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I'm buying my first kiln and have a question about placement. We've asked every dealer we've talked to, and they all say that you can place it wherever you want as long as you leave about 18" clearance around the kiln from anything flammable. The garage, where we've decided to put the kiln, has two parked classic cars. These cars have had a lot of body work done but do not run, so they will be in the garage while the kiln is firing. Now, just for one last check, does anyone see any problems with putting the kiln in the garage with the cars but with a few feet on either side? Any damage at all to the cars is not an option.

Thanks,
Stephanie

Just watch for those pesky gas fumes. Rebuilt two garages so far for guys who used gas for cleaners.

Clifford Ross wrote:Just watch for those pesky gas fumes. Rebuilt two garages so far for guys who used gas for cleaners.

D'accord. Except for the cars exploding, you're all set.

Seriously, that is a slight consideration.

Insurance companies often have a hard time with kilns. Have you asked them...or maybe you don't want to.
I might be concerned with any dusts that might be derived from your kiln activities. Generally they tend to be tough/hard materials compared to car paint so you might have to be careful cleaning them to avoid scratches to the paint finish.
Kevin

Okay, Stephanie, you're not getting away without mentioning what KIND of classic cars...

Yeah, I own one, too--a Porsche 356SC :biggrin:

Stephanie, for a year I had a kiln about eight feet away from my car and didn't have any problems. Fumes is something to be concerned about weather they are from gas or lacquer thinner or paint reducer. If you're worried about the fumes, open the doors for a while before you begin firing. Make sure the cars are not leaking gas and keep the cans of flammable liquid as far as possible from your kiln.

Are they working on these cars that are in the garage or are the cars just being stored there? Body work makes a ton of dust, over spray also goes EVERYWHERE. I would be more concerned about dust from the cars contaminating the glass work. The dust from kiln wash and fiber paper may find it's way onto the cars but they can be covered. If you're tidy you can keep the dust to a minimum.

Like Daffodildeb, I'm curious too, what KIND of cars.

http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/74dodg ... /my_photos

Randy

What sort of kiln are we talking about here? My huge one throws off a bunch of heat and makes the studio quite hot. Most importantly, what is the current progress of the cars? Are they already in paint? If so, and the kiln is a very large one that throws a bunch of heat, I would say find someplace to wire it. I KNOW I would never be allowed to have my kiln (hot!) next to the finished 35 Ford Slantback . . . or the others that have lived here - the 55 Chevy, The 36 Ford Pick-up with the beautiful wood bed, the 56 Chevy pick-up, the 52 Henry-J, ummmm there are probably more that I don't remember, but I know once they are in paint your husband won't like it much. Mine says the paint may bubble or become soft or the clear-coat will do something bad - I don't remember what, but no goodie-goodie whatever it was.

Hope that helps - if you have specific questions I'll be happy to ask for you.

Jackie

To answer a few questions:

I'm buying either a skutt 814 or 1014, so about a 22" (inside) kiln. The cars are late 50's...one's a jaguar and one's an MG. Both have finished body work and beautiful paint jobs that I don't want to risk. Neither of them get a lot of attention currently. The MG runs, but only starts up about once a week and generally isn't taken out of the garage. Just started up to let the engine run. The Jaguar is just waiting for a few years until someone can have time for it. Overall, no major work is being done on the cars. Their bodies are finished and they are both sort of being stored for the time being. Since it's a garage, I can (and will, probably) open up the door while firing the kiln. I'm in California, so I'm not terribly worried about any weather effects. There isn't anything flammable lying around, with the exception of a tiny bit of gas in the MG. If I use fiber paper or anything abrasive I'll open the door.

I wouldn't worry with a kiln that size. You should be fine - but it wouldn't hurt to open the door if it gets really hot in there while your firing.

Jackie

Stephanie--thanks for telling me what cars you have. You need to get 'em out more! BTW, this is OT for glass, but starting the car up and NOT driving it is about the worst thing you can do for an engine. Either let it sit, or make it move--at least enough to warm the engine and burn out the condensation. You can turn the engine over without starting, if you want to keep the oil circulating--just crank a few times, maybe with the coil disconnected. As for the Jag, just send it to me--I'll find time for it!

It doesn't sound like there's a problem, as long as the cars are covered well. If you're really worried, and have the bucks, get those inflatable car balloons!

Hey Rand y - - - - are you Starsky or Hutch?
Nice wheels,man.

I have an evenheat coffin and a jen-ken 23" in the corner of my garage probably 10 feet from where I park our two cars. I decided before I even located the kilns there (I didn't have any other choice) that I would never run the kilns with the cars in the garage. There is nothing flammable within 8 feet of either kiln (I got a steel rack to store kilnwash and stainless molds) but you gotta rememeber that a full kiln running at 1500 degrees has a lot of energy - and you have to respect that.

Electric kilns are generally safe (gas fired kilns pull a draft), but it doesn't take much to create a nightmare.

This seems obvious, but make sure you have a rated fire-extinquisher within easy reach.

Andy

Boy was this a timely post. I have been doing stained glass for years and was always curious about glass fusing. About a month ago a "friend " gave me an ancient 110 kiln. I purchased a pyrometer and a infinite switch and started experimenting. Last Sat. things were going along rather smoothly until I smelled something funny. I went to the garage and it was filled with thick black smoke, the infinite switch had vaporized and what was left was smoldering. Luckily the only thing destroyed was the switch, of course it'll take awhile to get the soot cleaned up and the garage repainted. Of course there is that thing about the divorce lawyer