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I have been using electric kilns for all of my glass paint firings and am satisfied with their consistency and reliability but I would like to introduce some reduction atmosphere techniques to my work. I am thinking of making something similar to a traditional flash kiln but I need more information about their construction (mainly their burners). I don't need anything with as robust a design as the Hoaf Speed Burn kilns but information regarding their design would be helpful. I envision something along the lines of a bell kiln made out of fiber frax but having gas burners instead of electric elements. The interior chamber would only need to handle a 24"x24" piece. Any ideas?

King Kong cooker under the box? Just how you'd do all that safely is another question.

http://talk.craftweb.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=4 you might want to ask these guys. rosanna

Gas kilns are very expensive to build and cheap to run. Good ones use radiant burners with a calibrated spectrum of heat.

The old fashioned flash kilns just had as gas flame coming from a simple burner. They had no sides on the kilns, and were used to get 3mm glass to 1250ºF. You couldn't get a anneal to happen on anything thicker, with this setup.

A word of caution. When a gas kiln has a leak, the result can be your shop relocated 100 yards away, in a million pieces. G-d forbid you were anywhere nearby.

Thanks for the warning Bert. I am not too fond of gas either but I am just exploring the possibilities. I have some other possible solutions to create a limited reduction atmosphere in an electric kiln that I will explore first. Actually I am kind of obsessive compulsive when it comes to protecting my studio from mishaps that involve explosions or destruction by fire. I know too many potters who have lost studios to fire not to fear it.

[quote="Bert Weiss"]Gas kilns are very expensive to build and cheap to run. Good ones use radiant burners with a calibrated spectrum of heat.

The old fashioned flash kilns just had as gas flame coming from a simple burner. They had no sides on the kilns, and were used to get 3mm glass to 1250ºF. You couldn't get a anneal to happen on anything thicker, with this setup.

A word of caution. When a gas kiln has a leak, the result can be your shop relocated 100 yards away, in a million pieces. G-d forbid you were anywhere nearby.[/quote]

it's not much more dangerous than a gas water heater or a gas stove i would expect. you don't often hear about them going boom.

charlie wrote:

Bert Weiss wrote:Gas kilns are very expensive to build and cheap to run. Good ones use radiant burners with a calibrated spectrum of heat.

The old fashioned flash kilns just had as gas flame coming from a simple burner. They had no sides on the kilns, and were used to get 3mm glass to 1250ºF. You couldn't get a anneal to happen on anything thicker, with this setup.

A word of caution. When a gas kiln has a leak, the result can be your shop relocated 100 yards away, in a million pieces. G-d forbid you were anywhere nearby.

it's not much more dangerous than a gas water heater or a gas stove i would expect. you don't often hear about them going boom.

The house on the hill behind my parent's house, moved locations from a gas explosion. I have heard more than one story about glass studios exploding. The big difference is a fatter pipe feeding the gas leak.

I'm not sure I am correct here but I think I remember reading somewhere lampworkers use charcoal in an electric kiln to get a reduction atmosphere. I believe it's hard on the coils.
Bob

bob proulx wrote:I'm not sure I am correct here but I think I remember reading somewhere lampworkers use charcoal in an electric kiln to get a reduction atmosphere. I believe it's hard on the coils.
Bob

By burning anything organic, you can use up the available oxygen to get to a reduction atmosphere. I think you are right about the elements.