Kiln sections?

T

Taz

Joined
Apr 28, 1999
Messages
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Has anyone used a "kiln section" for a HT oven after adding PID, lid and floor? Or would they have too much volume to make it efficient? Found a 23" diameter x10" depth ID brand new Kiln section for fairly cheap, wasn't sure if it was worth it or too much area to heat? Seems like 2.5 cu ft, which is a lot of volume compared to .55 cu ft of a 27x6x6!! My kiln (14x6" interior dimensions) takes around 3 hours to get to 1700 (max temp) on 120V, looking to get hotter and hopefully faster?
 
Pics? I don't know what you mean by "kiln section"...
 
When you look at most tall kilns they're made up of three or four rings they call sections. Is basically a donut that you stack on top to make your pre-existing kiln taller. It has elements, and electrical cord to plug into your main kiln control unit, just no top or bottom to it.

It basically is a piece that is removable piece so you can make a kiln taller or shorter.
 
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Does it come with a top and bottom?

It can be done. The issues are making the top to work for knives and converting it to PID control. Unless it is very cheap or free, it may not be worth the effort and cost ... especially since it will be a less than optimal HT oven.
 
Ahhh I see.

I think you'd be better served by upgrading to 220v, if you are after faster heating.

You might also be able to fill up some of your space with soft firebricks to reduce the volume of your kiln. That might speed things up a bit... Then again it might slow things down due to more mass... I dunno.
 
It's just the donut ring, so I was going to look for/scrounge for a lid and floor.
 
Yeah, I put a couple layers of kaowool under a ceramic round floor plate in my kiln so its less deep, didnt seem to help much with getting to temp and recovering. Putting a couple layers of fire brick in it would help with thermal mass and help adjust temperature swing wise, but it may make it take longer to heat up.

Going to 240 elements in mine would probably heat up faster, but still max out at 1700. The kiln I have comes in 120v or 240v, with the same max temp.
 
I was thinking of making and attaching a lid permanently to the top of the kiln, and having it hinged at the floor so the ring and the top both lift up, that should keep the heat inside the kiln more when I put in or remove blades. Or something to like the kiln body vertically inatead of at an angle.
 
Besides not really likely to work well and being heavy ... that would dump all the hot air out the kiln when it was opened. You would want a top lid.

I missed the low power rating. Not what you want.

With no fitted top or bottom, and not the power needed - pass on this project.
 
If you built it from scratch, consider a vertical lift door that swings out a bit and then lifts upward.

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Also:
Just a comment about the statement that "Heat Rises".

Heat does not rise … heat radiates equally in all directions.
Hot Air rises because of lower density (actually, the heavier cool air falls).
In an enclosed chamber, the convection and "rising" of the hot air is minimal compared to an open environment like a large room.
The reason one end of a heated chamber (whether vertical or horizontal) may be slightly higher/lower temperature than another is primarily the distance from the heat source.
 
Yeah, I used my buddies HT oven with the door like that and it was really sweet! Going to start getting fire brick, kanthal wire (as thick as I can get), the PID/SSR and other components over the next few months to spread out the cost.
 
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