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jsandrock

Mar 22, 2003, 6:07 AM

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Setting up an electric ceramics kiln in Mexico

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Greetings all -- part of my Mexico retirement fantasy is to have time to pursue a lifelong interest in ceramics -- which my stressful U.S. day job really doesn't permit me to do! I am wondering if any of you are also ceramics nuts, and have you experiences you can share with me regarding setting up a studio? I own an old Cress electric kiln which I've had for years and I could easily bring it down with all our furniture, but I'm wondering if the wiring problems will be so difficult that I'd be better off purchasing a new kiln down there that will come pre-wired for Mexico. A new kiln will set me back a couple thousand dollars so it's not something I want to do if I can use my old one! Are the plugs really different for kilns down there? Anyone have any ideas about this? Many thanks for any suggestions you all might have!

Thanks,
Jsandrock

Rolly

Mar 22, 2003, 6:38 AM

Post #2 of 10 (1193 views)

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Re: [jsandrock] Setting up an electric ceramics kiln in Mexico

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The electrical system in Mexico is basically the same as in the USA, so you should not have any compatibility problems.

Electrical rates in Mexico are high and are based on a three-tier billing system -- the more you use, the higher the rate. (For details look here: http://rollybrook.com/cost_of_living.htm Scroll down to the bottom of the page.) You will find it to your advantage to have a second meter installed just to supply your kiln. This will help keep the cost down somewhat. If your kiln operates on 220 volts, a second meter will almost surely be required because Mexican homes rarely have 220V service.

You might also consider finding a local ceramic factory that will allow you to place your material in their gas-fired kiln when they are doing a routine run. There are lots of small family-operated ceramics places in Mexico. I have a friend where I live that has such an operation, and he sometimes fires for local artists.

Rolly Pirate

E-visit me http://Rollybrook.com
On Facebook as Rolly Brook

(This post was edited by Rolly on Mar 22, 2003, 6:48 AM)

Esteban

Mar 22, 2003, 7:05 AM

Post #3 of 10 (1189 views)

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Re: [jsandrock] Setting up an electric ceramics kiln in Mexico

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Like Rolly says, the price of electricity is going up, up and up. I'd say that using gas would be much more efficient and less costly. With the fact that it's so easy to find a person to set brick, if you find a design, you could probably have your own kiln built very cheaply. Having the manifold for the gas part would be a snap too and inexpensive. Finding the firebrick that would sustain temps like you'd need for porcelin or other high fire stuff, might be a problem but with a little research, probably one that you could overcome. When I visited a small family run ceramic studio in Guanajuato, they were firing their wares with used motor oil as the fuel. Quite interesting. They dug the clay from pits on the property, threw the pots on old kick wheels and fired with the oil.

jennifer rose

Mar 22, 2003, 7:39 AM

Post #4 of 10 (1180 views)

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Re: [jsandrock] Setting up an electric ceramics kiln in Mexico

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You've received some great advice, but there's no simple, easy, hard & fast answer. Definitely electricity's going to cost you an arm and a leg, but then you could skimp on luxuries like food, hot water and television. Certainly, installing a second electric meter would be highly recommended. As Rolly indicated, wiring isn't going to be a problem.

Building your own kiln is one option, and so too is using someone else's kiln. But you may feel so comfortable with the predictability of your current kiln that the added electrical costs are peanuts in the greater scheme of things.

Are you going to get $.10 if you sell the kiln in the US? What size is it? What do you intend to fire in it? How frequently do you plan to use the kiln?

Where do you plan to live in Mexico? What are the firing opportunities where you plan to live?

Carol Schmidt

Mar 22, 2003, 1:34 PM

Post #5 of 10 (1159 views)

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Re: [jsandrock] Setting up an electric ceramics kiln in Mexico

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Lots of artists have their own ceramics studios in San Miguel, and I've gotten the impression from the ones I've talked to that they've had no problems with their electric kilns, though electricity is indeed costly. Some also take classes at the Instituto Allende so that they can use those kilns for their firing; I don't know the cost arrangements.

I bet you could find another ceramist to share kiln space with if you're going to an arts-centered area, though you probably don't want to count on that if you don't know for sure there is such a person where you are going.

I know that some of the rural ceramics factories do use all sorts of fuel for their kilns, which makes for hard-to-control temperatures, and thus hard-to-control glaze outcomes and safety factors in case you didn't get a high enough temp to take care of lead problems. Irregular temps can cause differences in size of bisque when you wanted to have a matched set and some pieces fired at different times and temps shrunk differently than others. Electricity is much more reliable.

