L&L KILN BLOG

L&L KILN BLOG

Guide to Buying a Kiln for Home Use

If you're considering purchasing a kiln for home use, there are several factors to consider to ensure you make an informed decision. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you navigate the process of buying a kiln specifically…

What are Potters Saying?

Read some discussions from the Community Arts Network Forum:

"Electric Kiln Manufacturers: Which Are Best And…

Can I use yarn or thread?

Customer: 

Can I use yarn or thread to hold negative space in a pot and expect that it burns up or disintegrate in the kiln bisque firing? Would that be safe to try?

L&L: I do know of some potters using string or twine to get…

How to teach ceramics to children

Teaching ceramics to children can be a fun and rewarding experience. Here are some tips to help you get started:

  1. Start with simple projects that are easy for children to understand and complete. For example, you could have them…

Can you salvage a kiln flooded in a storm?

A customer writes: I need to find out if there is any way to fix/test/refurbish my kiln. I am in Florida and the kiln was flooded with a mix of seawater and rainwater during and after hurricane Ian. The water depth was approx 18". Can the shelves…

How to use post with a powered bottom

Customer:

Hi, I am trying to figure out the best way to place my kiln posts in my powered bottom kiln. While I have figured out a somewhat acceptable configuration that manages to avoid placing posts directly on top of…

The Clay Studio Opens

We have 19 new kilns in the Clay Studio!

See this article about the opening…

Size of Vent Duct for two kilns

We just installed a new L&L kiln (Model e23T-208, Serial # 050916-B-CWK) and L&L Vent-Sure Downdraft Kiln Vent System with the Vent Doubler System so we could also vent our existing Skutt KM1023. My question involves the size of the…

My new LLutt Kiln

So I’ve had a Skutt KM818 that I bought used a few years back that wasn’t in too bad of shape, but after changing the elements in it a few times, the bricks were getting so hammered & I had had a few mishaps in it & I was tired of…

How to fix a DaVinci Counterbalance Tube

A customer writes: I have an X3227 DaVinci kiln that I bought in 2000.  It has been sitting unused in my studio for about 8 years and I am looking to sell it.  While I was looking it over I noticed that the counterbalance cables were slack and no…

DaVinci Bell Lift Packing

We just shipped a TB3436 Bell-Lift kiln to Kohler this past week. Here it is before it is taken apart:


Issues using a Skutt Envirovent on an L&L Kiln

A Customer asks:
I recently purchased an E28S-3 kiln from Clay King as a replacement for my old Excel kiln. I have a Skutt EnviroVent system (Metal collection cup under the kiln feeds to an exhaust system – has 2 holes in the cup to mix in…

Six Special DaVinci kilns for a large industrial customer

After making one DaVinci kiln for a large industrial customer in Connecticut they bought six more. We custom designed the control panels so they could squeeze two control systems into one NEMA1 panel and save space. These photos show the kilns in…

Electrical & Cold Weather Questions

Dear L&L Kilns -

Here are some questions about the L&L Kiln eQuad Pro 13.6 cubic feet model eq 2836-3.  I have not purchased this kiln yet,.  I may get the 10.6 cubic foot one instead, but these questions will probably have the…

Why I bought an L&L Kiln

 

Hi L&L people,

Just wanted to tell you how pleased I am with my L&L kiln.  I bought it in 2003 and it has been perfect ever since, firing to cone 04.  I use a special clay body given to me by Don Reitz…

Fixing a Fan Motor on the Vent-Sure

/pottery-kiln-parts/vents#search-resultsOh My Gosh you guys…I am not able to fire and orders are stacking up!!!  HELP!!!! my fan that was fairly new has just  quit working….. Please help me…

Do new thermocouples need to "broken in"?

I expect to receive delivery tomorrow evening of 3 new thermocouples for my JD-2927-HD kiln (originally purchased in 2007). Should I plan a "run-in" firing, say to Cone 5, when these new thermocouples are installed? (…

Unbalanced 3 Phase kilns and why the amperage can be odd

A distributor asks:

On 208V 3P, why does the e23S-3 pull 34.6 amps, but the e23T-3 only pulls 27.7 amps? Is that a typo, or does it have something to do with splitting 3 phase over 4 elements?

Answer: On an e23T-3 you have three…

Chris Corson device for lifting his lid off the kiln for loading sculpture

Here an image of the pulley system I rigged to lift my kiln's lid out of the way.  The parts came from Home Depot and Tractor Supply.  My wife helps me with the rings.  I just use the pulley system for the lid -- so it gets lifted up and…

Great experience for a Production Potter with an eQUAD-PRO Kiln

An email from a customer who replaced 3 thermocouples (at no charge under our pro-rated warranty):

Dear L&L – I love my eQuad-Pro kiln. I have two kilns: an older (and larger) Skutt and then my slightly smaller and much newer L&L…

A Super Insulated Special Kiln for Battery Testing

A super insulated kiln ring for a customer who is doing year long testing of liquid metal batteries. 4-1/2″ of brick with 2″ of backup mineral wool on the sides, 6″ of brick on the top and 6″ of brick and 2″ of calcium silicate on the bottom.…

Broken brick on a damaged kiln

Here are some photos I saw of a competitor’s kiln while fixing some of Easy-Fire kilns at Penn State. The kiln still works but for how long? Note how the soft K23 firebrick (the same brick all kiln manufacturers use) does not take normal abuse…