Ceramic Kiln Mods?

Chris Martin

Chris Martin

Well-Known Member
Hey Dogs,

I have a chance at a ceramic kiln. Its a top loader model...yeah I know:eek:, but for what he is asking I think I cant pass it up. Plus he is willing to deliver it:D

I have read people cutting a hole in the top of the lid to drop the steel down and cover with Kaowool or firebrick.

Do any of you have one of these kilns and if so, any pics of how you have it set-up? Temp controllers etc???

Thanks in advance Dogs!

Chris
 
I have been thinking of buying one of these and trying it my self they are all over craigslist and cheap.
 
yes they are....And VERY cheap compared to the Evenheats. I will still most likely upgrade to an EH or Paragon, but for now I think these would work just fine!

Just need to figure out the mods done on them to make it more practical for heat treating steels. Lots of void space:eek:

Good thing is, once you upgrade to a real oven, I hear these can be used for salt pot rigs2thumbs

A.W.Stovall said:
I have been thinking of buying one of these and trying it my self they are all over craigslist and cheap.
Click to expand...
 
I was wondering if it is possible to lay a top load ceramic kiln on its side and put a firebrick in the bottom to use as a shelf for your knife holder?
 
I was told that is a big No-No.....I would say if its designed to be a vertical kiln...thats where I would keep it. I could be wrong...but I dont think I would chance it.

coyotedown said:
I was wondering if it is possible to lay a top load ceramic kiln on its side and put a firebrick in the bottom to use as a shelf for your knife holder?
Click to expand...
 
I used one for a while before I made my oven. It was a bit slow because of the size of the chamber, but it worked. When I built my oven I used many of the kiln bricks in the oven. Like others I cut a hole in the top and hung my blades from a wire. It didn't have a thermocouple or controller just a switch. I put a thermocouple thru a hole in the top and used an old analog meter to read the temp. You could get a PID, thermocouple and SSR from auberins and set it up digital pretty easy for about a $100

http://www.auberins.com/
 
Hey bud,

I think I may have even seen your post over on BF. I am just keeping my options open. Specially at this price. Also, got in touch with another maker here in Ok that has one as well as Nathan down in Texas that has a home-built oven I so want2thumbs

Just weighing everything out right now. I just want the best bang for my hard earned buck.

Thanks for the info!!! If I do go with a top loader, that is what I will do. When you stacked the fire bricks how much faster did the chamber heat up? I have heard it takes up to 2 hours for them beasts to heat up?

Chris

SteelSlaver said:
I used one for a while before I made my oven. It was a bit slow because of the size of the chamber, but it worked. When I built my oven I used many of the kiln bricks in the oven. Like others I cut a hole in the top and hung my blades from a wire. It didn't have a thermocouple or controller just a switch. I put a thermocouple thru a hole in the top and used an old analog meter to read the temp. You could get a PID, thermocouple and SSR from auberins and set it up digital pretty easy for about a $100

http://www.auberins.com/
Click to expand...
 
Chris, do not set the kiln on it's side, it will collapse. Today I started working on my old ceramic kiln. I turned it on it's side to figure out what I was going to do with it and it collapsed dumping soft fire brick all over the floor and breaking 3 of the 4 elements rendering it almost useless. Luckily I have another larger one sitting in the garage.

First of the month I plan on buying the components I need and putting a HT oven together on the cheap. If you all want I can take pics of the progress.

By the way I tried to use the kiln with a few mods like adding bricks to lower the volume etc. and found it was still too big and slow to be much help. Hope this helps.

Larry
 
Would love to see some pics of your oven as it gets built, Larry!

I would never lay the kiln down on its side...Trust me...I read up on as much as I could first. Just wanted to see my options as far as mods go.

Shawn at SDS Knife-works is gonna trade me his old Kiln for some handle material. Cant beat that2thumbs I just need to get wired for 220-240 first. I will have my wifes friends, hubby come hook me up!

Thanks for the info Larry! I look forward to seeing your build.

Chris
 
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