Sasukenei Smokeless Kiln Results
Jesse
and firing Kusakabe's sasukenei smokeless kiln. A little about me:
bitten by the claybug about 5 years ago when my now-wife invited me to
join a class at the Portland Pottery Studio. Fell in love with
throwing clay, and then with woodfired pots with natural ash glaze
thanks to the exposure of Jody Johnstone's work from her anagama in
Swanville, ME, and countless hours gazing at images of Japanese
teawares in the Bizen, Shigaraki, and Iga traditions. Sought out
firings at various kilns; anagama at Corning Community College, train
and catenary at Watershed, Tim Cihocki's groundhog in Norridgewok.
Settled in Sweden, Maine in the foothills of the White Mtns and
started acquiring materials for constructing my own kiln. Received
generosity with some free SiCa shelves, scrounged used salt-fired
bricks, and others donated to my cause. Bought a pallet of new hi-
dutys. Settled on Kusakabe's design because I liked firing the train
at Watershed, but didn't like the loading position. The flexiblity of
the kiln interested me, with it's moveable bagwall and because you can
incorporate side-stoking holes anywhere down the length of the ware
chamber, and I like those ember-bed effects. With neighbors sharing
our field, the smokeless aspect seemed like a plus too.
Building the kiln started with a large hole I filled with 2" crushed
stone, leveled with sand and drylaid two levels of brick for the
floor. It took me a summer into October to finish the kiln and
shed. I used all recycled brick for the kiln except flues and the
ware chamber arch; about 2500.
I used softbrick for outer layers of the ware chamber walls and arch.
Fireclay/sand mortar was used throughout. Many helped clean used
bricks-thanks! A couple changes- I didn't do the "dancing flame"
drop down bricks in the arch, and I tapered my chimney from 13" square
to 9" square interior dims at around 10' up. Besides that I followed
the illustrations in the book, 'Japanese Woodfired Ceramics' by
Lancet and Kusakabe- thanks guys!
My first firing was a low- temp one, bisqueing some highfire pieces
for upcoming firings and singlefiring some local earthenware
planters. 18 hours total time, and surprisingly little wood used,
maybe 1/3 of a cord. Interesting results with plenty of tonal
variations on much of the work. The kiln was still warm when I
reloaded for number two. This one went 40 hours, with plenty of
preheat time since there was lots of greenware. 5 different
claybodies, S. Ice, a couple 'dirty' porcelains, and some iron rich
stoneware. I had some helpers assist getting to temp, but did the
soak solo for about 12 hrs ending with c12 flat in front and c10 down
in back, pyro peaking at around 2375. Lots of salt fumes coming off
all the used brick- phew! But look ma, no smoke! The bourry did its
thing, it was eerie not seeing any smoke come out after a stoke. Just
a little wisp now and then, and a teeny whiskey flame in the night. I
didn't do much sidestoking, wanted to see how much natural variation
there would be in temp front to back. Used a little over a cord of
pine, spruce, and random hardwood.
After a 3 day cool down, unloaded and the results exceeded my
expections. I've fired a kiln for the first time before, so I knew
not to get my hopes up, but things turned out good. Lots of liquid
ash runs in the front half, and great flashing throughout. I'm sure
the residual salt from the used bricks had something to do with the
color- deep reds on much of the porcelains. The way that the wood
burns above much of the ware on the grate really sprays ash down onto
the pots- a few got too much ash and stuck to the floor and shelves-
better loading next time.
Some construction pics can be viewed here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41125745@N00/
and I'll be posting some more shots of the completed kiln and the work
in the next couple days. I'll also document my next firing, another
low temp one, that I hope to do next week. The kiln is almost full
again and the shed is loaded with wood.
Take care, make pots--------Jesse
gary navarre
Would be nice to see more of the firing but I got quite a kick out of the Maple syrup boiler and the camper top in case of rain. Reminds me of some of my pal Peter Hayes' early boiler pans...
http://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/mup/msidup/ob001.html
...that developed into quite an operation...
http://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/mup/msidup/
... until the last time they boiled and the Havalonian Pipe Line froze up stopping the flow of sap so the pan got burnt. Zach said he was gonna try fixing it but Peter is on an adventure to Patagonia and I'm concentrating on making pots for a test fire of the Hobagama this spring so I won't be tapping any trees this year. I'm thinkin if I can get rich with this wood fired pottery racket I can buy my own 25 gal. mini-flue pan and become a gentile-man Maple Syrup Farmer and Exotic Essential Oils Distiller.
