converting an old electric kiln into soda kiln

[Deborah Woods]

I have an old electric kiln I would like to remove the elements from and convert to a gas fired soda kiln. It's 7 cubic feet, top loading. I know I would have to coat the inside and shelves to protect them and know it would not last an extremely long time, but is there any reason I can not do this to try soda firing on a beginning level? If you agree or disagree, why? Thanks for any input, I would really like to try soda.

[Michel Louis Viala]

Allo
I would like to know witch kid of kiln wash you use. I am in a process of building a medium soda kiln and the uper part will be with softd bricks and of course the firebox in hard bricks.

Thank you
Michel Louis

[Jon Faulkner]

Hi Deborah, My salt kiln started as a Skutt 1227-3, I originally converted it into a raku kiln and then into a salt kiln, I re-cast the inside of the kiln with Mizzou castable refractory and cut holes in the bottom for burners and a hole in the lid for a flue, cone 10 is no problem, it has done about 50 firings, there are some pictures on my website, let me know if you need any more info

[John Dorsey]

Just a hole for the flue or create a chimney? How much clearance above the flue is needed so as not to burn the second floor down? Also, size of burner?

[Jon Faulkner]

Just a 8" hole, no chimney, I do have a vent about 10" from the flue to extract the salt fumes, the flame height is a maximum of 12" to 16". I use 2 X MR850 burners on opposite sides of the kiln. It's a great kiln for a flashing effect, it tends to be a little under salted in the middle, that is mainly because it is an updraft and the salt gets carried through the kiln quiet quickly. Pictures attached of the kiln when I first converted it and now in use with insulating blanket.

[John Dorsey]

Great - thanks so much for the info! Pictures are very helpful - I wasn't quite sure what the castable refractory was...I've converted one electric to a raku - that works really well. I have another old electric and am anxious to give this a go. Much appreciated!

[Jon Faulkner]

The castable is Mizzou castable plus, its a 60% alumina castable, there is info on the web site http://www.empire-refractory.com/ I purchase it from atlantic firebrick in jacksonville FL and pay $35.00 per 55lb bag, prices range from $35 to $90, I would shop around, I poured about 2" on the existing floor then made a drum mould for the interior leaving a 2" gap around the mould then poured it around between the mould and the brick. good luck

[Deborah Woods]

Hey thanks for the help. That's pretty impressive that you have gotten 50 firings so far. Everyone tells me not to expect mine to last too long, which is fine, I just want to experiment for a while before I build a larger one. I just realized you said that you re-cast the inside. I guess that might be why you have lasted so long. Does the blanket help a lot? I'm only planning on going to cone 6 unless for good results I have to go higher. I notice you said you have two burners. I talked to Marc Ward and I think he said I only needed 75,000 BTU's for my kiln which is about the same size as the Skutt 1227. I wonder if it is reasonable to make mine into a downdraft? Do you think there is some reason I can't cut a hole towards the bottom and attach a chimney pipe to it running it up past the top of the kiln? And I wonder if putting the burner(s) under the kiln directed upward would help to circulate the flame and soda even more before it exits? I know that is traditionally updraft, but with such a small space it might prevent the heat and soda from shooting right out the chimney.

[Tim Sherman]

I did exactly what you are interested in doing. In fact, I am the student that Pamela mentioned at the begging of this blog post from Towson University. I converted a 7 cubic foot top loader with no trouble, and have fired it about 18 times and its still like new. I patch up any new damage before each firing but its never really anything major. I used a 50/50 mixture of EPK and alumina hydrate with a healthy amount of grog to fill in the element groves and to patch it when it needs repair, I also use that for the wads that go in between each piece. Other than that, all I did was cut holes for the soda and cone packs. I do use a 2.5 foot smoke stack made of steel, that size seems to draw the heat up more evenly. I have a lot of pictures of it and work that has come out of it. Please check it out at shermanceramics.com and let me know if you have any questions. All of the work in the soda gallery has come out of it. Good luck!!!

Tim

[Lyla]

So much great info here! a shino glaze a coating?! wow
so i did this many years ago with the same size kiln in the link with pics pamela provided.i knocked out the base of my kiln and used that as a 'floor.' then i built up about two layers worth of softbrick around the base, leaving a hole for the burner and set the kiln on top of that. i made a lid with chicken wire and fiber, with itc, cutting a bigger hole, which i then covered and controlled the opening size with another piece of fiber (or shelf, i can't remember).a stack is a good idea, i thinkt hat would have helped the temp differentiation from top to bottom even out. i filled elements with a grog/clay mixture and sprayed itc ...i used the kiln's electric shelves, coating with epk/alumina. i sprayed in soda over the burner.
re:propane, if you need to get a temporary tank, you can get the tall, skinny kind, bigger than what you would use for a grill, but easily moveable - i think its the 100gal?
good luck!
lyla