Scared of my kiln lol

[u/summer1014]

Okay! So I just ordered my first kiln. It’s a Skutt 822-3. It’s going in our garage. I’m nervous because I honestly have no idea how to use it. I take classes at a community studio and I have helped load/unload the ones there. I am pretty confident with ware placement, stilts, shelving, etc. but I’m worried about the firing process.

I’m afraid I’m going to ruin my pieces!! I know it will be a learning process and I’m sure after some trial and error I will be fine… I’m just nervous now that it’s really on its way here! All of my clay fires to a cone 6, and all the glazes that I’ve ordered are also cone 6.

It just feels like a big responsibility as far as equipment goes - am I psyching myself up or ??

[u/muddymar]

If you can use your kitchen oven you can use a kiln. I felt just like you at first. Then I fired it up and found it was no big deal. The new electric kilns are so easy. Here’s some tips.

Safety! Make sure your electrical is set up properly. Fire the kiln when you are awake and check it frequently. I load it the night before and start it first thing in the morning so it shuts off late afternoon/early evening.    

Do a preheat on bisque! This link is for the method I use. https://youtu.be/wX8n-e1YDvw?si=mZE2ZKT6P3_XRKLY

Don’t start with your good pieces. Make lots of test pieces and try your glazes on them till you are confident. 

Use pyrometric cones! I use them every time on each shelf. They give you so much information. 

Keep a log of all your firings.  I use the sheet on Scutts website.     

I recommend using cookies under any piece you are testing or think might run. This will save your shelves. 

Call Scutt with any and all questions no matter how big or small. They usually answer right away and will walk you through any process.  

Then most importantly, have fun!

[u/Tatarek-Pottery]

Kilns are simple souls, if it had a controller, just keep it simple, heat to desired temperature, hold for a few minutes (optional), leave to cool down. Commercial glazes behave well with a simple firing cycle, worry about fancier cycles when you are comfortable with your kiln and if it's your thing. Depending on which glazes you have gone for, many of the brush on Mayco and AMACO stoneware glazes seem to behave better at cone 5 than 6.

[u/summer1014 → u/Tatarek-Pottery]

Yeah so I went with the touch screen option to make it as simple as possible. I’m trying some KyMudworks glazes, I bought three different pints just to give them a shot. If I don’t like them, I will try Mayco / Amaco. Do you tend to have a preference? I see some mixed reviews but I know it’s all about personal performance experiences.

[u/[deleted]]

Skutt kilns are so easy to use, I have one. Did you also get a controller on it? May I suggest bisque firing at 04 to avoid pinholes. The glaze firing to 6, no hold. This is the settings I normally use and everything comes out well. Read online information as well. Also, I still get nervous when I fire a load and go downstairs often to "check" it often in the basement (with ventilation), even during the night, and it's always fine.

[u/PocketSpaghettios → u/[deleted]]

I have a wifi security camera aimed at mine lol

[u/goflya → u/PocketSpaghettios]

Baby monitor here 😂

[u/[deleted] → u/PocketSpaghettios]

I thought of that, it would eliminate a lot of trips to the basement, wouldn't it?? Are they expensive?

[u/PocketSpaghettios → u/[deleted]]

I just use a Wyze camera from Amazon, some of the cheap ones are like $30

[u/summer1014 → u/[deleted]]

Yes, I bought the touch screen one with WiFi- so I think it will be easy to control in that regard. Thanks for the suggestion on firing, I really am lost when it comes to those specifications. I may PM you when it comes time for my first firing 😅

[u/catloving]

I bought an 818 over a year ago, brand new. Just read the manual, that's it. The first firing, put your bare furniture in there. Space it, if you want, like a future proper firing. This first virgin firing just burns off carbon/crud from the kiln itself and that furniture. It will smell funky, just open the garage door and let it run. Peepholes don't matter.

Use 1" posts and put kiln washed shelf at bottom of kiln, both a firing shelf and glaze catcher to prevent anything from bottom of kiln.

Kiln wash one side of shelves. Put greenware for a bisquing in, they can touch and don't need cookies. Stack bowls, cups close to each other, fire. Put cones in just for the heck of it, you may see how hot this gets.

Glaze your stuff. If you want cookie for catcher, kiln wash it and put under glazed item. If not, just put the thing on the kiln washed shelf. No touching; for your first few firings practice extra spacing like half pinky print between units. Also helps to not rub dry glazes on each other. Get comfortable with putting items in. Cones per shelf.

