7 Uses (Other Than Pottery) For Your Kiln: Part Two

In Part One of this series we discussed three alternative uses for your pottery kiln: baking, glass blowing, and lamp working. As always, you'll want to ensure that you're using the best ceramic coating kits to protect your kiln and the things you have inside of it. Here are four alternative uses of a kiln that expand beyond pottery.

Aging Materials For Art Projects

A kiln works for many different functions because it uses heat to enact certain chemical changes, especially dehydration. In this way, it can dry out any fluid-based elements in art materials. You can fire a kiln to age and weather painted wood or give paper a slightly charred look. As this does require putting wood and paper in dangerously high heat, you will want to experiment carefully with the temperature settings. Know beforehand what temperature you will need to get your aged or charred effect than proceed safely.

Sterilization

A standard pottery kiln can be used as a basic autoclave to sanitize items with high heats. There are plenty of items that can be sterilized in a kiln including food preparation supplies, metal instruments, and wood. As long as the dehydration process does not cause damage to the items, they can be sterilized in a kiln. A kiln protected with a ceramic coating kit is perfect for sterilizing unusually-shaped or outsized items that would be difficult to sanitize otherwise.

Knifemaking

In order to make knives, you need incredibly high temperatures to mold and solidify the metal. This goes not only for knives, but any objects made of metal. A kiln makes a great vessel for the task, as it contains the heat and proper high temp coatings will reflect the heat so it is concentrated on the knife.

Ceramics

This use may be the most similar to pottery, but the art form is quite different. Ceramics tend to be more delicate and require different techniques than those used in pottery. Kilns covered with a ceramic coating kit make a natural place to create ceramics, as the materials mimic one another. If you're using kiln elements during the process, just be sure to place any ceramics at least one inch away from the elements to keep the ceramics in the best shape possible.

If you've been itching to use your kiln for purposes other than pottery, now is your chance. Discover new passions, hobbies, and practical uses that you can complete with just your one kiln.