Nabertherm Kilns - Any Good?

[Barnacle Bay]

I just want to pick a few brains.

I am saving for a bigger kiln (I miss my old one now in kiln heaven), though I am primarily wanting it for dual purpose  (glass & clay) and have seen a Nabertherm Eco 45 litre Round top loader - just wondering if any one has one or tried one, and are they any good?

Thanks in advance 

Lou
x

[Zeldazog]

I don't know about that specific kiln, but my studio share pal has a Nabertherm kiln; its very well built, and works very well; I know how she is with large purchases, and she would have done lots of research before considering what to buy, so they must come highly rated.

Seeing as Kilncare sell Nabertherms, and I can't imagine Lee and the team putting their name to anything other than first class equipment, I think you can be assured that they are good.

[Barnacle Bay]

That is good news- thanks for that Dawn 

[theflyingbedstead]

I have one of these - they are very well built! If you want to use them for glass and ceramics then you will need to upgrade the controller, and Lee will be able to help with this 

[Lee - Kilncare]

I would say the best round top loaders available anywhere. That is why we sell em.
In fairness they are bloody good kit.

[Barnacle Bay]

Thanks all for all you widely good advice 

I do think this will be our next kiln        And take on board the kiln controller advice.  Just need to save some more pennies 

[Lee - Kilncare]

well if you decide that way, check us out for price, I believe we are the cheapest in the UK and for January we are also offering a free kiln furniture set with each Nabertherm top loader we sell.

[Barnacle Bay]

Thanks Lee & all - just doing a bit more research, I would deffinately have to upgrade the controller 

[Lee - Kilncare]

Yes, you will need the P300 and its £195 more.

[chas]

Yes, you will need the P300 and its £195 more.

I remembered this old thread...

Our Naberthern F110/P300 have performed well for 5 years but lately the controller has become erratic. Any user will know how nerve wracking that is - the last thing you need is an unreliable piece of kit when consigning your work.

Anyhow, as it seems to be a start problem, we enquired of Nabertherm if, should we get it started, we could at least rely on the controller to complete its programme and deliver the goods.

Their response?

Nothing. No advice. No apology. No on-site investigation. Effectively a demand that we replace the it for £499 through Warmglass who supplied the original.

Am I just unusually grumpy today, or is this a bit rich?

Chas.

[Lee - Kilncare]

Hi Chas, yes, there can be a certain arrogance from them and they can also be difficult to get action out of.

Thankfully we don't have a lot of problems with them but when we do we have to be on the ball or we end up covering the guarantee ourselves so as to continue with our customers care policy.

[chas]

Hi Lee, and thanks for responding... can you offer any reassurance from your experience of the P300 about 'work in progress'?

EG if we are able to start the programme (starting is the problem sometimes) is it likely that the nature of the controller is such that it will complete the programme?

Chas

[Lee - Kilncare]

Hi Chas. With programmers I am a little old school in that once a problem occurs I never trust them again.

Yes it could be something as simple as a faulty button or if it is software related it may be a completely different and separate part of the software than the part that runs the cycle...but what if it is something more sinister!!!

From our point of view we tend to swap a programmer if it does anything odd. The safe option I guess.

We haven't had a single P300 go faulty on us so I have no idea if yours is good to continue with or not I'm afraid. If it were mine I would be considering swapping it or monitoring each firing closely.

If there is a downside to Nabertherm then yes, the kit is very good stuff but in true German tradition the spare parts costs are absolutely horrendous. I guess they gotta make their money somewhere.

[chas]

Hi Lee and fully understand the safe option approach - when a piece takes hours or days in preparation and is consigned to the fiery furnace, you don't want anything as lame as an erratic programmer getting in the way.

This P300 has according to its log done a mere 3356 hours. By 'mere' I mean that at say 15 hours per firing it's only 224 firings over 5 years... not even one a week!

I haven't given up on Nabertherm doing the decent thing and replacing this unit. As I've said to them, they'd never sell another one if it came with the caveat that life expectancy was 224 firings.

Nabertherm Kilns - any good? - I'll report back!

Chas

[chas]

Well in the Spirit of Christmas, or the interests of Customer Relations, or maybe a mixture of both - guess what I've got: a free replacement P300 circuit board!

Thank you Nabertherm DE for listening, and thank you Veronica (Warmglass) and Geoff (Nabertherm UK) for brokering this tidy conclusion. Happy Christmas, Everyone!

Chas