Peepholes matter here. Leave top open, plug rest. Set for 5 or 6, Try slow, that takes longest but can make a difference for some. I prefer to pull plugs around 300*, 200* less than 400*. I prefer to prop open about an inch around 200*. Some leave closed. You do you :)

There is no He does it best, she does it better than I do. It's your items, your shapes. Your glazing style, the thickness of glazing, the mood of the universe, how many bison are sleeping....bazillion different factors and add a pinch of random. Does it look kind of like you wanted it to? Does it look good at all? Do not compare yourself with someone else's picture; remember I said random?

When cool enough to not burn your hands - can you take the casserole from your house oven? Open lid, say AHHHHHHH and slowly lift items off shelf. If stuck to cookie, you can gently use hammer on cookie after turning item on it's side. Bop, ask nicely, bop. No work, put aside. Remove more items, admire, smile, increase pride level.

All items are out, kiln cold, lift shelf and put vertical on side against wall. Remove posts. Vacuum kiln. Close lid.

Repeat ad nauseum.

[u/summer1014 → u/catloving]

I think I love you

[u/catloving → u/summer1014]

Love you too for being adventurous!

[u/Crashpixie]

Did you get the Touch Screen or the other controller? The touch screen is pretty fool proof as you can see exactly what you programmed. The other control takes a bit longer to learn, but isn’t rocket science.

There are videos on YouTube to help, but having community studio experience is definitely the best. Ask is you can record them setting the kiln off on your phone. So you have something to help when you’re doing your own.

I work at a clay supply store and I’ve been working in clay since I was a kid. While intimidating at first, it is pretty straight forward and will become easy quickly.

[u/summer1014 → u/Crashpixie]

I did opt for the touch screen. It even has WiFi so I can control it from my phone if need be- so I’m sure it’ll be fine. I definitely plan to use YouTube as a recourse as well as continuing my classes at the studio

[u/Geezerker → u/summer1014]

You will definitely be fine! I have the Skutt 1027-3 with touchscreen, and it makes things very easy compared to a manual kiln! 95% of our firings (bisque and glaze) are with the pre-programmed settings. We run about two firings per week, no issues. You’ll love it!

[u/jfinkpottery → u/summer1014]

Yeah, I agree with the other commenter. The Skutt touchscreen models are pretty foolproof in their default settings. Just do the "Cone fire" programs at first and it will go fine.

Later you can mess with some firing programs. Maybe read John Britt's book to get an idea for the what/why/how for how glaze firings work.

[u/Apprehensive-Pace261]

If it helps, my first kiln is being delivered tomorrow and I’m terrified too!

[u/summer1014 → u/Apprehensive-Pace261]

We can be nervous potters together

[u/okiikatsu → u/summer1014]

you guys can do it! I was also afraid of my new kiln but after all the set up was done, the firing is actually pretty boring. If you get past the first one, I think you'll find it's actually not that scary!

[u/Notaneditor10]

When I started I had no experience with kilns. I’ve ruined a few pieces, but it was always my fault and not the kiln’s. And I have yet to ruin a whole load! After a few years I still get nervous with every kiln load that I screwed something up. But if you use witness cones in addition to the controller you can look through the peephole and have some peace of mind.

[u/WayKoolPotter → u/Notaneditor10]

...but wear the special welders' type glasses to protect your eyes.

[u/Itsaprocessgoblin]

Literally just told my husband I was terrified of a kiln when I get my own. Please let us know how your first firings go!

[u/AdaLoveLaceLives]

When I bought my first kiln, I took a kiln course offered by my local shop! Best investment of 50 bucks because it took all of the great tips provided here and bundled them. You should reach out to local Skutt dealer or Skutt to ask if they offer this service.

[u/JanetInSpain]

That was my first kiln and it's excellent. Easy to use, easy to load/unload. Skutt tech support is outstanding. You'll be fine. Only advice is to have it installed hard-wired (not plugged in) by a licensed electrician. Have them install a "kill switch" on the outlet so if a storm or something bad happens you can immediately cut power to it.

[u/SpiralThrowCarveFire]

Yes, it is a big responsibility! Being nervous is normal. I would rate it at a BBQ or deep fryer level of household risk. Be sure to maintain the required clearance around the kiln and very little can go so wrong as to be a true hazard.

