mel jacobson on sat 10 may 97
now here it is...great idea i think. a "baby" top loading flat top.
the kiln just the size of an electric hobby kiln, about 10 cubic
feet inside and fired with two weed burners and a couple of 25 lb.
propane tanks. just what many of you need for a "weekend kiln".
i have been working on some ideas for brookgreen gardens ( you know, little
lori, and designing some small kilns, maybe salt/soda, and then a little
stoneware kiln that could double for raku. what i really like is the
idea of making the minnesota flat top into a top loader, binding the top in
such a way that it can be removed (this has been done in oregon) (remember
nothing is new, just shared ideas) .
my plan is to build a 3 brick by 3 brick (27") inside with about 30"
or so of rise, two burner ports in the back next to the flue, build
straight walls of two courses of used firebrick, (donated by kevin caufield
the fine st.paul potter ) bind it all together with air craft cable and
turnbuckles. of course it would sit on a base of hard brick right on the
ground..(perhaps a base of sand and patio blocks...or a baby slab.
the top would be soldiered bricks (upright) with thin mortar, and bound
together tightly. i would use the w braces that nils has designed with 2
threaded 1/4 "rods with carry handles designed in.
i do believe this kiln will be fired to cone 6 reduction, using our
volcanic ash, gertsley..60/40. my guess is that it will fire to cone 6
in about 4 hours, cooled and unloaded the same day. my firing schedule
would be: load at 7 a.m. candle one hour, hit it for 4 hours, cool til
about 9 p.m. and unload. do the same thing the next day.
for many of you that work full time jobs, want a reduction kiln, and
have a space for it....this little honey would do the trick.
a couple of our hay creekers, (bob fritz from green bay) have built a
series of used electric kiln hulk gas kilns. they work, but do not last
very long. tops fall in, bottoms crumble...so we have been looking at the
idea of tiny back yard kilns for some time. i know without question ,if
we have the metal work done ,and have a site, this is a 3-4 hour kiln
building project. it could be taken down in less time, packed into the
back of a truck or wagon and be hauled off to the cabin for the summer.
of course if one wanted too....a fibre (kaowool ) top could be used when
one wanted to use it as a raku kiln...just heat it up, take off the top,
and do raku.
i am sure that one could get by with 4 /25 tanks keeping two as spares.
i have not charted gas use, but am close on this one.
of course if you had a natural gas source use it. just as i would coat it
with itc spray, try it as a salt kiln, burn wood in it, hell i think if you
wanted you could fire the whole thing with wood..just extend out a couple
of baby fire boxes...wow, too much....over load, overload...brain going.
now this is in the planning stages...i have not built it yet, but will
in the next month... will let you know....in the mean time...c (copyright)
mel's cute little minnesota flat top kiln .....for permission to build one
all that is necessary is to smile and say please and thank you.
mel jacobson/minnesota/home of the oregon flat top. isn't that nils lou
something? you betcha
David Ruminski on mon 12 may 97
I have built a minature Minnesota Flat Top. It is 13" wide by 13" deep by
13.5" high. Construction is on an angle iron frame and soft fire brick.
Two forced air burners were built from 1" iron pipe and a blower from a
flea marget and are fired with propane. The top lifts off for loading as
you describe.
The kiln and the firing results turned out to be more novelty than useful. A
one cubic foot interior size does not give much stacking space. The little
burners work fine and the kiln does fire but as with other things the
Minnesota Flat Top does not scale down to this size. There are very hot
and cold areas. The heat does not distribute well. It might work better if I
made little tiny pots and stacked them on little tiny selves in the same
porportion as the kiln but that is starting to get a little carried away with an
experiment.
I have also built a 20 cubic foot Flat Top with some variations using fiber
and etc and it is a real work horse that has been in use for five years.
Scaled down to 10 cubic feet the Flat Top would still probably work fine.
Scaled down to one cubic foot it turned into one of those experiments
that turned out to be just an experiment and not of much use. I think most
people have had a few of those efforts that end up in the ah heck pile. I
have a lot of glazes in that same pile.
