Thor:

 

	I've purchased two old/used Trinkit Studio Kilns. Has any one else used one for metal clay --- Good points - Bad points - Cautions - Tip & Tricks?

If I'm understanding correctly, you're referring to a beehive style Ultralite kiln, yes? (Small round ceramic pot, metal lid with handle, no real buttons or anything...) If so, yes they work well for metal clay. 

Thor:

 

	One kiln that I am having delivered soon seems to have a ceramic cover over the coils. The other that I currently have has bare coils with a home made 7" metal disk over them with some enamels stuck to it. Is there some kind of shelf preparation needed or do you just plop a small medalian disk on the shelf?

You need to use a ceramic cover, like one of your kilns already has, if you're firing metal clay. A metal plate would be more suited for things like keumboo, granulation, or enamel (which sounds like it was part of your kiln's "past life"). You can buy clean round ceramic inserts as just about any metal clay supplier. Just search for "Ultralite accessories."

If you're firing a rounded or delicate object, it's best to nestle it into something supportive like vermiculite. You can buy that at metal clay suppliers too, or pick some up at a local garden store. Place a bit in a shallow unglazed terracotta dish, and you're set. 

[Make sure you fire the dish with vermiculite once on it's own first, just to make sure it's dry and in good condition before you go introducing metal clay into the picture.]

 
Also one of the metal suppliers, CoolTools, has general firing instructions for an Ultralite kiln on their website here. Hope all that helps. Good luck!
 

Thank you.  

Yes, these are beehive style  kilns.  Looks like a basic hot plate burner with a hemispherical dome. The interior plate surface is about 7 inches in diameter.    One half the dome is of a stationary ceramic material.  The other half of the dome is a hinged aluminum door with peep hole that can be raised to load and unload the interior. 

When I figure how to add photos of it/them I will.

Again thank you for your help.  Now I ll start to collect supplies and take that first plunge.

These are the photos of the open heating element wire Trinket Studio Kiln, Chicago.

Thanks for uploading the photos. What a cool looking old kiln!

 I'd definitely grab one of those ceramic inserts out on the market.
 And I'd probably run a cycle or two with either a pyrometer or some ceramic cones to see exactly what temperature you're working with.

Happy experimenting and good luck!