What is a sitter kiln?

The kiln sitter is a mechanical device used in ceramics to insure the kiln is shut off at the correct time. Pyrometers don’t work well with ceramic projects, because you need to know the “heat work” (temperature and timing) inside the kiln for proper firing.

What is a kiln sitter and what does it do?

Kiln Sitters are the control boxes on electric (or manual) pottery kilns that utilize pyrometric cones to dictate a kiln’s firing. Prongs within the kiln sitter extend to support a pyrometric cone or rod.

How does a kiln sitter work?

Kiln sitters are mechanical devices that turn a kiln off after pottery has been fired. It uses a pyrometric cone to measure the temperature and time a kiln has taken to heat up. When the cone softens and bends, the kiln sitter turns off the power supply to the kiln.

How much is a kiln worth?

Within the $750 – $1200 price range, Soul Ceramics offers the Evenheat High Fire 1210B for $1,139.99 and the Jen-Ken AF3C 11/9 for $907.99. Both of these are smaller, top-loading kilns ideal for small pieces.

How many years does a kiln last?

The average number of firings a set of elements can survive is 100-200. So, when firing mainly at lower temperatures, you are likely to get 200 firings or more. As a result, if you are firing your kiln twice a week, you can expect the kiln elements to last around 2 years. Sometimes longer if you are lucky.

How do you test a kiln?

Run a Paper Test

  1. Start by folding up small strips of paper.
  2. Turn off the kiln and unplug it (or at least shut it off at the circuit breaker/fused disconnect).
  3. Insert the paper scraps in between the coils of each element.
  4. Plug-in and turn on the kiln.
  5. Program for Fast Glaze to any cone (or turn manual switches on high).

How long is cone 6 firing?

about 8 Hours
Program the kiln to run a Cone 06, Medium Speed, ConeFire Program. This will take about 8 Hours to fire to temperature and another 12 hours to cool (depends on size of kiln).

Where can I find the kilnsitter owners manual?

This is the most current KilnSitter Owners Manual. If your kiln has a “KS” at the beginning of the model name, this is the correct manual for you. The model name can be found on the serial plate on the side of the control box. This manual is for Models KS1227-3, KS1027-3, KS1027, KS1018-3, KS1018, KS818, KS714, KS614 and KS609.

What is the claw on a kiln sitter?

As kilns come in a variety of sizes, so do sensing rods — something to keep in mind when you are replacing the sensing rod in your kilns sitter. The kiln sitter’s CLAW is the tiny latch mechanism that hooks on to the kiln’s switchplate (found on the exterior) when you place a sitter cone onto the cone supports.

Which is the correct model name for a kiln?

If your kiln has one of the following Model names, this is the correct manual to download: 2353, 235, 231, 231-18, 185-27, 185-27, 183-27, 185, 183, 181, 145. Failed to fetch Error: URL to the PDF file must be on exactly the same domain as the current web page.

When do I need to update my kilnsitter addendum?

If your kiln was manufactured after October 1st, 2018, you will also want to download the 2018 KilnSitter Addendum below which contains amended wiring diagrams. Failed to fetch Error: URL to the PDF file must be on exactly the same domain as the current web page.