It will be interesting to see how your project goes.
Take Care All
Dave Ruminski
Clay on tue 13 may 97
Wow,
Thanks for your Info.Where can I get it?
& How much is this lovely thing.
Ian
At 09:40 AM 5/12/97 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I have built a minature Minnesota Flat Top. It is 13" wide by 13" deep by
>13.5" high. Construction is on an angle iron frame and soft fire brick.
>Two forced air burners were built from 1" iron pipe and a blower from a
>flea marget and are fired with propane. The top lifts off for loading as
>you describe.
>
>The kiln and the firing results turned out to be more novelty than useful. A
>one cubic foot interior size does not give much stacking space. The little
>burners work fine and the kiln does fire but as with other things the
>Minnesota Flat Top does not scale down to this size. There are very hot
>and cold areas. The heat does not distribute well. It might work better if I
>made little tiny pots and stacked them on little tiny selves in the same
>porportion as the kiln but that is starting to get a little carried away
with an
>experiment.
>
>I have also built a 20 cubic foot Flat Top with some variations using fiber
>and etc and it is a real work horse that has been in use for five years.
>
>Scaled down to 10 cubic feet the Flat Top would still probably work fine.
>
>Scaled down to one cubic foot it turned into one of those experiments
>that turned out to be just an experiment and not of much use. I think most
>people have had a few of those efforts that end up in the ah heck pile. I
>have a lot of glazes in that same pile.
>
>It will be interesting to see how your project goes.
>
>Take Care All
> Dave Ruminski
>
Randy Golly on tue 13 may 97
------------------
Mel this is just what I've been looking for=21=21=21 I have been toying =
around with a
simple design that is just like what you have just described. I have no =
kiln
building experience and would like to build a little kiln that is simple and
inexpensive to start with and then go big later if that is the direction I =
want
my work to go .... Very interested in you plans and how it comes out.
Randy Golly
Grapevine Texas
----------
From: mel jacobson=5BSMTP:melpots=40pclink.com=5D
Sent: Saturday, May 10, 1997 8:33 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list CLAYART
Subject: best little kiln in the world
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
now here it is...great idea i think. a =22baby=22 top loading flat top.
the kiln just the size of an electric hobby kiln, about 10 cubic
feet inside and fired with two weed burners and a couple of 25 lb.
propane tanks. just what many of you need for a =22weekend kiln=22.
i have been working on some ideas for brookgreen gardens ( you know, little
lori, and designing some small kilns, maybe salt/soda, and then a little
stoneware kiln that could double for raku. what i really like is the
idea of making the minnesota flat top into a top loader, binding the top in
such a way that it can be removed (this has been done in oregon) (remember
nothing is new, just shared ideas) .
my plan is to build a 3 brick by 3 brick (27=22) inside with about =
30=22
or so of rise, two burner ports in the back next to the flue, build
straight walls of two courses of used firebrick, (donated by kevin caufield
the fine st.paul potter ) bind it all together with air craft cable and
turnbuckles. of course it would sit on a base of hard brick right on the
ground..(perhaps a base of sand and patio blocks...or a baby slab.
the top would be soldiered bricks (upright) with thin mortar, and bound
together tightly. i would use the w braces that nils has designed with 2
threaded 1/4 =22rods with carry handles designed in.
i do believe this kiln will be fired to cone 6 reduction, using our
volcanic ash, gertsley..60/40. my guess is that it will fire to cone 6
in about 4 hours, cooled and unloaded the same day. my firing schedule
would be: load at 7 a.m. candle one hour, hit it for 4 hours, cool til
about 9 p.m. and unload. do the same thing the next day.
for many of you that work full time jobs, want a reduction kiln, and
have a space for it....this little honey would do the trick.
a couple of our hay creekers, (bob fritz from green bay) have built a
series of used electric kiln hulk gas kilns. they work, but do not last
very long. tops fall in, bottoms crumble...so we have been looking at the
idea of tiny back yard kilns for some time. i know without question ,if
we have the metal work done ,and have a site, this is a 3-4 hour kiln
building project. it could be taken down in less time, packed into the
back of a truck or wagon and be hauled off to the cabin for the summer.
