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Kiln question

tradewater

tradewater

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Hi all,
My first post over here and I'd like to pick your brains a bit. I have chance to pick up a "medium" size ceramic kiln for next to nothing and was wondering if it would be useful for heat treating? Have any of you done any HT with one, and if so, how did it work for you? I don't know a thing about them. I haven't seen it yet and don't know much other than I can get it for under a hundred bucks.

thanks in advance
Trade
 
If you do a search you should find lots of similar threads. IMHO not pratically. What I mean is it takes a LONG time to get to heat, most ceramic kilns are designed with a hinge or removable top which makes it hard to "work" for knife building. They are meant for ceramic work to take a long time to come up to heat and then leave shut and slowly come down in temp. The few that have used them usually cut a small hole in the top and hang blades down thru. But expect a long time to come up to heat. With that said your best bet is find one, not working or for free dismantle it and use the soft fire brick to make a smaller knife kiln. That's what I did. I had about $150 bucks in new kanthal electric elements, PID controller and relay. It works great and comes up to temp quickly and holds the temp + or - 1 degree and has a hinged from door.
 
A dissenting opinion (but only to a degree). Ceramic kilns should get to temperature as quick as a knife kiln - and time really isn't nearly as important as temperature. Temperature control may be an issue, because many ceramic kilns are made to come uo to temperature and then shut down. You need an oven to come to temperature - maintain that temperature and soak for a specified period. On some kilns that may mean a controller change.

There may be some access problems. A ceramic kiln often has a top load door - designed to remove product when cool. You need to get blades out hot. A long handled pair of tongs can help but this does complicate things a bit.

The price is excellent - and I suspect you could resell it for similar amount if it doesn't work for you.

Rob!
 
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