SHOULD YOU BUY FROM A LOCAL DISTRIBUTOR?
It is always nice to buy from a local servicing distributor. They can offer advice, support and service. Unfortunately we do not have local distributors everywhere and they all vary in levels of support that you can expect. If you are comfortable with a local distributor - please - by all means use them. If you are not then feel free to buy direct from the factory. We do not offer factory discounts. The following are certain issues that you should carefully consider.

LIFTING AND SET UP
You must have two strong people available to unpack the kiln and lift the kiln sections. Typical weight of a Jupiter kiln section is no more than around 75 pounds. A T3400 section weighs about 150 pounds. Although set up is relatively easy you should have some mechanical aptitude.

SHIPPING ISSUES
Someone must be present to receive the kiln. Typically truckers will only deliver Monday through Friday. Arrangements can be made ahead of time to schedule shipment for a specific day. There is always the potential for shipping damage and you must be prepared to deal with that should it occur. We can help you by phone if there is shipping damage but we can’t do everything for you.

ELECTRICAL
You must have a qualified electrician check out or install your power and electrical hook up. It is important to be certain of your power (240 or 208 volts, single or three phase) and that you have enough amperage capacity to fire your kiln properly. You must know this before the kiln is ordered.

SERVICE
You must be willing to change elements yourself. With L&L Kilns (which have Dyna-Glow hard ceramic element holders) this is a lot easier to do than with competitors’ kilns. You don’t need to worry about damaging the fragile firebrick. The element terminals are straightforward stainless steel studs that the element ends twist around. No special tools are required. All service of the control box can be done easily by the factory because the control box unplugs from the kiln in 5 minutes and can be sent inexpensively back to the factory for quick expert service.

INSTRUCTIONS AND FIRING TECHNIQUE
You should be experienced in firing a kiln or have friends or associates who can help you. Our kiln instructions are detailed and extensive and we offer many helpful tips. However, we can only offer limited help with regard to firing technique and theory. This is the area, in particular, where you should evaluate your own competence. Don’t expect a local distributor to help you with all your questions and then not buy your equipment or supplies from them.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT
We are very good with telephone technical support and can usually help you with any control questions or basic troubleshooting questions. We cannot and do not offer on-site technical support nor do we pay for on-site support by a third party (like an electrician). Because 95% of kiln problems of a serious nature are in the control panel, our unique, easy-to-remove panel makes factory support possible in most cases. However, if you are the sort of person who needs someone to sit with you and take you step by step though the instructions you probably will want a local distributor of kilns to fulfill this function.