The new electric reduction kiln, The Fallonator

Someone kindly emailed me a link to The Fallonator - the new electric reduction kiln which I mentioned in yesterdays' blog. It uses electric for the actual firing and a small bottle of propane for reduction, along with a digital controller so the kiln can fire automatically and I gather, adjust the amount of reduction.

The Fallonator site doesn't mention the price of the kiln which I believe is available in sizes from 5 - 7 cu feet, but the the puttgarden site says it's $10,00 (probably for the 7cu ft one)- pretty pricy for a small electric kiln, even with the reduction apparatus. If you are already the owner of an electric kiln, you can get on the pre construction list for the $1500 gas reduction unit which they say is very easy to install on your existing electric kiln.

One of the sites mentioned that it's not to be used to do a full cone 10 reduction firing; but instead, is meant for firing down in reduction, yet the main Fallonator site I looked at this morning, doesn't say that. So, I don't know if there have been changes in the design lately which enables a full reduction firing or if the information on another site was erroneous; but if you're interested in this kiln, make sure you find out what if any limitations there are with the reduction firing.

Here are the two main links I found with pictures and information on the kiln and related products.

http://puttgarden.com/crystal/tech/Vendors/fallon/fallonator.html or
http://www.fallonator.com

A do it yourself, inexpensive way of doing the same thing, would be to just get a tiny burner (a small, weed burning torch available for about $50 or less from a place like Harbor Freight or similar, would work and it probably would come with the hose and connector for small propane tank), and set the burner securely in front the bottom peep by setting in for instance on and surrounded by some stacked bricks or concrete blocks to secure it enough, and introduce the gas when you want to reduce; and if you have an oxyprobe or similar, you can insert that in one of the middle or upper peeps and pretty well accomplish the same thing. The only thing it won't do is fire automatically; but you'd save over $1400. You'd probably have to get a top vent for the kiln or fire it under cover outdoors; but I'm assuming that you would have to do the same with their kiln, since it's not pictured with a top vent installed.

I don't know what elements are installed on the Fallonator. They mention heavy duty elements; but don't specify if they're any different than other well insulated cone 10 electric kilns, like my Skutt, which are currently on the market. So you might want to ask about those elements. There has to be a reason for that big price tag, so maybe they have some globar type or other new very expensive elements installed.

In the late 80's or early 90's I had a tiny burner made for my little cone 10 electric test kilns, by Nils Lou, which used the same principle. In that instance, I just drilled a small port under the kiln and placed the burner under the port.