Iwasfrustratedwiththepriceofelectricburnoutkilnsforceramics,metalannealing,glass

enameling,andmeltingpreciousmetalsetc,.soIdecidedtobuildmyown.Mostkilnsthatrunat
thesetemperaturescostbetween$600and$1200.Withalittlehelpfromaguyataceramics
store,Ibuiltoneforabout$120(notincludingthepowercontrollerandpyrometer).Thislittle
electrickilncangetupto2000degreesFandiseasytomakewithoutanyspecialtoolsbesides
ahandheldrouter.IalsowantedonethatIcouldtakeapartandreplacetheelement,since
theseareinexpensive.
Materials:
1.8x10"boltswithnuts1/4"diameter
2.7xsoftfirebricks(41/2"x9"makesuretheyaresoft)
3.About7feetofangleironfromHomeDepot(thisistheframe)(4x14"legs/corners,2x9"
floorsupports)
4.Onesheetofthinaluminum(forthedoor).Atleasta9"by9"square
5.One1/4inchx24"coiledheatingelement(stretchedto291/2")outof16gaugeKanthalwire.
Ihadthiswoundformeatthelocalceramicsstore.Joppaglass.comalsoisgoodsource.
6.Onesmallhingewithscrews
7.Fireproofpins(shouldcomewithelement)
8.Shortoutdoorextensioncordratedtoatleast10amps(cutdownto3feet)
9.VariablecontrollerI'veseenthemonebayfor$20ratedat15amps.TryebayorHarbour
FreightTools.Ialreadyhadonewithnomarkingsfromanoldkiln.
10.1"thickKaowoolabout1footsquare
Tools:
1.Handheldrouterwith1/4inchbit
2.Wrench
3.Needlenosepliers
4.Hacksaw
5.Wirecutters/stripper
6.Drill
7.Tinsnips

Step1:Cuttingthechannels

1.Pencilthechannelsinasaushape1/4inchwide.Ileftaboutaninch,toaninchandahalf
fromtheedgeandthetopofthe"U"sotheelementsarenottooclosetotheopeningofthekiln.
2.Routeoutthechannelswithyourrouterusinga1/4inchbit.
3.Youwillneedtocutoneofyourfirebricksdowntoasquare41/2"by41/2"forthebackand
routeouttwostraightchannels.Thiswillbethebackwall.

Step2:PuttingIntheElement

1.You'llneedtwobricksforthefloor,aspictured.
2.Thedimensionsofthefirebricksare41/2"x9"x21/2"whenyouconstructthefirebrick
box,thekilnwillbetoowideacross(2outsidewallsat21/2"andyourbackwallis41/2",fora
totalof91/2").Tomakethewallsflushwiththeroofandfloor(9")youwillneedtotakeouta
1/2".InthefirstpicyoucanseeIshavedoffa1/2"fromtherightside.Anysawcancutthese
bricks,theyareverysoft.
3.TheelementIstartedwithwas24incheslong.Separatethecoilsoftheelementsothatthey
aren'ttouching.Ifyouareunsureofhowtodothis,thenyoucanalwaysaskthepeopleatthe
ceramicstore.Thisstretchedmyelementoutto291/2inches.Myelementcostmeabout$25.
4.You'llneedtodrilltwoholesoutthebackofthekilnsoyoucanruntheendsoftheelement

outtheback.Thesearedrilledinsidethetopchannelabout1"apart.Pickadrillbitslightly
biggerthanyourelementwire.
5.Threadtheelementintothechannelsasshown.
6.Iftheceramicsstoregivesyoupins,Ifounditwasbettertousepliersandmakelittleu
shapedpinsoutofthem.Youcanpushtheseintothefirebrickaboutaninchaparttokeepthe
elementsinthechannels.Itdoesn'tseemimportantnow,butwhenyoustartfiring,theelement
willwanttoflexandmovearound.Thepinswillkeepitfixedinthechannels.
**updateTherehavebeenmanyquestionsabouttheelementIusedandwhereIpurchasedit.
Ihadhopedpeoplewouldaskquestionsfromtheirlocalceramicsstoreandgetanswersthere.
ThatiswhereIhadmyelementwoundforme.Ihavelearnedafewthingssincethen.The
elementisatypeofNiCrwirecalledKanthal.MostKanthalisratedtoabout2450F.Thereare
otherelementtypesifyouneedhighertemperatures.Kanthalisusedinlowfire/ceramic
applications.Eitherfindaceramicsuppliertohelp(asIdid)oryoucancontactaplacelike
Joppaglass.comandhaveanelementmadetoyourspecifications.Theywillusuallywantto
knowthevoltageofthepowersource,maxamperage(mygarageis15ampbreaker)andthe
gaugeofwire(Ithinkmineis16gauge).Thearbor(insideandoutsidediameteroftheelement)
canberequestedandyoucangettheelementyouwant.