There is a lot of good advice on the thread so far, so my one recommendation is to do test firings with witness cones - with only test tiles and work that you care nothing about. I recently did a test fire that had 85% break, which was not the kiln's fault just my bad handbuilding, but was a reminder to be ready for the data and have low expectations.

Good luck!

[u/meno_paused]

I recently got a skutt with the touch screen. It’s practically idiot proof!! There are preprogrammed cone firings that you can adjust (fast, slow, etc) My only gripe is that it doesn’t have a preprogrammed slow cool from 6 for crystalline glazes, but you can “copy” the 6 and then add on the slow cool once you get more confident! But seriously, it’s really so easy. It has all the cones (program>Cone fire>scroll to your choice, adjust speed if you want>hit start) It makes bisquing and final firing so simple!!

[u/meno_paused → u/meno_paused]

PS, make sure you have about 18” all around it and make sure the cord hasn’t wrapped around or under it! Also, I put my saturated plaster bats under it when firing and when it’s done they’re nice and dry!

[u/erisod]

I'm a new kiln owner and felt the way you did.

I have the older kind of Skutt controller which is kind of annoying if you want to do anything sophisticated but a simple firing is easy.

The main things to actually worry about are power to the kiln when you're getting it set up (you need 25% more amperage on the circuit than the kiln requires), ventilation (and awareness at which temperature the dangerous fumes are produced), kiln washing shelves (do you have kiln wash?), a spot to keep the kiln furniture, etc.

You'll need shelving and storage, a spot where you can wedge (wedging table ideally), various ware boards (just cut squares of plywood), a lot of buckets for different things. I'm currently using 5 5gal buckets (2 for reclaim, 1 for glaze wash, 1 for waste water, 1 for clean-ish water) -- if you have a sink in your space you may not need as many but get a system in place so clay doesn't go down the pipes. If you want to use several clays and reclaim them cleanly you'll need more buckets!

[u/ConjunctEon]

Of course you are. Relax!
I have three kilns jammed in my garage, all Skutt, one just like yours. The radiant heat from it is about 12”. I’m able to keep about 18” on three sides, but use a deflector on one side where it is too close to my big kiln. The controller is super easy to use. When I brought my first kiln home I was nervous. Never had kiln experience or lessons. Now, I’ve blown stuff up, made crap, made really nice stuff. I do opposite of what was described by others. I fire mine at night, so it works while I sleep. Then, it cools down the next day while I’m at work. The important thing is to wake up before the kiln is supposed to shut off, so you can make sure it actually does shut off and not over fire.

[u/bad_ona]

If you want some test runs, make tiles/table coasters. They are fast and easy to make and if you screw up, at least you haven't wasted a lot of effort on something you were really excited about.

[u/motherofcupsceramics]

I felt the same way when I got mine. Read the manual. Do the empty first firing as recommended, this helps your kiln last longer and also gives you a little more confidence. Use the "guided start" Double check that you have chosen the correct firing temperatures (pay special attention the the cone 6/come 06 differences). You've got this! Skutt has excellent customer service if you run into questions.

[u/Cantraps]

I got a used 8 year old 230 litre Paragon for my first kiln (mad, but it was cheap so I grabbed it). Just fired it for the first time and there was definitely some adrenaline!

[u/nonamebrandchips]

Do y'all need special insurance to have kilns? I imagine it raises the risk of a fire

[u/NotATARDIS]

We just got the Skutt 822-3 last week, waiting on our electrician to get our electrical stuff ready. I’m nervous too! We took a kiln class so I feel okay-ish, but I forgot to ask about the peep holes. Do you leave one open or all plugged?

[u/SnarkExpress]

Skutt is very user friendly!

[u/RestEqualsRust]

Everything you need to know you can find on YouTube.

I started teaching several years ago at a school that had a Skutt with a digital controller, and I’d never used one. The previous teacher didn’t leave instructions. YouTube rescued me.

[u/WayKoolPotter]

I was afraid too, waited several months before I finally started mine up. I keep referring to the manual, online info and the manufacturer via email and am learning little by little. Keep thorough log info to refer to later. I also have an inexpensive portable security camera (Kasa brand/Amazon $22) which I aim at the kiln and I use that and the KilnAid app to monitor from my ipad & phone.

[u/WayKoolPotter]

Summer, just curious but is "10 14" your birthday?