[porcelainsculptor]

Hi, need some expert advice please! So I am ready to get the kiln set up and I have two questions.

I am having a cover built for it over a concrete pad - roof, no walls, and need to know how high it needs to be. This is the kiln, most likely it's Crucible:


Also how big of a gas tank should I get for it? Will 150 gallons be enough? Or should I get 250?

Thanks, this is my first kiln and I just want to make sure it is set up right!

[porcelainsculptor]

Well I went with a 150 gallon tank and eight foot roof! Hope that does the trick....

[Rakuken]

porcelainsculptor, on 13 December 2012 - 10:52 AM, said:

Well I went with a 150 gallon tank and eight foot roof! Hope that does the trick....

My roof is corrugated metal. The height is 20 inches above the kiln with a fiber shield. When I fired with only one collar extension the distance from the top of the kiln to the roof was 30 inches without the fiber shield, I fired it that way for 8 years.

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[porcelainsculptor]

Rakuken, on 13 December 2012 - 07:39 PM, said:

porcelainsculptor, on 13 December 2012 - 10:52 AM, said:

Well I went with a 150 gallon tank and eight foot roof! Hope that does the trick....

My roof is corrugated metal. The height is 20 inches above the kiln with a fiber shield. When I fired with only one collar extension the distance from the top of the kiln to the roof was 30 inches without the fiber shield, I fired it that way for 8 years.

Thanks for the response. Do you think I need to get a fiber shield?

[Brian Reed]

I have the same kiln, although I have a small extender ring that makes it slighly larger. I fire it with two 100lb (25 gal) tanks plumbed in tandem and it works great. I build a hood out of galvanized steel to vent the heat instead. Make sure you put in a baffle shelf when you load it and know that the top shelf is going to be much cooler than the rest of the kiln. I fire ^10 reduction everytime now that I have it dialed in. Put two shelf pieces to block the vent hole as a damper with only about 2 inches open when you want to start reduction.



Good luck.

[porcelainsculptor]

Brian Reed, on 13 December 2012 - 11:17 PM, said:

I have the same kiln, although I have a small extender ring that makes it slighly larger. I fire it with two 100lb (25 gal) tanks plumbed in tandem and it works great. I build a hood out of galvanized steel to vent the heat instead. Make sure you put in a baffle shelf when you load it and know that the top shelf is going to be much cooler than the rest of the kiln. I fire ^10 reduction everytime now that I have it dialed in. Put two shelf pieces to block the vent hole as a damper with only about 2 inches open when you want to start reduction.



Good luck.

Thanks for the info Brian. I am beginning to realize how little I know about this and it is making me a bit nervous - can you recommend a book maybe?

[Brian Reed]

Unfortunately I do not know of any books, nor have any books on how to learn to fire a gas kiln. I had some advice from people I know and the two page instructions from Seattle Pottery Supply. the rest was trial and error over a course of firing.



Good luck and keep practicing.

[justanassembler]

Nils Lou's book, The Art of Firing has some good information in it, if I recall correctly.