And yet, we do often have power outages and brown-outs, more than in the States, which might mess up an entire load of greenware; refiring might not always solve the problem.

Don't know what to tell you, but maybe these ramblings help. I used to own a hobby ceramics store back in Michigan in a previous life and had one kiln (out of my five) I absolutely loved, so I know how you feel. I sold them for peanuts. You might luck out and be able to buy a used kiln from someone leaving the area or the craft when you get where you're going, but again, you can't count on that.

Carol Schmidt

raferguson

Mar 22, 2003, 3:46 PM

Post #6 of 10 (1147 views)

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Re: [jsandrock] Setting up an electric ceramics kiln in Mexico

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Another alternative would be to get a transformer to convert 110VAC to 220VAC. These kind of transformers are readily available, but remember that if the kiln uses 10 amps at 220V it will use 20 amps (or a bit more) on the 110VAC side of the transformer.

There should be a placard or something on the kiln that gives the power rating in watts or amps. If you had the information off the placard it would be easy to price the transformer. For example, a 5000 watt transformer would cost about $400. It could be cheaper to buy a transformer than rewire a house for 220V, and you could move the transformer when you moved from one house to another. However, some places might not have enough amps of electric service to support a kiln.

Mexicans are infamously casual about wiring, with safety and codes low on their list. However, wiring a transformer or high powered outlet of this type is not rocket science. You might consider bringing a socket with you that matches the plug on the kiln, as things like that may not be as easy to find in Mexico as they are in the USA.

Richard

http://www.fergusonsculpture.com

jsandrock

Mar 23, 2003, 7:54 PM

Post #7 of 10 (1122 views)

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Re: [jennifer rose] Setting up an electric ceramics kiln in Mexico

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Greetings all and thanks for your various suggestions! I will for sure take Richard Ferguson's suggestions on studying the panel AND I'll bring a socket with me -- BRILLIANT! and Carol you are right I love my old trusty kiln and know its idiosyncracies plus spending two grand on a new one when I'll probably get $300 for the old one tempts me to bring the old clunker down there. It's an old (allegedly) cone 10 Cress - I've only done low fire firings in it and it works fine! The problem with using someone else to fire stuff for me is that my work is extremely detailed and full of little extra decorative protruding elements --transporting it green to some other location would be really asking for disaster, though if I had to I am sure I could figure out a way.

My husband and I are hoping that we will both be able to retire and get down there within the year-- as soon as our house here in Santa Fe sells and we can pack up our cats & doggie and bail. We're thinking of Lake Chapala or San Miguel but I fear San Miguel will be too expensive for us -- I'd love to find a house to rent that had a funky little outbuilding of some kind where I could put this famous kiln and set up a studio. My work is extremely detailed and I take months to finish each piece so it's not like I'll be firing very often, so probably the electricity cost wouldn't be as bad as if I were doing more firings.

You all have been SOOOO helpful! Sounds like I will run into lots of ceramicists there -- can't wait!

Thanks again
Jillian Sandrock

jsandrock

Mar 30, 2003, 6:17 PM

Post #8 of 10 (1100 views)

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Re: [Carol Schmidt] Setting up an electric ceramics kiln in Mexico

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Hi Carol -- a quick follow up to your post... I am not sure where we will end up -- San Miguel perhaps (if we can afford it!) but also possibly Lake Chapala area -- I'm just guessing that if artists have kilns that somehow, somewhere, there are ceramics supply stores and I will be able to find clay, underglazes, tools, the same sort of stuff one buys at one's friendly local ceramics place here in the States. Is that a correct assumption? I am figuring not everyone is paying to send raw clay down by freight and paying by the pound! Or am I totally wrong?

thanks,

Jillian Sandrock

pat

Mar 31, 2003, 10:22 AM

Post #9 of 10 (1091 views)

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Re: [jsandrock] Setting up an electric ceramics kiln in Mexico

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thanks,

Jillian Sandrock

LOL, and all this time I thought you were two people, JS and Rock.

Pat

jsandrock

Mar 31, 2003, 10:53 AM

Post #10 of 10 (1086 views)

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Re: [pat] Setting up an electric ceramics kiln in Mexico

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With my house on the market and people tromping through it, a full time job (in the arts, which means sixty hours a week), a husband who just got "downsized" (partly why we are thinking seriously of giving up this rat race and retiring to Mexico) etc. etc. I SHOULD be two people!

Alas, however, I am just one!

I can't wait to get down there, though, all one of me!

Cheers,

Jillian Sandrock