Fiber Kiln
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Fiber Kiln
I'm doing more teaching and would like a lightweight kiln to take to different towns. I've looked at the Jen-Ken fiber kiln. Anyone have any experience with fiber kilns? Any other suggestions?
Take care.
Dawn
Dawn
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Valerie Adams
- Posts: 587
- Joined: Mon Apr 19, 2004 2:49 pm
- Location: Santa Rosa, California
- Contact:
Re: Fiber Kiln
I've got their Bonnie Glo (15" round) and their 16" square fiber kiln.
While the BG is lightweight and easy to move around, it doesn't offer much interior space for students. Originally, I bought two of the 16" squares for the same reason you're considering but I had a recent major cervical spine surgery and won't be lifting kilns anymore. The 16" is not so heavy but it's large enough to make it awkward. I sold one and now teach in my own studio.
I like having the fiber kilns for single layer stuff, test, and small firings. Jen-Ken promotes that you don't need to use shelves in them, which is true, but the fiber board firing surfaces aren't very smooth. I use round pizza stones in the BG and bought a 14" square shelf from Bullseye for the square kiln. Would prefer a larger shelf, but will have to buy a larger one and have it cut down, I guess.
When it came down to it, I realized that trying to pack two 16" square kilns (which each weigh over 40 pounds, I believe, and have a footprint of about two square feet), and everything I need to teach with, wasn't worth it. Unless you're teaching jewelry, I suppose, but those two kilns just didn't offer enough firing space for me.
While the BG is lightweight and easy to move around, it doesn't offer much interior space for students. Originally, I bought two of the 16" squares for the same reason you're considering but I had a recent major cervical spine surgery and won't be lifting kilns anymore. The 16" is not so heavy but it's large enough to make it awkward. I sold one and now teach in my own studio.
I like having the fiber kilns for single layer stuff, test, and small firings. Jen-Ken promotes that you don't need to use shelves in them, which is true, but the fiber board firing surfaces aren't very smooth. I use round pizza stones in the BG and bought a 14" square shelf from Bullseye for the square kiln. Would prefer a larger shelf, but will have to buy a larger one and have it cut down, I guess.
When it came down to it, I realized that trying to pack two 16" square kilns (which each weigh over 40 pounds, I believe, and have a footprint of about two square feet), and everything I need to teach with, wasn't worth it. Unless you're teaching jewelry, I suppose, but those two kilns just didn't offer enough firing space for me.
Re: Fiber Kiln
Valerie, thanks for the insights. I'm just starting my research. My back isn't perfect and I don't want to make it worse. Right now I can handle 40 pounds with a 2 wheeler and I'm not embarrassed to ask for help. I thought I'd be teaching jewelry and small items--just as an intro. I don't want to use my home studio for classes--my husband wouldn't appreciate it and it's fairly remote. The square one would have more surface for items. I've always wondered why so many kilns are round--you miss a lot of surface.
Take care.
Dawn
Dawn
Re: Fiber Kiln
My only suggestion would be to stay away from the Olympic 'Traveler.' I bought one lightly-used and found it to be a great kiln but the traveler part is way under-engineered and it fell apart the second or third time I tried to move the thing.dawnsud wrote:I'm doing more teaching and would like a lightweight kiln to take to different towns. I've looked at the Jen-Ken fiber kiln. Anyone have any experience with fiber kilns? Any other suggestions?
Jerry