Electric Kiln Handbook For the Ceramist and Artist Potter ,
Second Edition

We've built, operated, and repaired many electric kilns. In this day of high priced energy, knowing how to operate and maintain the Electric Kiln properly is a must
Basic electrical kiln circuits are discussed, electric kiln safety, economical firing procedures, automatic controls, and the safe use of electric kilns are all included.
Integrated circuits and micro-chips are common these days, but they are all sensitive to heat damage. Do you want one near a hot kiln? Does fail-safe mean that the kiln will be protected, but the ware will be lost? Or does your kiln even fail in a safe mode? The nuclear industry didn't originate the word melt-down, we did. Hey, teachers: If the janitor finishes firing your kiln after school, be sure he reads this book first!

Did you know that the light radiating from a kiln peep-hole is damaging to your eyes? The proper eye filter should be used. It's in the book, too.

Any box that is heated to 1800 degrees, F, should deserve proper consideration and respect. How do you put out a fire involving a box heated to 1800 degrees? Forget about water!

Getting Ready To Buy A Kiln? Part of any handbook should give you the knowledge to make an intelligent purchase instead of just relying on what a salesman tells you. This book tells you what questions to ask.

Excerpts From This Book

Contents:
Preface.
Foreword.

Part I. Firing A Kiln.
1.Kilns and Ecology. Procedures That Conserve Energy. Ecology and Schools. Safety. Energy Conservation and Firing. Opening A Kiln. About Kiln Types.

2. The Act of Firing. Minimum Requirements For A Firing. The Firing Process. To Begin. Check Before Loading. Firing Details. Firing Losses and Problems. What Firing Accomplishes.

3. Glossary of Kiln Terms. Definitions of terms as related to use in this book.

4. Kiln Talk. Insulation Characteristics. Firebrick. Fibers. Effects of Air On Insulating. Convection. Radiation Losses. Insulating Kiln Jacket. Heat Storage. Leaks. Governing Factors In Selecting Insulation. Temperature Regulation. Castable Insulation. Mechanical Properties. Construction. Factors To Prolong Kiln Life. Cleaning A Kiln. Metal Oxidation. Kiln Wash. Recipes. Getting Heat From A Heating Element. Limits of Application. How Big Can A Kiln Get? Kiln In Place. Replacing Firebrick. Kiln Wash. Metal Frame Care. Raku firing.

Part II. Firing Details.

5. Temperature Measurement. Pyrometer. Thermocouples. Care of thermocouple and Pyrometer. To Test A Pyrometer. To Check A Pyrometer Connected To A Kiln. Pointers For The Use of Pyrometers. Notes on Making A Thermocouple. Repair of A Thermocouple.

6. Pyrometric Cones-- Heat Treatment. Cones Measure Heat Treatment. Cone Relationships. Manner of Using cones. Cone Sizes. Firing Events Related To Cones. Cone Set. Clay and Glaze Designation. Temperature Regulation. Some Pointers For The Use and Handling of Pyrometric Cones. Summary.

7. Safety. Safety Precautions. Eyes. Burns. Fires. Kiln Room. Fires Involving Electric Kilns. Disconnect The Source. Fire Extinguishers. The Easiest Way To Have A Kiln Fire. Toxic Gases. Toxic Materials Poison Chart. Poison Protection. Protecting People. Raku. Fatigue. Safety Devices. Electric shock. Recovery From Electric Shock. The Best Remedy For Electric Shock. Raku. Kiln Ventilation.

8. Safety Alarm System. Protecting People, Places, and Things. Alarm system Requirements.

9. Candling-- Drying Out. Why? How Much? Drying shelves. Sand. Humidity Meter. Candling. Cones and Drying.

10. Loading A Kiln. Loading Procedure. Supports. Shelves. Use of Plywood.

11. Glass Working In A Kiln. Annealing Glass. Slumping Glass. Molds. Glass Temperatures. Flame Annealing. Coloring Glass Surfaces. Color By Evaporation. Expansion and Annealing Temperatures of Some Common Glass Types.

12. Wax Burnout In An Electric Kiln. Lost Wax Casting. Disposing of Wax. Working With Wax. Mercury Casting.

13. Enameling In An Electric Kiln. The Enameling Process. Firing. Temperatures. 14. Whiteware. Firing Technique. Glazing. Bisque Ware.

Part III. Electrical Matters.

15. Electrical Details. Basics of Electricity. Comparison of Terms and Units. Electrical Power. Notes On The Proper Use of Electrical Devices. Chart of Wire Sizes and Current Capacities. Guide To Wire Sizes, Current Capacities. Ground Fault Detectors. Electrical Glossary Introduction. Electricity. Electrical Hazards. Electrical Fires. To Stop and Electrical Fire. Electrical Troubleshooting. The Troubleshooting Process. Operational Troubles Check List. Replacing A Heating Element. Resistive Heating Element Materials.

16. Glossary of Electrical Terms. So That You May Better Understand Your Electric Kiln.

17. Kiln Controls. Electrical Diagrams. Basic Control Circuit. Simple, Variable Heating Control. Better Switching Arrangement. Fine control. Automatic Control Systems. Using A General Purpose Computer. Operational Programming. Instruction Set For General Purpose Computer Kiln Control. Mechanical Control systems. Semiconductors and Heat.

Part IV. Kiln Matters.

18.Kiln Design. Heat Losses. Heat Loss Properties of Kiln Refractories 2- ½" Thick In 80*F. Still Air. Heat Loss Properties of Ceramic Fiber Blankets. Heat Storage of 2 ½" Refractories. Cold Side Temperatures, Various Thicknesses of Refractories. Radiation Heat Loss For Insulating Firebrick. Power Consumption. Mechanical Construction. Kiln Lid Problems. Weight of A Kiln. UL Approval. Kiln Life. Thermocouples. Heating Elements. The Frame of A Kiln. Surface Heat Loss. Kiln Evaluation.

19. Kiln Repair. Heat Leaks. To Shape, Cut, Or otherwise Work Firebrick or Other Refractories. Replacing Firebrick. Element Grooves. Cutting Shelves and Furniture. Drilling. Regular Brick.
Electrical Troubleshooting. Pilot Error. Check The Operator. Check The Power. The Troubleshooting Process. Completing Repairs. Replacing A Heating Element. Making A Heating Element. Data Required For Heating Element Sizing. Winding A Heating Element. Installing A Heating Element. Oxide Coating The New element. Maintenance and Repair of Metal Parts. Scheduled Maintenance.

Part V. Conclusion.

20. Conclusion. What Have I Learned? Energy Conservation and Pollution. Kiln Hazards. Repetition.

Appendix 1. Temperature Conversion Table.

Appendix 2. Standard Cone End Point Temperatures.

ISBN: 0-939656-22-1, $27.95.