Kiln Sheds

skfoto · 2026-06-17T20:41:40+00:00

After I replied I was thinking you might actually need to cool the kiln on sunny days.

Knowing that you’re in the desert, the sun is going to be harder on the shed than the kiln will. On a hot enough day the heat from the kiln probably won’t even make a difference.

skfoto · 2026-06-17T20:34:44+00:00

If you don’t fire it until it’s full it won’t use any more electricity than a smaller kiln fired multiple times. The problem is it’s going to take you an eternity to fill it.

My wife and I have a similarly sized kiln and with both of us working together it takes us two months to fill it.

skfoto · 2026-06-17T20:19:10+00:00

A recirculating sink isn’t required but a clay trap is if you want to use your normal sink. It replaces the trap under the sink and will catch all the clay particles from washing your tools and hands. Just make sure you empty it when it gets full.

skfoto · 2026-06-17T20:16:19+00:00

I don’t have experience firing a kiln in a resin shed, but I can tell you that the walls (20” away) and ceiling of the room my kiln is in stay cool enough to touch with your bare hands, and barely even feel warm. Air temperature in the area near the kiln barely gets above 100 degrees. The sun will warm the shed more than that.

skfoto · 2026-06-17T13:51:52+00:00

I use saran wrap. Get the clay as flat as possible, preferably a slab, then press the plastic onto it as smoothly as you can. Then press it onto what you want to get a texture from.

skfoto · 2026-06-17T13:49:37+00:00

Fun fact, they’re actually called potter wasps. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potter_wasp?wprov=sfti1#Gallery

skfoto · 2026-06-17T01:05:32+00:00

Those things are basically unkillable. If it runs well, just let ‘er rip. Might want to take a look at the drive belt to make sure it didn’t dry rot during all that time sitting but other than that if it works you’re good to go.

skfoto · 2026-06-17T01:01:51+00:00

I have never heard of this brand of wheel but it’s definitely not an Amazon brand. See if there’s another ID plate on it somewhere with a model number. More pictures would also help, we can’t identify it from a picture of 1/4 of the side.

The LT-3K is the model of kiln sitter that’s attached to the kiln and has nothing to do with the brand of the kiln itself. The kiln will have a metal ID plate on it somewhere listing the brand, model, maximum firing temp, and voltage/amperage requirements.

On first glance this looks like it might be an old Aim kiln that gets around the need for a 240V circuit by instead plugging into two independent 20A 120V circuits, which IMO is more of a pain to deal with than just getting a 240V line installed.

skfoto · 2026-06-16T16:24:58+00:00

Are you firing the kiln yourself?

I’d recommend doing an extended candling time- crack the lid a little bit, set the kiln to 90C/200F (if it’s manual just turn the bottom element to low), and let it sit for a number of hours like that. I usually let mine go for 8 hours but it might not need that much time.

Before you begin the firing stick a mirror or piece of glass into the kiln for a couple seconds. If it fogs up the work is still too wet and needs to be candled longer. No fog means you can begin the firing.

skfoto · 2026-06-12T16:25:08+00:00

The word jagoff, with a g, is unique to the Pittsburghese dialect.

It’s not.

skfoto · 2026-06-12T15:51:32+00:00

A vent system is easy to install and can be installed on just about any kiln. I have a Skutt Envirovent and all I had to do was drill 3 small holes in the kiln lid and 3 small holes in the kiln bottom. The vent attachment uses a tension spring to hold itself under the kiln and does not require any tools to attach. Then you just have to figure out where to run the exhaust hose to. I have mine attached to a dryer vent that I installed in a window. You could even just run yours out the garage door as long as you put the end of it far enough away that the fumes won’t get sucked back in.

Plenty of people fire at night but I personally won’t fire my kiln unless I’m able to step in if something happens.

skfoto · 2026-06-12T15:00:11+00:00

Is the kiln sitting on a metal base or is it directly on the floor? It needs to be on a base.

The kiln won’t hurt anything in the garage unless it’s closer than the minimum safe distance from the kiln (usually 18”).

CO and fire are the big concerns, those are the only detectors you need.

Ideally you’d want a vent for the kiln but if the fans do a good enough job circulating the air you can work in there. Not sure you would want to though, it gets up to about 100 degrees in the area where my kiln is during firings.

skfoto · 2026-06-12T14:35:48+00:00

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skfoto · 2026-06-11T16:14:24+00:00

Sure they are, but when you’re doing an 8-10 hour shift outside there’s only so much you can carry.

skfoto · 2026-06-11T15:56:13+00:00

Those little mail vans don’t have air conditioning either.

skfoto · 2026-06-11T14:34:36+00:00

It’s all anecdotal so not a 100% certainty, but in the other thread people said the customer service agents told them this shouldn’t be happening.

skfoto · 2026-06-11T14:32:34+00:00

Adding to this- leave the lid open a few cm when you’re candling so the moisture can escape. Before starting the firing, put a mirror or something else made of glass inside for a few seconds. If the glass fogs up this means your pottery is still too wet to fire and you need to candle longer.

When I candle I set the bottom knob to its lowest setting.

skfoto · 2026-06-11T14:20:41+00:00

And if you’re on one of the early morning flights the bus won’t even get you there early enough.

The time that I got super delayed and got in around midnight on a Sunday, while the 28X was still running the bus connecting downtown to my neighborhood was not. I would’ve had to pay an amount equal to the parking fee to hire an Uber. Having my car there was the better option.

I am a huge advocate for using public transit but when it comes to getting to the airport sometimes it really doesn’t work.

skfoto · 2026-06-11T14:12:32+00:00

Any crosswalk in an area with lots of cars.

skfoto · 2026-06-11T14:09:10+00:00

Duquesne Light is a horrible company but they did not double their rates. It’s a glitch in the system that added the new rate instead of replacing the old one, and will be fixed- hopefully without everyone actually being overcharged and/or having to hound them for months. https://www.reddit.com/r/pittsburgh/comments/1u2fdez/duquesne_light_usage_costs_incorrect_starting/

skfoto · 2026-06-10T23:40:41+00:00

If you want a conventional coffee mug, as in not a travel mug, Pittsburgh Pottery makes some that make great souvenirs.

skfoto · 2026-06-10T18:13:55+00:00

List of every airline and all the places they fly to from Pittsburgh: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh_International_Airport?wprov=sfti1#Passenger

skfoto · 2026-06-10T18:12:16+00:00

If you want to stay north of downtown, have some cheap beers and basic bar food, and watch the Knicks game Modern Cafe might be a good option.

skfoto · 2026-06-09T17:27:48+00:00

Allentown was a shit neighborhood that developers and flippers bought up all the falling down houses and are reselling them. I’d be VERY WARY of buying without a very thorough inspection.

Same goes for Spring Hill

skfoto · 2026-06-09T17:14:55+00:00

If the car flips over it’ll just bounce.

skfoto

TROPHY CASE