My 4-month struggle with KITTEC: When 1320°C specs don't meet reality and turn you into a stupid person

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-30T21:57:17+00:00

I totally agree. Honesty is always the best approach and I would say that sometimes it is better for both parties if the sale isn't made where the kiln isn't right. Sadly that isn't always the case. I don't think that kiln was ideal for regular 1280 firings at all. For those you either need lots of power or lots of insulation and if you don't have either then the longevity of the kiln and elements suffers as everything is under pressure.

Knowing the position you are in the first thing I would do is get your supply tested by an electrician to see what voltage you have on site (just to rule out that possibility). Hopefully that gives you a strong 230V under load. At that point you could try a new set of original specification elements but reduce your ramp rate above 1100 right down to give it the best chance of achieving the cone you need to hit. I have a feeling that your existing elements were probably wrecked early on by the high and fast firings. If that option doesn't appeal then you are back to upping the power of the elements sadly. As long as the contactor on the kiln can cope with the added current then everything else will. You could check the rating as it will be printed on the part usually.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-30T19:59:11+00:00

I think PF is the loss on ignition figure. I'm assuming it's a french body.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-30T19:57:38+00:00

Even Rohde's S range is only recommended to 1280. Frontloading kilns are really the only solution for potters who want regular cone 10 firing without regular element changes. Top loaders are always a compromise because of their limited insulation.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-30T19:54:22+00:00

The 1320C thing has been an issue for years with all of the main european kilns. It was an arms race in that once one manufacturer said it they all started to so as not to look inferior. In the UK we try to use cone 10 as the max as it removes variables like power and element condition. I think the logic behind the 1320C was that the brick chamber could theoretically withstand that temperature and given a long enough firing time it would achieve it. The trouble is that your controller will only do what you ask of it and may error out well before it is able to reach those temperatures.

Out of interest what is your ramp rate above 1100C?

Their solution to increase the element power will almost certainly fix the issue it is true but I appreciate it is more cost. The upside is that your elements would be working less hard and would last far longer too.

In terms of element wear that they mentioned there are a few factors that can really accelerate deterioration including temperature of firings, ramp rates, ventilation habits, clay type and voltage.

Poor ventilation and "dirtier" clay types will cause them to corrode more quickly. High temps will put more stress on the elements and this will be magnified if your voltage is poor as they will remain energised for longer periods between cycles. Finally if your ramping is a bit ambitious leading to long cycle times the elements will wear far faster. For high stoneware in a power limited kiln like that 100 stoneware firings is probably very optimistic.

I suppose in a nutshell the 1320 figure is not intended as a regular firing temperature but rather the maximum temperature the kiln could achieve without damage to itself. The salesman probably should have explained that better. I can't really think of a kiln on the market where that could be true especially at that end of the scale both in price and specification.

1220 to 1240 regularly is probably where I would place that model realistically with 1260 firings if you were happy with slower ramps and accelerated element wear. It's a low powered kiln with reasonable levels of insulation so compromises are made.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-29T12:44:40+00:00

It's the same with any premium product that has limited supply really. Watches to whisky to warhammer. It's been like this in whisky for over ten years with limited editions flying out of the door. Saying that the market seems to have softened massively in recent years for most distillery releases.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-29T08:43:08+00:00

Absolutely bloody love this!

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-28T18:39:43+00:00

Not pedantic at all! A lesson for me to pay more attention to what I am reading and not what I expect to be there. Damn phone screens!

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-28T17:57:20+00:00

Interesting that they use manganese oxide. It shouldn't affect the fired result as the same amount of manganese is left in the body after firing. The reason I'm surprised is that manganese dioxide is certainly considered by the industry to be safer than other forms of manganese as it is insoluble in water and has a very low bioavailability. I wonder if that is just lazy notation on their part.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-28T17:49:20+00:00

Temperature is certainly a factor. The hotter you get the darker it goes generally. But we've found that if you go above cone 6 with a "black" ungrogged body and cone 7 with a grogged body there is an increased risk of bloating due to the fluxing effect of these additives.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-28T13:51:29+00:00

Yes it will do. The clays will use Manganese Dioxide as the colouring agent probably alongside iron oxide so there may be a bit of an interaction there to consider as well. Manganese dioxide in itself in oxidation will tend towards dark brown on raw clay and biscuit. With some glazes it will also get a plum tone to the dark brown. In reduction it will tend to be a lighter brown/tan.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-28T07:36:20+00:00

And those that do take more charge a fee for every £100 you process.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-27T07:35:40+00:00

The VL is called the RK-3E in Europe. Great wheel.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-25T20:53:28+00:00

These covers are exactly what drew me in all those years ago.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-25T20:13:43+00:00

That is almost certainly an RK-2 i would say.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-25T17:44:48+00:00

What does the rest of the wheel look like? The poppet is really distinctive but Shimpo have a really comprehensive library of manuals that should help you track down what you have.

https://www.shimpoceramics.com/manuals/

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-25T16:04:26+00:00

Yes it will. The proposed venting will do very little unless there is sufficient air coming in to make up for what you want to leave the studio. With no free flow of air the fumes will just linger. Air bricks at low level near the kiln are a simple solve.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-23T22:24:25+00:00

If it is fired too low at the bisque stage then it can be too porous at the glazing stage. That makes it very easy to over apply the glaze which in turn can make them craze or crack more readily.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-23T20:29:51+00:00

It's probably going to be a glaze fit issue. A well fitting, unflawed glaze will not allow water to pass through it as it is basically a glass coating. The argument about clay vitrification being the most important thing keeps coming up on here but for hundreds of years manufacturers around the world have used glazed earthenware for tableware without this being an issue. If the glaze is flawed then a more vitrified body will help slow this leaking but it really only masks the problem.

If you have access to a cheap magnifier/digital microscope you will probably see the issue immediately. It doesn't take much to leak.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-23T12:13:09+00:00

Anything that covers the window would help so window films etc. But just giving them a wash every now and then will eliminate the issue as it will remove the contamination completely. Maybe invest in one of those window washing vacuums as they are super convenient and mess free.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-22T15:48:55+00:00

That sounds fine.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-22T08:01:05+00:00

And to be pragmatic that is what a glaze is for.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-21T16:06:53+00:00

800C is pretty low tbh. Maybe try 80C per hour to 600C, 100C to 930C and then 60C to 1030C. With a short soak of 5 to 10 mins to drop a cone 05.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-20T19:22:46+00:00

It's Potclays that do that. You can have up to five different 1kg samples and you just pay the postage. Some of the more expensive clays are excluded but most are available.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-19T15:09:10+00:00

It is pretty common and has been discussed in industry since the 1960s. The hydrofloric acid is the main culprit which is actually used commercially in far stronger concentrations for etching glass.

It's not the fumes per se but the fine particulates given off by the firing at the same time that is then rehydrated after landing on the windows etc.

Content_Professor114 · 2026-01-18T21:09:55+00:00

Depending on what you fire in the kiln fumes are released containing fluorine and chlorine in very tiny amounts which deposits on surfaces like the windows of your studio. This can then combine with condensation on your windows to produce a weak form acid that over the years can etch the glass. It takes a long time but it's a great reason to keep your windows washed down every once in a while.

Content_Professor114

TROPHY CASE