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Buying a Used Kiln or Building Your Own

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Most kilns have the same basic parts. Gas kilns have a few different parts, but this list should be useful for most kilns, especially electric kilns. The biggest difference with kilns is usually the type of controls. Some have digital controllers with no switches, while some have knobs instead of switches. Collars are optional, some collars have their own elements while some don't.

My kiln is a twenty year old Gare kiln, a terrific find from Ebay. Used kilns are a great way to save money, but you need to know a little about a kiln before purchasing it. Ask the seller where it has been stored, when it was last fired, how well it fired, whether all of the elements are working, and how well the kiln sitter works (did it overfire/underfire, etc.). Also ask if the manual is available for the kiln. If it's not, you may be able to find one online.

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Repairing An Electric Kiln

If you have enough basic knowledge about kilns and electricity (or whichever type of fuel/power your kiln uses), you can fix almost any problem that you'll find in a kiln. You can adjust a kilnsitter if it is overfiring/underfiring. Broken elements can be replaced (this is where some electrical knowledge comes in handy). Kilnsitters, tubes, sensing rods, and cone supports can all be replaced. Even fire bricks can be repaired. The biggest issue is cracks, either in the bottom of the kiln, or worse, in the lid. Small cracks on the bottom of the kiln can be covered by a kiln shelf. I have heard of repair compounds that will patch cracks, but I'm not sure that they can be placed on the bottom side of the lid.

A little internet surfing can go a long way in helping you to figure out if a used kiln is worth purchasing. While most things can be fixed, at some point the cost of the repairs far outweighs the savings you'll get from a used kiln.

Building Your Own Kiln

In certain cases, building your own kiln is the best way to go. From small electric kilns to gas kilns over 50 cubic feet, almost any type of kiln can be built from scratch with the right materials supplier. The biggest hurdles for building a kiln is, first and most important, sufficient knowledge of how kilns work (types of kilns, construction materials, etc.); and second, designing a kiln that will work correctly (using the correct construction for an updraft/ downdraft, knowledge of gas hookups/electric elements, etc.). Knowing a lot about your old electric kiln and designing a new one from scratch are two completely different things. Before investing time and effort into such a large project, make sure you are ready.