A friend has recently acquired an electric pottery kiln. We don't know what temp it operates at. Anyone know if this would be good for knife work and/or hardening gun parts?
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palonghunter
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It will certainly get plenty hot enough to do heat treating on steel. Some pottery gets fired in excess of 2000 degrees F.
Does it have a temperature controller on it or is it just an on/off type of affair?
Does it have a temperature controller on it or is it just an on/off type of affair?
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You are correct on the cones for older kilns. My wife had a pottery kiln a number of years back and it used the cones. She purchased them from local people that sold ceramic or china painting supplies. I would guess that a place like Hobby Lobby would have the cones.
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For heat treating, you do need a good temp control. Many pottery kilns are up right top loaders. These will work, but are not as easy to manage as a horizontal front loader as they give higher temps on the blades in the upper part of the chamber. It is also not so easy to place blades in a manner that you can quickly and easily retrieve them. Another down point is that when you open the door, the heat rushes out, and temp heat recovery will be slower. If it is a top loader, I would suggest selling it and putting the money towards a horizontal type, if you intend to heat treat with it.
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There are 110 v HT ovens that come up to high enough temps. They are often just slower to do so than the 220/240 V. models.
Thanks all. My friend acquired it free in a trade. I'll have to check it out further.
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Why not make your own 18th century pottery stuff.... :hmm:
As a long time hobby potter I'd like to add a word of caution. There is a HUGE electrocution risk using a top loading pottery kiln for heat treating. I've done it but my kiln is set up with an electrical shutoff that I can lock in the off position and I think that is a MINIMUM of electrical safety precautions.
I'm not trying to discourage but only encourage safe practices. The heating elements in a kiln are hooked directly to 220v and YOU can become the path through which that electricity travels.
When loading or unloading the kiln should be locked off and the loader should have control of the locking device. I put the key in my pocket.
It can be done, and it can be done safely so take caution.
Now, this doesn't even begin to touch on the safety precautions we need to exercise due to the heat encountered but I think that is another topic for another time.
Be safe and show us what you make.
Ben
I'm not trying to discourage but only encourage safe practices. The heating elements in a kiln are hooked directly to 220v and YOU can become the path through which that electricity travels.
When loading or unloading the kiln should be locked off and the loader should have control of the locking device. I put the key in my pocket.
It can be done, and it can be done safely so take caution.
Now, this doesn't even begin to touch on the safety precautions we need to exercise due to the heat encountered but I think that is another topic for another time.
Be safe and show us what you make.
Ben
Wick is right, however I'd certainly be keeping that baby and doing some pottery work! That was one of my favorites in high school. Loved making pitchers, bowls, glasses. Fun stuff and a good score for sure.
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Bennypapa said:
Yikes! :shocked2:
Wick Ellerbe said:
I had a chance to buy another at an auction recently. But, the cautions you mention came to mind and gave me pause. Plus it was huge and I nearly fainted at the thought of how fast my electric meter would spin using it.
This was a big auction and I lost my enthusiasm waitng for it. Probably a good thing.
Yes, 2,270 degrees is only Cone 6; a lot of stoneware is fired at cone 10, or 2,380. Carbon steel can be forge welded at 1,700-2,000.
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