I suppose one of the ways to get rich at this kiln building is to make it smokeless, be able to reduce where wanted, and develop ash caked to clean surfaces with a reasonable amount of fuel in a couple days. Do you think tapering the stack from 13x13 to 9x9 added anything to improving the smokeless goal? My feeling is yes but I can't do any math yet.
Kinda neat arch over the main stoke hole on the Bourry but something about the position reminds me of the pizza ovens. By putting the hole along the top edge you will be able to completely fill the box with wood and not have to stoke as often, which is why it is also called an automatic stoking firebox, it can feed itself for a long time. Also, unless a lot of the fuel is odd looking chunks, removing some of the grate bars will allow more gases into the secondary air flow into the chamber. I prefer setting in hobs and cutting fuel to length. Looks like you got a keeper though so stay in there eh!
Gary Navarre
Navarre Pottery
Navarre Enterprises
Norway, Michigan, USA
http://www.youtube.com/GindaUP
http://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/
--- On Sat, 2/21/09, Jesse <stes...@hotmail.com> wrote:
Jesse
couple of the grate bars to allow a bit more air flow through the
firebox. I'm burning cordwood-sized chunks of wood for fuel, 2"-6"
diameter typically, so I don't have to worry so much about smaller
unburnt pieces falling through the grate. I never had to do any
fooling with the secondary air ports, there was never too big a coal
bed in front of the entry flues during the firing, which I've read can
be an issue with bourry fireboxes. I put the mini arch over the main
stokehole because I had the wedge bricks to do it and lacked longer
bricks to span the gap, plus I think it looks neat. In rereading the
drawings in Kusakabe's book, it does seem like there's a little
inconsistency in the firebox measurement- one drawing, the more
detailed, shows the firebox to be two and a half bricks long
internally, and a second one shows three bricks long.....Also there's
some photos online depicting the 'Fantastic Fire' Mashiko workshop
where K. builds another version of this kiln where the proportions
show a larger firebox as well. I built the smaller dimension, and it
seemed to work out well enough, but were I to do it again, I'd
probably go a little bigger with the firebox, either in width or
length. I fired with the active dampers wide open throughout, and had
one passive open up to the soak phase. Lots of things to try in the
year to come.....Jesse
Mike
I noticed from browsing through your pictures that your kiln building
crew is all female. This is something I would like to aspire to. What's
your secret?
Beautiful kiln, very much looking forward to seeing the firing pictures...
Thanks,
Mike
Mike
in Taku, Japan
www.karatsupots.com
karatsupots.etsy.com
karatsupots.blogspot.com
blogs.yahoo.co.jp/karatsupots
Jesse ????????:
Lee
>
> Hi Jesse,
>
> I noticed from browsing through your pictures that your kiln building
> crew is all female. This is something I would like to aspire to. What's
> your secret?
I noticed too. Maybe Jesse could run a workshop for us?
> Beautiful kiln, very much looking forward to seeing the firing >pictures...
I am looking forward to them too. Happy to hear it is actually smokeless.
--
Lee Love in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/
"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a
faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant
and has forgotten the gift." -- Albert Einstein
Jesse
the ladies just take better pictures..:)
That photo doesn't capture the literal swarms of blackflies that
assailed us Memorial Day weekend. And the kiln does make some smoke
in the preheat phase before starting the fire in the bourry and
getting up to 500 F. I also used the chamber as an actual
smokehouse for the products of two pigs I raised last year. Sealed off
the ware chamber, little coalbed and much apple and oak sawdust.
Mmmm bacon.
HAMBONE
conceptually came out of Australia quite a few years ago. It has a
very tall ware chamber with a steep downdraft and get more reduction
than you would think possible in a smokeless kiln. I went up there a
couple of times. These kilns, hers, and Kusakabes' both have oversized
fire box and stack - basically the idea is to concentrate the fly ash
and firebox proximity effects - the size of the bourry box and stack
could accomodate a much larger kiln so we really aren't talking
efficiency here but rather woodfire aesthetic. She had all the
blueprints and bricks but ran short on time to build the kiln so she
hired Donovan. He had some background on this type of project and the
final tweak was climbing up the ladder on the stack with the kiln
firing (sounds risky?) and adding course by course until the smokeless
effect was perfected. She said it has to do with the exact proportions
& the stack height has to be individually calculated with each kiln
design. The whole thing was built inside the shed, so pics are pretty
useless.
