# Motivated to finish the Kiln NOW!!!



## justturnin (Sep 11, 2013)

Earlier this morning I put some wood in my toaster oven to dry for casting. It was set at about 125* and w/ this oven that means about 90-100*. Went out about 10 minutes before and was going to put a round of blanks in, girls called me so I came back in. Went back out and could not see in the shop. It was full of white smoke. Opened the shop doors to get some smoke out, pulled the oven and pulled out the tray. Sat it on top and it lit up....... Lot of wasted blanks there.







Could have been a lot worse....sad that its not the first time for this either......


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## Mike1950 (Sep 11, 2013)

Glad nothing worse happened- Looks like any bugs would be dead!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## justturnin (Sep 11, 2013)

Mike1950 said:


> Glad nothing worse happened- Looks like any bugs would be dead!!!!!!!!!!!!!



indeed they would.......indeed they would :cray:


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## davebug (Sep 11, 2013)

Oh man glad that's the extent of the burning. What size kiln are you thinking of building maybe we can compare notes. I plan to do a write up of mine when done if I can successfully wire the PID correctly. It is going to be a controlled hot box with a vent at the bottom and top that uses various lights as heat.


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## justturnin (Sep 11, 2013)

davebug said:


> Oh man glad that's the extent of the burning. What size kiln are you thinking of building maybe we can compare notes. I plan to do a write up of mine when done if I can successfully wire the PID correctly. It is going to be a controlled hot box with a vent at the bottom and top that uses various lights as heat.



I have a small wine chiller that I am going to use. I will use a 60w flood light to heat it. a Small usb fan on top to circulate and I picked up a $25 140* thermo switch to run it on Omega.com.


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## justturnin (Sep 11, 2013)

Got the light and the thermostat in the kiln box. Need some foam to seal the holes and need to install the fan tomorrow. I do have a piece of sheet metal over the lamp to keep dust off of it. I will also modify the shelves to be hanging baskets instead too.


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## Mike1950 (Sep 11, 2013)

My experience with halogen's is have some spares- They do not last long as heaters. Now my flood- it lasts. I have a 5'x6'x12' well insulated. It takes more then one bulb to heat.


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## justturnin (Sep 11, 2013)

Mike1950 said:


> My experience with halogen's is have some spares- They do not last long as heaters. Now my flood- it lasts. I have a 5'x6'x12' well insulated. It takes more then one bulb to heat.



This is just a 65w Incandescent. I am going to pick up a 100w tomorrow. It has been on for about 20 minutes and is already up 19*. I am sure once I add the fan and insulate it I should be able to hit the 100*. If not I will up the bulb wattage.


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## Mike1950 (Sep 11, 2013)

justturnin said:


> Mike1950 said:
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> > My experience with halogen's is have some spares- They do not last long as heaters. Now my flood- it lasts. I have a 5'x6'x12' well insulated. It takes more then one bulb to heat.
> ...



Just telling you my experience- I bet you get to shut off over nite. Do not switch bulbs yet.


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## justturnin (Sep 11, 2013)

Mike1950 said:


> justturnin said:
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I bet you are right. This is a small box. Maybe 16x20x36, Very small and not a lot of space but I only deal with small blanks. Maybe one day I will have a larger one but I think I will still use this one for my casting blanks to keep them dry.


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## Kevin (Sep 11, 2013)

Make a framed piece of cellular radiant barrier and hang it on the front of the glass and you're heat loss will be cut dramatically. If you don't have any I will roll up a small piece and send it to you if you like. You can just move it to the side whenever you want to peek inside.


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## justturnin (Sep 11, 2013)

Kevin said:


> Make a framed piece of cellular radiant barrier and hang it on the front of the glass and you're heat loss will be cut dramatically. If you don't have any I will roll up a small piece and send it to you if you like. You can just move it to the side whenever you want to peek inside.



May have to look into that. Is that something I can get a lowes? I wonder if I could use some double sided duct tape to stick it on the glass. 

It is already at 95* in less than an hour and I still need to seal the hole where the light comes in.


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## Kevin (Sep 11, 2013)

You'll probably be fine without it - just makes it more efficient.


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## justturnin (Sep 11, 2013)

Kevin said:


> You'll probably be fine without it - just makes it more efficient.



Lowes has this for $15. Is that what you are talking about. I am all about efficient. 

http://www.lowes.com/pd_13353-56291-ST16025_0__?productId=1014123&Ntt=radiant+barrier&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dradiant%2Bbarrier&facetInfo=


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## Kevin (Sep 11, 2013)

That'll work great. I didn't know they carried it.


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## justturnin (Sep 11, 2013)

Kevin said:


> That'll work great. I didn't know they carried it.



Awesome, says it is in stock at my lowes. Guess I will put the foil away......for now


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## justturnin (Sep 13, 2013)

Boy, what a difference a fan makes in a kiln. Looked in today and I was at 104* in there. I left the doors open to cool in there while I worked on the fan. Just powered it back on and went out and put the thermometer in there and the temp is climbing fast. What a difference. 

Sucks that I burls up a lot of nive burl but great that I got off my butt and finished the makeshift Kiln.


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## justturnin (Sep 13, 2013)

Mike1950 said:


> justturnin said:
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> > This is just a 65w Incandescent. I am going to pick up a 100w tomorrow. It has been on for about 20 minutes and is already up 19*. I am sure once I add the fan and insulate it I should be able to hit the 100*. If not I will up the bulb wattage.
> ...



Looks like the Max a 65w can get me to is 112*. I wonder if a 75w would be enough to 135* or if I should just go straight to the 100w


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## manbuckwal (Sep 13, 2013)

Sorry that happened ! You are indeed fortunate you caught it in time ! What wood species was in the oven ? I use a toaster oven also but I use it on the air mode only setting now bcuz I had a piece of wood too close to one of the heating rods once and it started smoking .


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## Mike1950 (Sep 14, 2013)

justturnin said:


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I went with multiple lights-easy to control temp. I bet 2 40's would come very close. But if you go with single- I would try 75 first.


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## justturnin (Sep 14, 2013)

Mike1950 said:


> justturnin said:
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Yea, 2 lamps may not be an option. It is very tight quarters in there. I will try a 75w. I want slow gradual steady heat not one that gets blazing hot and cycles on and off over and over in short cycles.


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## justturnin (Sep 14, 2013)

manbuckwal said:


> Sorry that happened ! You are indeed fortunate you caught it in time ! What wood species was in the oven ? I use a toaster oven also but I use it on the air mode only setting now bcuz I had a piece of wood too close to one of the heating rods once and it started smoking .



That is what I think happened. I packed it really tight and some pieces were too close to the top element. This oven heats both elements. I had some Black Locust, Elm and Box Elder burls in there. I think the Box Elder is the one that started it. It is very light and I think he would have been the first to go.


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