Hello all,

I have a small enamel Hehlig front loading kiln which I bought as I specifically wanted to work with copper metal clay and wanted top quality solidly sintered results rather than using stove top methods etc. i also will use silver eventually but have done all in copper so far.

My max temperature according to the sticker on the kiln back and info I can find is about 940/960 degrees. So caution when I do work with silver as that is pretty much it’s melting point but no worries for copper. The kiln only has a dial numbered 1 to 10 for heat settings.

I did a lot of research and firing advice seems to be reducible to longer = stronger. I set my kiln at 4 for 20 minutes to ramp it then up to 8.5 for 1hr30, then turned off and let it cool for about 20 minutes.

I did my test firings like this and was very happy indeed with the results. Slim rods didn’t bend, all good and strong. Fired two more batches of copper items and again very pleased.

My issue is my electricity bill...!!!

After recovering from the shock I thought maybe I could cut down the length of firing time. Maybe ramp for 10/15 minutes then 8.5 or 9 for 45, so cutting my firing time in half. I will experiment, but I had it so perfect already ! So firstly, If anyone has any perspective and experience on this it would be most welcome.

Secondly, my significant other suggested a gas kiln instead of electricity. After a brief search online it seems to me that there is no such thing as a small gas kiln - they seem to be pretty big and ceramic orientated, which is different temperatures and a whole different world. It seems to me there is are reasons why jewellery making is with little electric kilns, if we could use small or even medium gas ones surely they would be out there? Am I missing something to do with temperature and controllability? Any information very welcome on this.

So hoping to hear some useful advice from those with more knowledge than me, in the interim will keep researching.

Alex.