Re: *ClayCraft* Digest for claycraft@googlegroups.com - 2 Messages in 1 Topic

[Louis Katz]

I would expect it to work. Rather than using brick I would suggest an old electric kiln as the upper chamber.
Trimmed some teabowls this evening. First pots in a long while. I am enjoying my videos, but it is a different sort of enjoyment.
Louis
SoHoTexas
If someone ever wants to nominate you to be speaker of a faculty senate. Oy!

---

From: "clay...@googlegroups.com" <clay...@googlegroups.com>
To: Digest Recipients <clay...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Mon, October 10, 2011 1:35:50 PM
Subject: *ClayCraft* Digest for clay...@googlegroups.com - 2 Messages in 1 Topic

  Today's Topic Summary

Group: http://groups.google.com/group/claycraft/topics

• Olympic Torchbearer [2 Updates]

 Topic: Olympic Torchbearer

claylady86 <bsta...@chartermi.net> Oct 09 12:40PM -0700 ^

 
Lee, I understand what you are saying. However, with vent holes in the
wall to allow the flame to flow through to the chimney outlet,
wouldn't there also be heat accumulating as well? Seems to me that
your suggestion of another use of these bricks would be more prudent
and not chancy considerting all the work involved. However if you are
in the experimental mode and have a lot of energy to put into the
project, then it might be a good test of your theory, maybe making one
on a smaller scale.
 
As for the two chambered kiln at the Folk School, I don't remember the
actual design elements. Tracy Dotson designed this kiln at my request
and specifications, including a gas feed to have the overnight
candling to assist completing the firing in the time periods alloted
to the classes - one week plus a weekend. What was amazing was that
the Elderhostel students, all over 60, built this kiln with eagerness
and amazing energy. Many of the components of the kiln were donated by
local businesses including the pallet wood for firing.
 
Keep us informed as to your findings.
 
Bonnie
 
 


 

Lee <tog...@gmail.com> Oct 09 03:11PM -0500 ^

 
> in the experimental mode and have a lot of energy to put into the
> project, then it might be a good test of your theory, maybe making one
> on a smaller scale.--
 
Torchbearers are cylindrecal, like electric kilns. It would be out
the exit at the top. You could control the temp easily with passive
dampers and also by dampering the hole at the top. Probably, an
extension ring and second top would be the best way to go.
 
The 1620s would be good on the outside of a kiln. Like I said,
I may line them with fiber and make a small raku kiln. I have a MR759
 
 
 
--
 
 "Ta tIr na n-óg ar chul an tI—tIr dlainn trina chéile"—that is, "The
land of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent
within itself." -- John O'Donohue


 

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[Paul Herman]

Hey Lee,

Yeah, I would expect it to work fine, right up until the point where your bisque chamber gets hot enough, and the glaze chamber is NOT hot enough. Then you need a way to cut off the heat to the second chamber. What are you going to to do then?

There needs to be a way to divert the excess heat from going to the bisque chamber, IMHO.

Louis, I think you are caught in the conundrum of Death by Committee, dude.

Good firings,

Paul Herman

Great Basin Pottery

Doyle, California US

www.greatbasinpottery.com/

[clay pots]

From the 2 modest firings I had with my Torchbearer I think I may have found out why they use the"baffle inside the kiln to cover the exit flue on top. When I had a pot that was exposed with  (it was a small square plate) that had the corner of the plate exposed through the hole,so you could see it by looking into the flue,) the edge was totally devoid of glaze and a little oxidized, rendering it not so nice and consequently maybe a second in some people's minds.

So if you cover that wide hole with the baffle closing the hole somewhat from the interior maybe that problem wouldn't exist(the flame would find it's way around that and not burn the glaze off of it) and more of a reduction atomoshere would prevail,not sure but that's the impression I got.

I guess the only issue is that you have to have the twin kiln shelves at the same height to make it easy to set up the baffle or close enough so you could use possibly like a 3 inch post and a 5 inch post something like that to make it level inside.hard to explain but there it is.

