, refractory bricks and ceramic fibre. Kanthal A1 element wire, a couple of contactors (primary and secondary), a pyrocouple (type R thermocouple) and controller....or cones and a simmerstat

That is exactly the kind of optimistic thinking that gets me into trouble but yes, that's what I envisioned as well.

 

[gaz1]

i will be honest i prefer side openers to top loaders

but heres a homemade build you could adapt

 

[Misterg]

Cone 10 is ≈1260ºC

At that sort of temperature, you need to get the design right (insulation and layout): both to achieve the temperature with the available power and to keep the surface temperature of electrical heating elements down. (I think you're into Kanthal A1 wire at the least.)

You could probably achieve that temperature with gas firing without pre-heating the air, but I think you'd be edging into a reducing atmosphere.