Search found 1022 matches

by Tony Smith
Sat Nov 15, 2014 11:27 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: What type of stainless steel can be used in a kiln?
Replies: 4
Views: 9607

Re: What type of stainless steel can be used in a kiln?

If you can get it, use 316. It's designed for high temperature use.

Tony
by Tony Smith
Sat Nov 08, 2014 9:26 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Thermocouple
Replies: 17
Views: 17798

Re: Thermocouple

Thermocouples don't wear out, but they can be damaged. If there's no evidence of physical damage, like a crack or severe bend, and the temperature reads properly at room temperature with an upward trend as the kiln heats up, it's unlikely to be your problem. Did you verify that all of your elements ...
by Tony Smith
Fri Oct 24, 2014 6:05 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Kiln Relays
Replies: 51
Views: 68925

Re: Kiln Relays

That's great to hear. I've said it before, but I think solid state relays are the way to go.

Tony
by Tony Smith
Thu Aug 28, 2014 6:16 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: scratch and wet belt sander
Replies: 6
Views: 8323

Re: scratch and wet belt sander

Where did the scratch come from? Most scratches don't survive a fuse firing.

Is there a ridge in your shelf or kilnwash? You don't want to refire only to discover the scratch has moved to a different spot.

Tony
by Tony Smith
Tue Aug 19, 2014 6:14 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Blaster Question
Replies: 12
Views: 15626

Re: Blaster Question

Having a strong vacuum is great, but if there isn't good airflow through the cabinet, you'll never clear the cloud of dust that is created every time you blast a piece of glass. Add a vent in the cabinet in the wall opposite the dust collector. Mine is in the back wall and it's just a 3" diamet...
by Tony Smith
Wed Aug 13, 2014 6:26 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Blaster Question
Replies: 12
Views: 15626

Re: Blaster Question

Jim, I have similar experience to Rick. Be prepared to change the hoses and add a pressure regulator and water trap at the inlet before you use it. Otherwise, it'll work fine.

Good luck.

Tony
by Tony Smith
Wed Aug 13, 2014 1:48 pm
Forum: Business Topics
Topic: faux tempered glass
Replies: 2
Views: 6326

Re: faux tempered glass

At least safety glass will be easy to replace.

Tony
by Tony Smith
Wed Jul 23, 2014 6:52 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: You'd think by now I ought to know this:
Replies: 6
Views: 8354

Re: You'd think by now I ought to know this:

Questions regarding the term "COE": Is this a measurement of Linear expansion? Volumetric Expansion? Something else? What are the units of COE as it's used in the glass fusing context? Isn't a COE number relevant to some particular temperature interval? And if so, is there agreement among...
by Tony Smith
Thu Jul 17, 2014 6:38 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Alternate Source for TF 3 Relays
Replies: 4
Views: 10361

Re: Alternate Source for TF 3 Relays

Valerie Adams wrote:I buy them here:
http://www.onlinecomponents.com/
Thanks for the online components source Valerie. It looks like they've got great prices and a good inventory.

Tony
by Tony Smith
Sun Jul 13, 2014 4:08 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Kiln Relays
Replies: 51
Views: 68925

Re: Kiln Relays

Got it, makes sense. I have a little Olympic SQ146GFE which is 115VAC, rated at 16A. Bought it new and certainly over 75-80 firings. So may need to replace those relays. The other kiln is an Olympic GF314ETLC which I bought "reconditioned". It had definitely been used but was in great sha...
by Tony Smith
Sun Jul 13, 2014 6:34 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Setting up a Sandblaster - Compressor Size
Replies: 14
Views: 18834

Re: Setting up a Sandblaster - Compressor Size

I'm glad to hear your system is up and running. The HF cabinet is really a pain to assemble, but you did it right by sealing every seam. I've always rinsed under running water while rubbing the surface with my fingers. You have to remove the dust to avoid getting a haze after refiring, and I've neve...
by Tony Smith
Sun Jul 13, 2014 6:23 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Kiln Relays
Replies: 51
Views: 68925

Re: Kiln Relays

Thanks Tony, Bert, this make sense. I don't really have a good location to pull high current wiring for an SSR to a wall or other remote location where cooling can be managed away from the kiln. What's my next best option? I hear about mercury relays, or would it be smarter to just upgrade the curr...
by Tony Smith
Fri Jul 11, 2014 9:44 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Kiln Relays
Replies: 51
Views: 68925

Re: Kiln Relays

I've been following this thread with interest and am puzzled (again, it happens a lot). If a relay is rated for 200K cycles and that equates to less than 100 relatively short, 6 hr firings I assume that many of us run these mechanical relays waaaaay past their rated life. Is this rating artificiall...
by Tony Smith
Wed Jun 25, 2014 11:06 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Setting up a Sandblaster - Compressor Size
Replies: 14
Views: 18834

Re: Setting up a Sandblaster - Compressor Size

Just to be clear Joyce, the only way you can use a pancake compressor is with a pressure pot (not a siphon blaster), and lots of patience. It's best if you have small pieces to blast.

Tony
by Tony Smith
Sun Jun 22, 2014 3:01 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Setting up a sandblaster
Replies: 11
Views: 18091

Re: Setting up a sandblaster

...so I've never had to clean it out, but I've had to do that for friends. Not fun. Good advice though... Get a really good water separator. Tony So I've recently bought this mid-sized Rayzist system, which says it has a moisture trap for the pressure pot. I've also just bought a compressor but hav...
by Tony Smith
Sat Jun 21, 2014 8:49 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Setting up a sandblaster
Replies: 11
Views: 18091

Re: Setting up a sandblaster

Tony: good info.I've been using a TP cabinet and blasters for many years. I use their siphon and pressure pot. My only complaint is that if you don't use any of the different systems on a regualr basis, it requires a fair amount of maintenance to keep them operating properly. The moisture trap is o...
by Tony Smith
Sat Jun 21, 2014 8:45 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Setting up a sandblaster
Replies: 11
Views: 18091

Re: Setting up a sandblaster

Hi Cynthia. My recommendation for a pressure pot system is everything above, plus a Glastar 100B-S. http://www.glastar.com/catalog/sandblas ... asters.cfm

It's an easy add-on and it uses a fraction of the air a siphon system uses.

Tony
by Tony Smith
Sat Jun 21, 2014 9:32 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Setting up a sandblaster
Replies: 11
Views: 18091

Setting up a sandblaster

I periodically get emails about setting up a sandblaster, and it thought it would be helpful to others if I shared my response here as well. The question centered around placing a sandblasting cabinet outdoors in South Florida. There's no reason that you can't have a sandblaster on a covered porch o...
by Tony Smith
Sat Jun 07, 2014 10:29 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Draping / slumping Robax glass
Replies: 9
Views: 12063

Re: Draping / slumping Robax glass

Indeed, Robax is a glass ceramic matrix, and not a borosilicate.
http://www.schottrobax.com/?WTS=1&WTC=H ... -Warm-Safe

Proceed with caution.

Tony
by Tony Smith
Sat Jun 07, 2014 10:26 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Draping / slumping Robax glass
Replies: 9
Views: 12063

Re: Draping / slumping Robax glass

Sorry Bert. I've never heard of Robax before. There are lots of glasses that are made "heat resistant" by tempering or other modified annealing schedules as you know. There are also glass-ceramic matrices (Schott Zerodur comes to mind) that depend on specific annealing schedules to maintai...