DH wants to use pyrolytic oven as kiln...

[Pollaidh]

The DC have made some clay sculptures in virtual art class. The things need baking, I understand. DH thinks we could put oven on (very hot) pyrolytic setting used to clean oven, and bake the sculptures in there.

AIBU to fear we could end up featuring on a future series of 9-1-1?

Yes: This is a bad idea.
No: Chill, it'll be fine.

Ooooh, I think it will be fine. You do it first

Google informs me that pyrolytic ovens don't come anywhere near the necessary temperature for that to be successful.

You can get new ovens quite cheaply nowadays.

I have no idea, but do let us know what happens.

I wouldn't think it would get hot enough, or for long enough?

"We"? If he wants to he heats the oven, takes the chance, cleans up, provides new oven.

No idea about clay type. It arrived in an unmarked bag.

Doesn't sustain the heat for long enough. It's only on for 2 hours and then it stops.

No way hot enough. It needs to go to 1000 celcius.

I guess there are two questions here - (1) will it actually bake (or whatever it's called) the clay? and (2) will the oven set on fire?

DH is an engineer and likes to fiddle. I wouldn't put it past him to try to override the timer and run the setting for as long as he thinks is needed.

Depends on the type of material he is using.
Polymer "clay" is a type of PVC and will harden ( not a true firing ( at lower teperatures- typically 275 degrees C. Higher than most domestic ovens, but some self cleaning ovens may have a setting to run this high.
A trues earth based clay made with natural material needs firing in a kiln- 800 degrees or more, no domestic oven operates at that temperature- he will need a kiln.

If your OH tries to run your oven at 8000- 1000C then yes you wil have a fire.
However fuses will blow, cables will melt long before he reaches these temperatures.

Get him some Play dough.

Pyrolytic ovens oven run for short periods to 400-500 degrees. Not high enough to fire clay.

Have you got good household insurance OP?

Could you make a brick shield inside the oven like on the Pottery Throw Down? ie clay item surrounded by bricks with brick on top (mini brick igloo with clay item inside) so oven protected if clay explodes. Or better idea- tweet Pottery Throw Down crying bloke & ask him!
I'd totally do this in someone else's oven but not my own...

Thank you for sending me down a rabbit hole of remembering pit / barrel firing and pot burnishing.

Create a outdoor kiln using an incinerator bin, sawdust, seaweed, drift wood and copper salts.... we did this at school when I was a kid & it was so much fun.

Clay came from the art teacher, unlabelled. I had no idea there were different types of clay. DC said it needed firing. Think I will check with art school. Now have fears of exploding clay sculptures added to a destroyed kitchen.

Given what you've all said, I think I'll put my foot down this time.

Polymer clay doesn't fire at 270c at all, you would be absolutely clicking on horrific toxic fumes at that temperature! It's much much lower depending on the brand and type. 80-120c.

As for clay. Even for a first fire to partially bake it ready for painting- a domestic pyro oven is not anywhere near hot enough. Again, depending on the type of clay it will need 800- 1200 for firing and glazing and that cycle is typically 12 m-18 hours long as they have to heat slowly and Cool very very slowly to prevent fractures and explosions.

A plug and play kiln can be night fire £350 second hand on eBay but he would be much better contacting a local pet studio and asking if they rent kiln space- anything they would likely want him to use a certain type of clay that fires to the same as their bisque and clay items. It's a very specific thing. Nowhere near as simple as " lets us a self cleaning oven ".

Oh. I wouldn’t. Mine runs at 600 for two hours but I would worry about a fire.

Sorry for the typos, juggling a baby and a bottle while typing.

Now have fears of toxic fumes too. Thanks fraggle!

My case is strengthening.

Friends of ours thought they could make good pizzas in their pyrolytic oven. Problem was that it locks until the temperature reduces below a certain level. So the pizzas shouldn't have been in for very long but were ash after 2 hours!!😂😂