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Nils Lou, Author of The Art of Firing writes: “The Fireball Oxyprobe opens a window into the kiln allowing precise adjustments to be made in temperature and atmosphere control”. The Spring 1999 issue of "Pottery Making Illustrated" contains an article about Oxyprobes featuring the Axner Fireball Oxyprobe. The September 2002 issue of "Ceramics Monthly" features an excellent article about Oxyprobes! |
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Consistent Beautiful Results from Every Firing Every experienced reduction potter has opened their kiln one time to find gorgeous glazes and another time to find the glazes flat or lifeless. The difference can usually be attributed to how the kiln reduces. Yet it is impossible to get a good reading of the reduction in a kiln by simply looking at the back-pressure or other traditional methods used by art potters. The Fireball Oxyprobe identifies precise combustion atmospherics no matter what other variable conditions are present. For instance, when the weather is clear and the barometer indicates high pressure there is more oxygen available to the burners. If you set the available air to the same physical setting each time, i.e., a primary air flap or electronic control, you may be varying the oxygen/fuel ratio by 20% or more relative to the air available when it is stormy and the barometric pressure is low. Many potters note that they get “better reduction” in stormy weather. What actually is happening is they are simply using the same settings for their burners and getting less oxygen. When you have the Fireball Oxyprobe you adjust burners to the atmospheric indication on the digital meter; a specific reading desired for your firing— you get repeatability! Cut Your Fuel Bill The Fireball Oxyprobe is a precision instrument designed to improve the firings in fuel-fired kilns. The Fireball Oxyprobe will likely pay for itself in fuel savings alone because it will indicate precise neutral combustion in the firing atmosphere which is the most efficient firing condition using the least fuel for maximum heat rise. Whether you are firing high-fire reduction, oxidation whiteware or medium fire there are periods in the firing when neither reduction nor oxidation is required—just efficient combustion and maximum heat advance is desired. It is not unusual for savings of 25% or more in fuel consumption when using the Fireball Oxyprobe. Reduce Pollution Along the way you should note what your kiln looks like when it is firing properly. For one thing, you will not be producing black smoke and soot. It is interesting how many potters believe they have to have black smoke to indicate heavy reduction. Nothing could be further from the truth! Soot and smoke reduce reduction effects because free carbon interferes with the production of CO (carbon monoxide) and hydrogen—both desirable for reduction and produced when the oxygen/fuel ratio is slightly unbalanced in favor of fuel. As soon as there is so much excess fuel that free carbon is produced CO and hydrogen production is almost eliminated and reduction ceases. The Axner Oxyprobe can actually demonstrate this for you. Most importantly, besides not improving reduction, smoke and soot simply mean that fuel is being wasted, and probably there is little or no heat rise taking place. |
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| Note: Recent price change due to a significant increase in the cost of platinum and rhodium metals used. |
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