Craig

[Lee]

On Mon, Oct 10, 2011 at 9:52 PM, Paul Herman <potte...@frontiernet.net> wrote:
> Hey Lee,
> Yeah, I would expect it to work fine, right up until the point where your
> bisque chamber gets hot enough, and the glaze chamber is NOT hot enough.
> Then you need a way to cut off the heat to the second chamber. What are you
> going to to do then?

Thanks Louis and Paul,

Paul, I mentioned using passive dampers earlier. It would
be a way to regulate heat in the second chamber.

I am guessing that the second chamber would help even out the
glaze chamber. It would be worth testing, firing the second chamber
empty.

--
 Lee 李 Love in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/

[craig edwards]

Lee: Is your kiln firing now?
Make Good Pots
Ii touki o tsukurimasho
~Craig
New London MN
http://woodfiredpottery.blogspot.com/

[Lee]

I am putting in a floor for the kiln shed right now. Trying to find
a plumber to put the gasline out. to the shed.

--

[Neon-Cat]

Maybe a side-by-side, Lee?
Or you could even have two flue exit options, one for bisque, one for raku maybe.

Check out this example:
http://www.sidestoke.com/Marquez/Index.html
(has diagram example at bottom of page)

The MK Kiln is an example of an environmentally sound brick kiln developed by New Mexico State University researcher Antonio Lara and alumnus Roberto Marquez you might adapt. His designs for the MK Kiln save at least 50 percent of the fuel, take less firing time and use less labor.

Marquez bio and more info:
http://www.virginia.edu/insideuva/2004/05/marquez_robert.html
http://www.lanl.gov/news/reflections/0200.pdf

Marian
Neon-Cat

[Lee]

On Tue, Oct 11, 2011 at 5:44 PM, Neon-Cat <neo...@flash.net> wrote:
> Maybe a side-by-side, Lee?
> Or you could even have two flue exit options, one for bisque, one for raku maybe.
>

No flue on the Torchbearer. Just an exit out the top. That is why a
top chamber is intriguing. And simple.

[Lee]

Just finished a firing in my torchbearer.   Got cone 11 flat in the middle.    I love this kiln!

--
 Lee 李 Love in Longfellow,Minneapolis, MN USA

[Neon-Cat]

Lee, I'd love to see photos when you have time. I'm still working steadily on a book -- a few good high-fired pieces would gladden my heart. An occasional Claycraft post is nice:>)   Marian Neoncat --- On Wed, 4/10/13, Lee <tog...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Lee]

On Wed, Apr 10, 2013 at 5:10 PM, Neon-Cat <neo...@flash.net> wrote:

Lee, I'd love to see photos when you have time. I'm still working steadily on a book -- a few good high-fired pieces would gladden my heart. An occasional Claycraft post is nice:>)

Hi NeonCat! 

Photos of the kiln?    

 I want to build a small soda kiln.  Something that will hold about 9 teabowls.    I have low temp soft brick and soda/salt shelves from Warren MacKenzie's old salt kiln.     I thought I could maybe use the shelves as the inner walks and the 1620*F softbrick as the outer walls.    I could do hikidashi (take the pots out of the kiln at high temp) and raku out of it too.   Fire it with my Ward raku burner (eventually change it from LPG to Natural Gas.)

[Neon-Cat]

Sure, kiln pics would be wonderful, Lee -- but I wanted to see a pot or pretty bowl or something...   Been researching and typing all day for months and months -- black & white can be visually kind of dull in excess. The ideas are wildly exciting and mind-bending though...   I was thinking of Eva Zeisel today - her celebration of and love for beauty.   Marian

--- On Wed, 4/10/13, Lee <tog...@gmail.com> wrote:

From: Lee <tog...@gmail.com> Subject: Re: *ClayCraft* Torchbearer Kiln To: clay...@googlegroups.com

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[Lee]

Here is some stuff at Northern Clay Center:

http://store.northernclaycenter.org/ceramics-artists-of-the-month-lee-love

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