Kiln Dilemma... Help?

[Bunyip]

I have 2 kilns! Neither works for me... HELP!

I have an AIM Kiln. Model 84J (click for pic) It is on an infinite control switch and a pyrometer. It is composed of four sections: a bottom, a "bead door" ring, a "heating element ring" and a top lid. The pictures should illustrate how it's set up.

First off, I need/want a controller for the kiln. I was going to buy one but then I decided that this kiln may not be for me. I want to do marbles and such, and I'm not sure if the kiln will work for that because the bead door opening is kind of small and awkward. Furthermore the way the pyrometer is set up, it's almost at the top of the kiln so I'm still messing with it to get the temperature in the lower section (which is what matters, right?) at the correct level. I'm in the annealing range, but with the pyrometer 6" above where the beads are I tend to err on the side of too much heat, which hasn't led to any HORRIBLE disasters but I've slumped a few beadies inadvertently.

Here's another pic showing the (small) bead door open.

Now I also have a small JEN-KEN kiln, I believe it's called a bead annealer, but there's no bead door. The lady I got it from was using it for small fusing projects, candy dishes, barrettes etc, and it doesn't have a controller either.

So I guess what I'm asking here is what should I do? What I WANT to do is sell one of these two kilns off and get a Chili Pepper or something with a big front door and a programmable controller, but I'm not sure that there isn't an easier, cheaper, better solution like retrofitting one of these two kilns to do what I want.

I think I need a kiln guru. Can anyone help?

[kbinkster]

Hmmm... you can retrofit a digitial controller to the kiln with the door. Mark Wilson built one for me for less than $100 a few years ago and it worked just fine. He even posted a tutorial about it on WC.

You can also move the pyrometer to a better location on the kiln. Fire brick is soft and it is easy to drill a hole through it big enough for the pyrometer.

You can probably get by on this setup just fine for quite a while, save up some money, and then sell one of the kilns (it's a good idea to keep at least one small kiln around for other projects) and have enough to buy a kiln that would best suit your needs with a larger front-loading door.

[glassymom]

Hey, I have the same jen ken kiln........no bead door wich I hate. You can buy the ring for it with the bead door for 125.00 from them. I live close buy so I picked mine right up from there........I'm sure they would let you do the same. They are located in lakeland.........not far off of I-4
sue

[Bunyip]

Hmmm... If I modify the kiln by drilling a hole how do I seal up the old hole?

[kbinkster]

It depends on how big the hole is. If it is a big gaping hole, then you can patch it with more fire brick and kiln cement. Otherwise, you can probably stuff ceramic fiber material into the hole if it is letting too much heat escape. Or, you could just leave your original pyrometer in there and drill the other hole for the retrofit unit.

I didn't realize that you could buy the ring extension for the JenKen kiln. That would be a great option with a retrofit digital controller.

[smutboy420]

If you go with a retrofit controller you have the option of using it with anouther kiln if needed down the road.
HotAssTools Kiln Controller.

About the hole from moving the pyromiter you can as said leave the old one in the hole hooked up to your pyrometer. Or stuff some fiber blanket in the hole.

[bhhco]

Originally Posted by Bunyip

Hmmm... If I modify the kiln by drilling a hole how do I seal up the old hole?

You could plug it with this... good to 2000 F. (Note, link takes about 15 seconds to load on a highspeed internet service).

http://www.acehardware.com/product/i...archId=1306465

They also sell it in a small one pint tub ($1.89)... Looks like play dough... roll up a 'plug' and stuff it in the hole.

I use it to make small slumping/fusing molds. It does shrink a little when fired.

Me

[smutboy420]

That furnace morter is good stuff. You also can use it to repair cracks and loose bricks in your kiln. You can also get in in handy sweeze tube like a toothpast tube.