of course if one wanted too....a fibre (kaowool ) top could be used when
one wanted to use it as a raku kiln...just heat it up, take off the top,
and do raku.
i am sure that one could get by with 4 /25 tanks keeping two as spares.
i have not charted gas use, but am close on this one.
of course if you had a natural gas source use it. just as i would coat it
with itc spray, try it as a salt kiln, burn wood in it, hell i think if you
wanted you could fire the whole thing with wood..just extend out a couple
of baby fire boxes...wow, too much....over load, overload...brain going.
now this is in the planning stages...i have not built it yet, but will
in the next month... will let you know....in the mean time...c (copyright)
mel's cute little minnesota flat top kiln .....for permission to build one
all that is necessary is to smile and say please and thank you.
mel jacobson/minnesota/home of the oregon flat top. isn't that nils lou
something? you betcha
"Rafael Molina-Rodriguez (Rafael Molina-Rodriguez)" on fri 16 may 97
Randy and Mel :
I've already built one kiln and I'm completing another very similar to what
you describe. One of the kilns is in Sulphur, Louisiana and the other is
here at the college where I teach in Lancaster, Texas.
They are a miniature MFT variation. It has a sprung arch in lieu of flat top
with Lou's fluebox sans double venturi. I used hard fire brick. The
dimensions are 24" h x 27" w x 32" d. A 14" x 28" shelf fits perfectly.
My idea is for low-fire salt and saggar firing at about ^ 010. Because of
this I only made it one course thick. I used a thin mortar to set bricks and
I'm going to cover with a Udall's coating formula of sand, fireclay, and
cement.
Our school has a digital camera. I have digital image of this kiln and
others I've built here at the college. If I could attach it to an e-mail I woul
However, I understand that might be a problem. If anyone has any ideas
how to attach a digital image to e-mail and send it privately or to list let me
know. TIA.
Rafael
>>> Randy Golly 05/13/97 05:31pm >>>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
------------------
Mel this is just what I've been looking for!!! I have been toying around with
a
simple design that is just like what you have just described. I have no kiln
building experience and would like to build a little kiln that is simple and
inexpensive to start with and then go big later if that is the direction I
want
my work to go .... Very interested in you plans and how it comes out.
Randy Golly
Grapevine Texas
----------
From: mel jacobson[SMTP:melpots@pclink.com]
Sent: Saturday, May 10, 1997 8:33 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list CLAYART
Subject: best little kiln in the world
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
now here it is...great idea i think. a "baby" top loading flat top.
the kiln just the size of an electric hobby kiln, about 10 cubic
feet inside and fired with two weed burners and a couple of 25 lb.
propane tanks. just what many of you need for a "weekend kiln".
i have been working on some ideas for brookgreen gardens ( you know,
little
lori, and designing some small kilns, maybe salt/soda, and then a little
stoneware kiln that could double for raku. what i really like is the
idea of making the minnesota flat top into a top loader, binding the top in
such a way that it can be removed (this has been done in oregon)
(remember
nothing is new, just shared ideas) .
my plan is to build a 3 brick by 3 brick (27") inside with about 30"
or so of rise, two burner ports in the back next to the flue, build
straight walls of two courses of used firebrick, (donated by kevin
caufield
the fine st.paul potter ) bind it all together with air craft cable and
turnbuckles. of course it would sit on a base of hard brick right on the
ground..(perhaps a base of sand and patio blocks...or a baby slab.
the top would be soldiered bricks (upright) with thin mortar, and bound
together tightly. i would use the w braces that nils has designed with 2
threaded 1/4 "rods with carry handles designed in.
i do believe this kiln will be fired to cone 6 reduction, using our
volcanic ash, gertsley..60/40. my guess is that it will fire to cone 6
in about 4 hours, cooled and unloaded the same day. my firing schedule
would be: load at 7 a.m. candle one hour, hit it for 4 hours, cool til
about 9 p.m. and unload. do the same thing the next day.