Step3:Makingtheframe.

1.TheframeIdesigned,squeezesitalltogether.Cutfour14"lengthsoftheangleironwithyour
hacksawforthecorners.
2.Cuttwo9"lengthsforthebottom.Thesetwopiecesholdthefloorandrestontwo10"bolts
onthebottom.
3.Threadtheboltsasshown4ontop,4onthebottom.Twoofthebottomboltsholdupthe
floor,therestjustsqueezethewholeprojecttogethertoholdthebricksinplace.
4.Remembertoplacetwobricksontopforyourroof.Also,youcanseethatIhavethewhole
projectoffthefloorbyabout3inches.
*Safetytipneverusethisoranyotherkilnonasurfacethatisn'tfireproof.Ialwayshavethison
myconcretefloorinthegarage.

Step4:Makingthedoor

1.Withyourtinsnips,cutyouraluminumsheetintotheshapeshowninthepicture.The
dimensionsIusedmakea6inchdoor.Thecentralsquareis6"andthetabsare11/2".(So
startwithsquare9"by9"andcutoutthecorners)
2.Iusedasophisticatedmetalbreaktobendthemetal(calledmyfingersandascrapofwood).
Bendthetabsupsoyouhave1/2"ontheinsideandthedooritselfis1"thick.
3.Cuta6"x6"squareofthe1"thickKaowoolandsqueezeinsidethemetalasshown.

4.Attachthedoorwithasmallhinge.Ipredrilledsomeholesintheframeandusedmetal
screwstoscrewittotheframe.Ididn'tputalatchonthis.Asanoptionyoucouldbypassthis
stepanduseanotherfirebrickovertheentrance.

Step5:Connectingthepower

1.Cutanoutdoorelectricalcord(10amp)downto3feetandkeeptheplugend.Youdon'twant
ittoolong.
2.Stripthewiresandconnecttotheelementwirescomingoutthebackofthekiln.Myelement
camewithmetalconnectorsandceramicsleeves.Thesleevesareoptional.Ijustclampedthe
connectorstothewiresandthentotheelementwires.
3.Ididn'tgroundthis,butyoucertainlycouldbyattachingthegreenwiretotheframe.Iwas
worriedtheframemightgettoohottoholdtheground.
4.Thisshouldbepluggedintoavariablecontrollerofsomekind.I'veseensomeonebayfor
about$20ratedat15amps.
**update:Alotofpeoplehaveaskedmeaboutmygreencontoller.Thiswasfromanoldkiln

suggestionsaboutvariablecontrollersthatyoucanbuyoneBayorHarbourFreighttools.Ican
onlysuggestthatyougetacontollerthatyourkilncanplugintoandisratedtotheamperageof
whateverpowersourceyouuse.
**SafetytipDoNotplugthisdirectlytoawalloutlet.Also,donottouchtheelementwireswhen
thekilnison.
5.Youcanseethereisnothingreallyattachingthebackwall.Itisconnectedtoyourelements
withpinsandthat,withthesqueezefromtheframe,seemstoholditinfine.Ithoughtabout
runningaflatpieceofironhorizontallytokeepitinplace,butithasn'tbeenaproblemyet.

Step6:FinishedKiln!

1.Intheoriginalincarnationofmykiln(1stpic)Idrilledaholeinthetopandmountedanold
thermocouple/pyrometerontopofthekiln.
2.Ihaverecentlyupgradedtoabetterthermocouple(Pic2)anddirectlyconnectedthistothe
analogtemp.gaugeonmypowersource.IwasluckyandhadoneofthesefromanoldkilnI
broke.ForaccuratefiringtemperaturesIrecommendaKTypethermocouplewithadigital
pyrometer.Anotheroptionforceramicsorglassenamelingwouldbetodrillaviewingholeinthe
sideandthenbuyaceramicplugforit.
3.Ihaverunthisformanyhoursatvarioustemperatures(3rdpic).Ireallyhavenotexperienced
anyproblemsexceptmyelementstillwantstopopoutofthosechannels.I"lljusthavetokeep
aneyeonthem.
Pleaseletmeknowwhatyouthinkorquestionsyouhave.
**updateDec.112014Ihaverunthiskilnnowforhundredsofhours(firingclay,PMCclayetc.)
andfoundthemaxtemperaturetobe2300F.