[rryyddeerr]

Here's a good one for you. I put a layer of fiber blanket on top of my Olympic kiln lid thinking it would make my firing more efficient. Ha. Ha. Lid got too hot, cracked and broke the band. Now, I feel like an idiot and I have to buy a new lid.

[Pres]

rryyddeerr, on 17 December 2012 - 07:39 AM, said:

Here's a good one for you. I put a layer of fiber blanket on top of my Olympic kiln lid thinking it would make my firing more efficient. Ha. Ha. Lid got too hot, cracked and broke the band. Now, I feel like an idiot and I have to buy a new lid.

That seems pretty extreme, are you sure there wasn't something going on with the lid before hand? I used a commercial lid/insulation kit for years, and never had a problem. I especially liked it because it slowed the cool down on the load-more crystallization.

[rryyddeerr]

pretty sure the lid was in good shape before. ive gotten a lot of mileage out of it, but have never seen any wear develop before this. now, there is a 1/4" crack at the edge from the center and the band is broken. damn flat lids. i had a "minnessota flat top" fail on me at around cone 9 before too. this latest episode happened somewhere between cone 04 and 2. i might investigate a diy fiber lid. anybody have any experience with those?

[Natania Hume]

rryyddeerr, on 17 December 2012 - 11:47 AM, said:

pretty sure the lid was in good shape before. ive gotten a lot of mileage out of it, but have never seen any wear develop before this. now, there is a 1/4" crack at the edge from the center and the band is broken. damn flat lids. i had a "minnessota flat top" fail on me at around cone 9 before too. this latest episode happened somewhere between cone 04 and 2. i might investigate a diy fiber lid. anybody have any experience with those?

I regularly put soft bricks on my electric kiln lid and haven't had any issues. I think it helps the kiln reach temperature properly and in a timely fashion (cone 6) andI like the slow cool down for one glaze I use in particular. Now I am wondering if I'm playing with fire (ha ha)? Maybe I should desist...

[rryyddeerr]

its split in half. im going to see about making some ceramic buttons, getting some new strapping, refractory cement and high temp wire. repair, restrap, button kaowool blanket on underside of lid instead of on top. bianca, as for your soft bricks on top, you may well save yourself some grief by insulating from within.

[Mark C.]

rryyddeerr, on 17 December 2012 - 05:56 PM, said:

its split in half. im going to see about making some ceramic buttons, getting some new strapping, refractory cement and high temp wire. repair, restrap, button kaowool blanket on underside of lid instead of on top. bianca, as for your soft bricks on top, you may well save yourself some grief by insulating from within.

My suggestion is buy a NEW 3 inch thick lid and call it good.It will be cheaper in the long run and way less hassle.
In all my years a buttoned down roof is just a problem waiting to happen.I have been there and done that with gas kilns.
Mark

[neilestrick]

rryyddeerr, on 17 December 2012 - 04:56 PM, said:

its split in half. im going to see about making some ceramic buttons, getting some new strapping, refractory cement and high temp wire. repair, restrap, button kaowool blanket on underside of lid instead of on top. bianca, as for your soft bricks on top, you may well save yourself some grief by insulating from within.

Fiber lids are way too much work, and not a durable setup at all. I'm also not at all convinced that the insulation on the top was the cause of the lid failure. I think there's something else going on here.

[justanassembler]

neilestrick, on 18 December 2012 - 12:50 PM, said:

rryyddeerr, on 17 December 2012 - 04:56 PM, said:

its split in half. im going to see about making some ceramic buttons, getting some new strapping, refractory cement and high temp wire. repair, restrap, button kaowool blanket on underside of lid instead of on top. bianca, as for your soft bricks on top, you may well save yourself some grief by insulating from within.

Fiber lids are way too much work, and not a durable setup at all. I'm also not at all convinced that the insulation on the top was the cause of the lid failure. I think there's something else going on here.

I agree completely, especially at such low temperatures, a little extra insulation would not cause that kind of failure. Buy (or build) a new brick lid, fiber hanging over your pots is a tragedy waiting to happen.

[dave the potter]

I have a Westby kiln(smile if you know about these) that I made a new lid for by buttoning and glueing a layer of 8 lb. blanket to the under side of fiber board, and topped that with Sairset to seal everything up.Mostly used ffor 04 bisque but a few adventures to cone 4 have not resulted in any kind of failure. The lid is suspended from the ceiling joists so I can add or take away rings if needed.

I have also built a few electric kilns with steel banding holding the rings together.