H A N S E N
Eric Hansen, artist potter
Stone House Studio
Alexandria, Virginia
americanpotter.blogspot.com
On Feb 22, 6:58 am, gary navarre <navarreenterpri...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hay Jesse,
>
> Would be nice to see more of the firing but I got quite a kick out of the Maple syrup boiler and the camper top in case of rain. Reminds me of some of my pal Peter Hayes' early boiler pans...
>
> http://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/mup/msidup/ob001.html
>
> ...that developed into quite an operation...
>
> http://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/mup/msidup/
>
> ... until the last time they boiled and the Havalonian Pipe Line froze up stopping the flow of sap so the pan got burnt. Zach said he was gonna try fixing it but Peter is on an adventure to Patagonia and I'm concentrating on making pots for a test fire of the Hobagama this spring so I won't be tapping any trees this year. I'm thinkin if I can get rich with this wood fired pottery racket I can buy my own 25 gal. mini-flue pan and become a gentile-man Maple Syrup Farmer and Exotic Essential Oils Distiller.
>
> I suppose one of the ways to get rich at this kiln building is to make it smokeless, be able to reduce where wanted, and develop ash caked to clean surfaces with a reasonable amount of fuel in a couple days. Do you think tapering the stack from 13x13 to 9x9 added anything to improving the smokeless goal? My feeling is yes but I can't do any math yet.
>
> Kinda neat arch over the main stoke hole on the Bourry but something about the position reminds me of the pizza ovens. By putting the hole along the top edge you will be able to completely fill the box with wood and not have to stoke as often, which is why it is also called an automatic stoking firebox, it can feed itself for a long time. Also, unless a lot of the fuel is odd looking chunks, removing some of the grate bars will allow more gases into the secondary air flow into the chamber. I prefer setting in hobs and cutting fuel to length. Looks like you got a keeper though so stay in there eh!
>
> Gary Navarre
> Navarre Pottery
> Navarre Enterprises
>
> --- On Sat, 2/21/09, Jesse <stess...@hotmail.com> wrote:
Lee
Drawings are even better:
http://claymaven.com/Albums/sheehan_drawings/
Mike
I thought long and hard about building that kiln design, and I'm glad
you've had such fine results. I was a bit concerned that it wouldn't
give me the results I need regarding traditional Karatsu type work, and
in the end decided to build an anagama/split bamboo nobori with an
additional single nobori chamber at the rear which will be fired
separately on occasion. It will have a very tall chimney, which will
hopefully reduce some of the smoke, though probably not as much as a
bourry box. With neighbors close by, this was really a point of concern,
but after speaking to all the neighbors, everyone seems cool with it.
Perhaps if the smoke seems excessive, a burner can be stuck in the base
of the chimney to burn out the carbon exiting the kiln.
Our own Craig Edwards will be coming over to Japan to oversee the
building of this kiln, and I'm planning to make a workshop of it,
inviting people from overseas and locals as well. In addition to the
kiln building there will be demonstrations/discussions planned as well.
Want it to be a good opportunity for cultural exchange, not to mention
pottery knowledge exchange. Saga is really steeped in ceramic history,
and there are many fascinating places to visit.
This will all be happening in the fall of 2010, probably October. In the
next few months I'll be putting the details together and will send out
additional info to any interested folks. If you've ever wanted to visit
or re-visit Japan, this will be an ideal opportunity!
Mike
in Taku, Japan
www.karatsupots.com
karatsupots.etsy.com
karatsupots.blogspot.com
blogs.yahoo.co.jp/karatsupots
Jesse ????????:
Hank Murrow
On Feb 23, 2009, at 4:51 PM, Mike wrote:
>
> I thought long and hard about building that kiln design, and I'm glad
> you've had such fine results. I was a bit concerned that it wouldn't
> give me the results I need regarding traditional Karatsu type work,
> and
> in the end decided to build an anagama/split bamboo nobori with an
> additional single nobori chamber at the rear which will be fired
> separately on occasion. It will have a very tall chimney, which will
> hopefully reduce some of the smoke, though probably not as much as a
> bourry box. With neighbors close by, this was really a point of
> concern,
> but after speaking to all the neighbors, everyone seems cool with it.