for many of you that work full time jobs, want a reduction kiln, and
have a space for it....this little honey would do the trick.
a couple of our hay creekers, (bob fritz from green bay) have built a
series of used electric kiln hulk gas kilns. they work, but do not last
very long. tops fall in, bottoms crumble...so we have been looking at the
idea of tiny back yard kilns for some time. i know without question ,if
we have the metal work done ,and have a site, this is a 3-4 hour kiln
building project. it could be taken down in less time, packed into the
back of a truck or wagon and be hauled off to the cabin for the summer.
of course if one wanted too....a fibre (kaowool ) top could be used
when
one wanted to use it as a raku kiln...just heat it up, take off the top,
and do raku.
i am sure that one could get by with 4 /25 tanks keeping two as
spares.
i have not charted gas use, but am close on this one.
of course if you had a natural gas source use it. just as i would coat it
with itc spray, try it as a salt kiln, burn wood in it, hell i think if you
wanted you could fire the whole thing with wood..just extend out a
couple
of baby fire boxes...wow, too much....over load, overload...brain going.
now this is in the planning stages...i have not built it yet, but will
in the next month... will let you know....in the mean time...c (copyright)
mel's cute little minnesota flat top kiln .....for permission to build one
all that is necessary is to smile and say please and thank you.
mel jacobson/minnesota/home of the oregon flat top. isn't that nils lou
something? you betcha
Ron Philbeck on fri 23 aug 02
I am getting ready to build an Oregon Flat Top aka "best little kiln in =
the world" to use as a test soda kiln while I am tearing down and =
rebuilding my large salt kiln.
I need some input before I begin.
I have 12x24 shelves so I am going to increase the interior width to =
36". This will give me room for my flame path on the sides. I'll stick =
with the 27" deep (2 shelves deep). And 31" tall.
Does this seem correct? I am going with the flat top (W corner braces), =
as in Nils book, but I am planning on having a brick up door in the =
front instead of having to prop the lid up.
Also, I want to go to cone 9. So should I build 9" walls as opposed to =
the 4 1/2" as the plans suggest? I saw in the archives where it was =
difficult to go past cone 6 with 4 1/2 " walls. =20
I have two big bertha weed burners orificed for propane. So I am good =
there I think.
I'll have ports for spraying soda.
I am excited about getting started. Any suggestions appreciated.
Ron Philbeck
Shelby, NC
www.philbeckstudios.com
John Stromnes on tue 7 jan 03
Nick:
I read your pot with interest, having built my own propane-fired two-burner
kiln. . Please let us Clayarter's know what kind of door you used and what
you used for a stack. Also whatis the configuration _ the wall thickness
and exterior dimensions.
Good job
John Syodo Stromnes
'''Nick wrote on Sun, 5 Jan 2003 20:29:34 -0800
From: Nick Molatore
Subject: Re: 'Best little kiln in the world...'Mel Jacobson
I built a kiln that is basically the Oregon Flat Top from Nils' book. =
It takes about 15 gallons of propane to fire to cone 10 in about 5 1/2 =
to 6 hours. The chimney is only about 7 feet tall. I use two small =
burners (GAMR750 raku burners). You can get these with a adjustable =
regulator and hose for about $100 each from pottery suppliers. I was =
able to save some $ by getting the hose and regulator separately from a =
propane distributor, and just buying the burners for about 35.00 each. =
I did make one change from the design in book. I first had the burners =
arranged like in the book, with both burners in the back (by the flue), =
pointed towards the front (opposite the flue opening). This resulted in =
a cold area on the top back. I moved one of the burner to the front, =
pointed towards the back. This creates a circular flow through the =
kiln. I also had to make bag walls out of shelves (bricks a too thick) =
that go about 1/2 way up. Without these, the kiln was hot on the bottom =
and cold on top. With this configuration, I get very even firing. =20
Each burner is connected to its own 15 gallon propane tank. I get two =
firings from full tanks. When the tanks are nearly empty on the second =
fire, I have to put the tanks in a trough of water about 1 foot deep =
because the tanks freeze and the pressure drops. I have a couple of 5 =
gallon tank just in case the big tank empty before the fire is done. I =
have had to use these a few times. The entire kiln, bricks, steel, =
burners and tanks, was made for about $750.00
My firing schedule is:
1 hour on very low to make sure everything is dried out. Burners set a =
low as possible but still drawing air (blue flame instead of yellow)
Turn up to 3 PSI on both the burners up to cone 010, flue wide open, =
about 2 hours
Turn up to 9 PSI on both the burners up to cone 10, flue adjusted to =
moderate reduction (flame coming out peep hole that is about 1/3 up from =
the bottom)
This is a pretty fast firing and so obviously everything is bisque =
fired. I even bisque my cone plaques (they only have 9,10,11, I use a =
pyrometer to determine when to put the kiln into reduction)
I have fired it about 20 times over the past year and it is a great =
little kiln!
