I recently bought an old cress kiln. It's probably over twenty years old. The outside looks its age but the inside looks almost brand new. All of the elements are working and the cord seems in good shape. Is there anything else I need to check before firing it up? Thanks all!
Just be very careful, if you are not sure of it's past or it's reliability. I helped a friend fire an old kiln a few years ago. He had been assured by the previous owner that it was working when disconnected. it had been disconnected some years before, when the owner got a new "automatic kiln". So we checked all the wiring, and took the cover off the controller and looked inside. Sitting perfectly constructed among the wires and circuit board, was a small scorpion nest. No inhabitants (thankfully), but the nest would have gone up in flames had it been plugged in. Got rid of it, and put everything back together. Okay, so now everything has been checked...plug it in and turn it on.... And out of every available opening poured angry red ants. Thousands of them! All over us, all over the studio. It was like something out of a nightmare.
You say the elements are working? You've already plugged it in? Just watch your temps when you use it...and any little critters that might call it home.
Wayne in Key West
if you have checked all the electrics etc. as with new kilns it would be wise to do an empty firing first and time it etc. Then do a full kiln firing to bisque using items that are not too precious (just in case), then a glaze firing. By this time you will know if all is well.
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