> Perhaps if the smoke seems excessive, a burner can be stuck in the
> base
> of the chimney to burn out the carbon exiting the kiln.
An excited Hank replies:
Plus you can use it for smoking meat and fish!
>
> Our own Craig Edwards will be coming over to Japan to oversee the
> building of this kiln, and I'm planning to make a workshop of it,
> inviting people from overseas and locals as well. In addition to the
> kiln building there will be demonstrations/discussions planned as
> well.
> Want it to be a good opportunity for cultural exchange, not to mention
> pottery knowledge exchange. Saga is really steeped in ceramic history,
> and there are many fascinating places to visit.
>
> This will all be happening in the fall of 2010, probably October.
> In the
> next few months I'll be putting the details together and will send out
> additional info to any interested folks. If you've ever wanted to
> visit
> or re-visit Japan, this will be an ideal opportunity!
Count me in if the Market recovers some! With the Dow at 7&change,
things here could be tight.......... thanks to the Former Occupant. I
will work on James to take a break and join us. He finally took two
days away to go to the coast Sat&Sun!
Cheers and congrats, Hank
Lee
Grant, but I can apply next year.
They are having a gathering of foreign apprentices of Shimaoka's
in Mashiko this summer but I won't be able to go.
NCC Jerome Work Project Grant is due this week. I might try to
apply. The big NCC McKnight is due next month.
HAMBONE
picked up my contact info - she invited me up to see my local clay
results, she had quite a few herself, actually. We collaborated on a
nice yellow and olive glaze. I learned a lot about the local clays
from her. Also she is a very kind, gregarious person. And she has a
very driven agenda as far as environmental and sustainable wood fire
and has gone up against some of the "big dogs" in putting forth
reasonable arguments in favor of.
Which reminds me that another aspect of the smokeless concept. She
says much of it has to do with clean, efficient, complete combustion
that comes with what is basically one firebox above the other. Quite a
few kilns have this design, but the Bourry box really does this I
guess. I have noticed that those who want a heavy reduced, black and
grey, crusty look prefer more smoke and just chucking the wood into
one big pile on the floor of the front of a kiln.
> I've been corresponding with Loren. Her photos are pretty good:
>
> http://claymaven.com/kiln.htm
>
> Drawings are even better:
>
> http://claymaven.com/Albums/sheehan_drawings/
>
> --
Lee
> guess. I have noticed that those who want a heavy reduced, black and
> grey, crusty look prefer more smoke and just chucking the wood into
> one big pile on the floor of the front of a kiln.
The ash built up is not directly related to reduction, but the
relationship of the air holes, the flow of air, and where the pots are
situated. Sometime coals are built up further back in the kiln too.
My favorite pots of my teacher's were from his yohen chamber,
where charcoal was dumped into at the end of the firing. Heavy
reduction was caused but no ash build up. Charcoal makes no flyash.
It makes for a deep, satin finish.
--
Lee Love in Minneapolis
Jesse
the fuel was burnt on the floor, and then in a later firings, a step-
grate was built into the firebox, and this really reduced the amount
of smoke as well. The active damper was more open as well.
Lee- How much charcoal are you talking about being dumped into the
yohen chamber? Added at peak temp, or after the kiln had cooled
somewhat? I did a workshop with Dan Murphy of Utah State where we
dumped charcoal into a sidestoke after the kiln had cooled down quite
a bit, like to 1500f or thereabouts. Jesse
Mike
I just checked out your photo site, is the work that's up there out of
the latest firing? You got some very nice stuff there, some really sweet
drips...
Mike
Mike
in Taku, Japan
www.karatsupots.com
karatsupots.etsy.com
karatsupots.blogspot.com
blogs.yahoo.co.jp/karatsupots
Jesse ????????:
Jesse
down to the pics of the kiln itself are from my most recent(2nd)
firing. I've finally finished uploading- one downside of living in the
woods is that I'm limited to dial-up connection speed. The pots- most
were single fired, all went into the kiln unglazed. I was happily
surprised by the amount of liquid ash glaze the kiln delivers to work
in the front of the ware chamber. Comparable to the more successful 5
day anagama firing I've done in the past, but in less than 2 days.
Some of the other surfaces I like from longer firings weren't in
evidence, but I think building up some coal-beds from the sidestokes
with help with that.
Jesse Stevens