Dorman Smith kiln?

[Sandra]

Has anyone heard of Dorman Smith kilns? I was just offered one (for free) from someone who says it was in her garage when she bought her house. It is 1280mm high, 790mm wide, 800mm deep (external dimensions) and needs a 30 amp electricity supply.
I've searched on Google for Dorman Smith kilns but can't find any at all!

[TeeDee]

Hi Sandra,
The Dorman Smith I know of is a very long established company that supply mainly industrial switchgear and other electrical engineering equipment.
I've never heard that they produced kilns.
Are you sure that the kiln itself is branded by them or could it possibly be the branding of the switchgear fitted to the kiln?
Are you able to post any photos of it. Most electrical equipment will have a rating plate on it giving voltage/frequency/wattage(sometimes as Kw) etc. A close up may be helpful.
Are you using it for enamelling? and do you know what it was previously used for?
30 amps is akin to a shower or older style cooker supply so it is unlikely you will be able to operate it from an ordinary 13amp socket outlet. Do also check it is 1 phase not 3 phase. It is unlikely to be 3 phase but if it originates from an industrial setting it is just possible. (this is sometimes shown as 1~ or 3~)
Hope this helps
Tim

[Sandra]

Thanks Tim, I don't know the answer to any of your questions unfortunately. I put out a request for a used kiln and received an email from a lady containing the information I posted. I've done quite a bit of internet searching and find nothing for Dorman Smith Kilns! I think I'll ask her for a picture, though I hate to bother her too much as she is offering it for free.

[TeeDee]

No problem Sandra,
Not wishing talk you out of an opportunity for a freebie though, a couple of other things to consider.
1 - If it is older equipment the insulation may be part asbestos. Not a problem if all is in good order but do check for damage to the casing and door seal (if fitted)
2 - It sounds quite large (bigger than a dishwasher) if you do accept it and find you don't want it, will you pay tipping charges to dispose of it especially if asbestos is present? Rules and prices vary from tip to tip.

Tim

[Sandra]

I was sent a couple pics of the kiln today, does anyone know anything about it? I haven't a clue about kilns! I think it's actually probably too large for anything I'd need.
Attachment 6281Attachment 6282

[EmmaC]

I only have minimal experience of kilns but I guess the main question to ask in addition to those above is does it still work, have they actually tried it? If it's been sat disused then avoid heating it to the maximum straight off, I think it can damage the insulation. Mine says if you leave it unused for a bit heat it to around 200 degrees C to drive off any moisture, if it's got a vent leave it open, before starting to try and ramp it up to higher temperatures. If it's that old it may be hard to get replacement elements and other bits if they're gone.
I bought a small kiln for enamelling but of course now I wish I'd gone slightly bigger as I want to sinter metal clay and have to do it in a sintering box, so if you are looking then I'd say err on the side of getting the largest you can because you don't know where you might progress to in future. If I ever want to try ceramics the most I can fire in mine is a pair of egg cups