Arrow Springs AF138 Kiln - Controller Question

Sylvie Anne · #1 2005-08-22, 10:16am

Hey everybody.. I am hoping somebody has done this before...

I currently have a Jen-Ken kiln. It is nice - but it's a fusing/annealing kiln. At the moment I don't fuse at all (don't know how!) and I can't get more than 26 mandrels in there at one sitting.

So I was looking at this double wide model (spoken like a true Georgia redneck!):

http://www.arrowsprings.com/AF138_Open.jpg

I asked them if I could use the Orton controller that's on my Jen Ken with this kiln. The girl I was talking to said yes, if it has a thermocouple (which it does) but I got the feeling she really didn't know for sure.. (And they said they had never heard of Orton which I thought was a fairly common brand!)

Before I spent the money, I am wondering if anybody has had any experience in installing a controller in a kiln. I am technically a moron. Hmm. What I meant was that for anything technical like that, I am a moron.

Yep, that sounds better..lol.

It'd be great if I could get away with only buying the kiln ($550) as opposed to the kiln AND their controller ($1,025).

pam · #2 2005-08-22, 11:20am

I have the AF138 and I love the size. I also have their digital controller. I'm not sure which controller you were thinking of getting, but I can say that their controllers are the best, and what I especially like about their digital controllers is that they are a stand-alone controller. The kiln plugs into the controller and the controller plugs into the wall, so if later you get another kiln you don't have to buy another controller, just plug the next kiln into that same controller. I have three kilns, and depending on what I am doing I may use any of them. They each plug into the controller and I use it for all three (one at a time). I know nothing about switching a controller that is built in to another kiln. I am sure it can be done, but the controller will have to be connected to the kiln by more than the thermocouple.
Pam

Sylvie Anne · #3 2005-08-22, 11:39am

Thanks Pam, for the input. The reason I want to go with the Orton is that I already have it... attached to the Jen-Ken, and am trying to avoid spending another $500 for a controller when I already know how to use this one and am comfortable with it.

But it appears that it is connected to the kiln from the inside (i.e. not a separate plug) and I am not sure how to hook it up to a new kiln.

BillBrach · #4 2005-08-22, 5:31pm

I'm staying out of this "kiln cannibalization", this looks like it is going to be messy !!

On the other hand, you could check my web page, I'm now handling the standalone Jen-Ken controllers. Or, if you only are doing soft glass, I will sell you a Chili Pepper WITH digital controller for $500 delivered. I'd probably take your Jen-Ken as a trade-in, if we can figure out how to get it to me.

Sylvie Anne · #5 2005-08-25, 6:25pm

Well, I ended up calling Orton and they said they could convert my current controller into a stand-alone for $150. That's not too bad - then all I would have to do is plug the kiln into the stand-alone and ta-da! Done! Of course, $0 would be better, but $150 is significantly better than $475.

Thanks for all of the suggestions!