[Jewelry making - Article 00064] - Re: [Orchid] Prips on kiln

[Randy Smith (PSS TEXAS)]

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    Hi All, 

    I coat my table top kiln (Melon kiln, beehive kiln) with kiln wash
    on a regular basis.  When ever something sets stuck, its easy to get
    it off. 

    I have even ground down the top VERY CAREFULLY!!!  on my flat lap in
    order to renew the surface when glass got stuck to the top. 

    1) Unplug the kiln and take the element out of the kiln by removing
    the center screw. 2) With your calipers, measure the thickness of the
    element. 

    3) From the bottom of the element, I can see the element heating
    wires. 

    4) I used a very fine sewing needle and push it through the spacing
    in the wires (to the top of the wires) to determine the depth and
    measure this depth with my calipers. 

    5) Subtracting the depth measured in #4 form the height measured in
    #2 gives the thickness of the kiln above the element. 

    6) Mine was about 5mm. 

    7) I put it on my flap lap and ground down past the embedded glass,
    and remeasureed.  It was about 4.5 mm, which means I ground off a
    half a millimeter. 

    8) I put it all together and it worked fine. 

    9) IF you try this, be sure that you don't grind into the wires.  It
    is a way I have found to revive an old kiln prior to buying a new
    element. 

    The best thing is to not get into this situation in the first place. 

    1) Coating the kiln top with kiln wash works, but reduces the heat
    some. 

    2) If you think there may be some slop or melting of metal, you can
    put a piece of Mica on top of the kiln.  Nothing stick to it.  It can
    be purchased from any enameling supply such as Thompsons Enamels.  A
    6" x 6" square is about $6 and will last a while.  This works if you
    have glass stuck to the kiln top and don't want to grind off the top.
     Stuck glass will result in  a sticky kiln top every time you bring
    the kiln up to the higher  temperatures. 

    If you get metal stuck to the kiln, here is how to remove it. 

    1) Turn the kiln up all the way. 

    2) Get a piece of metal and flux the end and melt a few pieces to
    the end.  I use the handle of one of my miniature files. 

    3) With your torch, heat the end of the file (or metal rod) and then
    heat the metal that is stuck to the top of the kiln until it balls
    up. 

    4) Touch the rod to the ball of metal, and remove the flame from the
    kiln top. 

    5) Let the ball of metal cool slightly, about 3 seconds, and remove
    the rod. Most of the metal will come off the kiln onto the rod.  You
    will have to do this 5-10 times, but you can get off all traces of
    the metal with this procedure. 


Love and God Bless
-randy
http://www.rocksmyth.com



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