-Nick
'''
Nick Molatore on thu 9 jan 03
Photos of my kiln can be found at:
http://far-point.home.attbi.com/kiln/
-Nick
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Nick:
I read your pot with interest, having built my own propane-fired =
two-burner
kiln. . Please let us Clayarter's know what kind of door you used and =
what
you used for a stack. Also whatis the configuration _ the wall =
thickness
and exterior dimensions.
Good job
John Syodo Stromnes
'''Nick wrote on Sun, 5 Jan 2003 20:29:34 -0800
From: Nick Molatore
Subject: Re: 'Best little kiln in the world...'Mel Jacobson
I built a kiln that is basically the Oregon Flat Top from Nils' book. =
=3D
It takes about 15 gallons of propane to fire to cone 10 in about 5 1/2 =
=3D
to 6 hours. The chimney is only about 7 feet tall. I use two small =3D
burners (GAMR750 raku burners). You can get these with a adjustable =3D
regulator and hose for about $100 each from pottery suppliers. I was =
=3D
able to save some $ by getting the hose and regulator separately from a =
=3D
propane distributor, and just buying the burners for about 35.00 each. =
=3D
I did make one change from the design in book. I first had the burners =
=3D
arranged like in the book, with both burners in the back (by the flue), =
=3D
pointed towards the front (opposite the flue opening). This resulted in =
=3D
a cold area on the top back. I moved one of the burner to the front, =
=3D
pointed towards the back. This creates a circular flow through the =3D
kiln. I also had to make bag walls out of shelves (bricks a too thick) =
=3D
that go about 1/2 way up. Without these, the kiln was hot on the bottom =
=3D
and cold on top. With this configuration, I get very even firing. =3D20
Each burner is connected to its own 15 gallon propane tank. I get two =
=3D
firings from full tanks. When the tanks are nearly empty on the second =
=3D
fire, I have to put the tanks in a trough of water about 1 foot deep =3D
because the tanks freeze and the pressure drops. I have a couple of 5 =
=3D
gallon tank just in case the big tank empty before the fire is done. I =
=3D
have had to use these a few times. The entire kiln, bricks, steel, =3D
burners and tanks, was made for about $750.00
My firing schedule is:
1 hour on very low to make sure everything is dried out. Burners set a =
=3D
low as possible but still drawing air (blue flame instead of yellow)
Turn up to 3 PSI on both the burners up to cone 010, flue wide open, =3D
about 2 hours
Turn up to 9 PSI on both the burners up to cone 10, flue adjusted to =3D
moderate reduction (flame coming out peep hole that is about 1/3 up from =
=3D
the bottom)
This is a pretty fast firing and so obviously everything is bisque =3D
fired. I even bisque my cone plaques (they only have 9,10,11, I use a =
=3D
pyrometer to determine when to put the kiln into reduction)
I have fired it about 20 times over the past year and it is a great =3D
little kiln!
-Nick
'''
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