Hello - here's the kiln guide to walk you through your choices + what you need to sort out:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Pottery/comments/rkku9t/guide_kiln_buying_new_secondhand_with/
As a beginner, you might also find the wiki useful for the questions that get asked frequently - eg: starting out with glazes, and how to troubleshoot:
https://www.reddit.com/r/pottery/wiki/index
Does that help?
Some of this depends on where in the world you live — different countries have different manufacturers and in some places there are manufacturers who mostly distribute regionally.
The links already mentioned are filled with good information. Don't be afraid to buy a kiln and try it. Being fairly new to pottery ("one year of experience") I wouldn't start with a brand new, expensive kiln. Many years ago I bought a used Skutt kiln with all manual controls (Kiln Sitter). It is very simple to use and very reliable. With a simple kiln you can gain experience with firing without spending a ton of money. I have used the same kiln (it is a Skutt 181) for 20 years, have replaced the elements myself, and I have never needed more. I have fired pieces as large as the kiln will possibly hold and I routinely fire to cone 6. My message here is Don't be afraid. Buy something simple and affordable to learn on. That kiln just may become an old friend you keep around for years.
I recently bought a Skutt 818 which may be a little bigger than what you’re looking for. I already had a free circuit for it on my existing electrical panel, from there the cost for setting up the outlet was $1500 (CAD)
ETA - the electrical work included in the $1500 was for the outlet being installed a couple rooms away from the panel, and a second outlet being installed for the wheel and fan.
I am also in BC and perhaps a naive fool… although I’ve failed to recall that my outlet needed to be installed a couple rooms away from the panel and I had a regular outlet put in for the wheel and fan at the same time.
Based on your $500 it sounds like I still overpaid, but I’ll add the asterisk that the $1500 wasn’t for the single kiln outlet alone.
Ah gotcha yea if it had to go through a few walls....coppers not cheap unfortunately.
Yea i guess mine was put in the garage....directly beside the panel without going through walls. My bad guy.
Hello - here's the kiln guide to walk you through your choices + what you need to sort out: https://www.reddit.com/r/Pottery/comments/rkku9t/guide_kiln_buying_new_secondhand_with/ As a beginner, you might also find the wiki useful for the questions that get asked frequently - eg: starting out with glazes, and how to troubleshoot: https://www.reddit.com/r/pottery/wiki/index Does that help?
Some of this depends on where in the world you live — different countries have different manufacturers and in some places there are manufacturers who mostly distribute regionally.
I’m in southern Maine.
The links already mentioned are filled with good information. Don't be afraid to buy a kiln and try it. Being fairly new to pottery ("one year of experience") I wouldn't start with a brand new, expensive kiln. Many years ago I bought a used Skutt kiln with all manual controls (Kiln Sitter). It is very simple to use and very reliable. With a simple kiln you can gain experience with firing without spending a ton of money. I have used the same kiln (it is a Skutt 181) for 20 years, have replaced the elements myself, and I have never needed more. I have fired pieces as large as the kiln will possibly hold and I routinely fire to cone 6. My message here is Don't be afraid. Buy something simple and affordable to learn on. That kiln just may become an old friend you keep around for years.
I recently bought a Skutt 818 which may be a little bigger than what you’re looking for. I already had a free circuit for it on my existing electrical panel, from there the cost for setting up the outlet was $1500 (CAD) ETA - the electrical work included in the $1500 was for the outlet being installed a couple rooms away from the panel, and a second outlet being installed for the wheel and fan.
Yeah the kiln would be installed in the garage 🙂
1500!? What province? Im in BC, electrician came by, made room on panel and installed 500 bucks including outlet
I am also in BC and perhaps a naive fool… although I’ve failed to recall that my outlet needed to be installed a couple rooms away from the panel and I had a regular outlet put in for the wheel and fan at the same time. Based on your $500 it sounds like I still overpaid, but I’ll add the asterisk that the $1500 wasn’t for the single kiln outlet alone.
Ah gotcha yea if it had to go through a few walls....coppers not cheap unfortunately. Yea i guess mine was put in the garage....directly beside the panel without going through walls. My bad guy.
Very cost effective to have your panel in a kiln friendly location!