Kathy A. Cheriki on wed 5 mar 97
Hi All,
As I have been asked to do a summer raku workshop for adults with little
or no training in pottery. The program I am doing it for has little
resources. What I need to do is cheaply and easily build a raku kiln for
this project. Any ideas out there? Any help will greatly be appreciated!
TIA Kathy
Donna L. Fenner on thu 6 mar 97
Kathy:
I recently procured a fifty pound drum to burn out to do Raku firing
at UNCG. If you can find one from a local organization that contains resin
or some other easily burned ingredient, this can work well. Let me know if
you are able to find one and want further instruction on how to apply it.
Regards:
Donna Fenner
Creative Ceramics
Greensboro, NC
Email: dlfenner@mindspring.com
At 08:34 AM 3/5/97 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Hi All,
>
>As I have been asked to do a summer raku workshop for adults with little
>or no training in pottery. The program I am doing it for has little
>resources. What I need to do is cheaply and easily build a raku kiln for
>this project. Any ideas out there? Any help will greatly be appreciated!
>
>
>TIA Kathy
>
Donna
Creative Ceramics
Greensboro, NC
Email: dlfenner@mindspring.com
Cindy on fri 7 mar 97
Donna,
I have several drums like that (I "inherited" from the farmer/rancher I
bought my place from, and there's loads of other junk too--believe me. :-(
) Anyhow, I'd love to know how you would turn such a drum into a Raku
kiln. BTW, I've never done Raku, or even seen a Raku kiln, so I'm kinda in
the dark here. (Western SD doesn't exactly have a large population or a
great abundance of workshops, etc.) I've read several books, but I really
don't know what's required for a Raku kiln.
TIA, Cindy
> Kathy:
>
> I recently procured a fifty pound drum to burn out to do Raku
firing
> at UNCG. If you can find one from a local organization that contains
resin
> or some other easily burned ingredient, this can work well. Let me know
if
> you are able to find one and want further instruction on how to apply it.
>
> Regards:
>
> Donna Fenner
> Creative Ceramics
> Greensboro, NC
>
> Email: dlfenner@mindspring.com
>
> At 08:34 AM 3/5/97 EST, you wrote:
> >----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> >Hi All,
> >
> >As I have been asked to do a summer raku workshop for adults with little
> >or no training in pottery. The program I am doing it for has little
> >resources. What I need to do is cheaply and easily build a raku kiln
for
> >this project. Any ideas out there? Any help will greatly be
appreciated!
> >
> >
> >TIA Kathy
> >
> Donna
>
> Creative Ceramics
> Greensboro, NC
>
> Email: dlfenner@mindspring.com
Dan Traill on fri 7 mar 97
Kathy, I have a suggestion for a very simple , very effective ,inexpensive ,
raku kiln. I previously posted this reply .
I made a raku kiln out of a 35 gallon (clean) oil drum. I bought it at the
local metal recycling firm. I also bought a 50 gallon drum lid. Be sure to
buy the larger lid because it will extend beyond the edges of the smaller
oil drum. You will be able to lift and remove the lid by grabbing the edges
,thus there is no need to make a handle for lid removal. You can remove the
lid while holding it in front of your face and body to deflect the heat.
Obviously you will use thermal gloves while working with the kiln.
Cut one hole in the side of the drum about 3" above the bottom somewhat
larger than the burner your using. Line the sides and bottom of the drum
with "fiber fax". (cutting out the hole for the burner). Cut a hole in the
center of the lid somewhat larger than the hole in the side for exhaust air
and ventilation. Also line the entire underside of the lid with fiber fax
leaving a hole the same size as the hole in the top. Keep a piece of fiber
fax to partially cover the top hole to control the flow of air through the
kiln during firing.
If using a pyrometer, drill a hole in the side of the drum(through the fiber
fax) . One or more holes can be drilled depending where temperature
measurements are desired.
If the kiln is fired directly on dirt ,there are no bricks needed beneath
the drum..When firing on asphalt, put a kiln shelf under the drum. Soft or
hard firebricks are then placed under the shelves ,thus elevating the kiln
of the ground.
When firing, put bricks in the bottom of the kiln (upright) on top of the
fiber fax. A kiln shelf is placed on top of the bricks. Place the burner
outside the kiln with the front of the burner at the outside edge of the
opening at the lower side of the drum. Minor adjustments of the
burner,moving it slightly inside or outside the opening , will control the
proper ratio of gas and air. ( This is learned by experience , however I
would start with it at the edge of the kiln) Aim the burner at a 30/40
degree angle so the flame swirls around the inside rather than aiming it
perpendicular to the outside edge of the drum.
The burner is attached to a flexible gas line , through a regulator ,to the
gas supply ( 25 lb to 100 lb propane tanks work fine). Be sure to use the
appropriate sized orifice is inside the burner for either natural gas or
propane.
This kiln is "very" efficient. It will rise in temperature quickly,
therefore, attention is needed to assure slow temperature rise so the glaze
has an opportunity to mature.
Obviously, If your pot(s) are too large for a 35 gallon drum, a 50 gallon
one will also work. Personally I like to control the quality by firing only
one or two pots at a time.
I have a web site with seven RAKU POTS shown - http://www.primenet.com/~danat/
Richard Traill
Phoenix, Az.
Stevo on sat 8 mar 97
kathy,
hi - i've got a quick and easy raku kiln system that has worked
really well for me. its cheap, dependable, and super easy to put together.
it is a great first time kiln.
grab a hold of two books, and you'll be set. in steven branfman's "raku: a
practical approach" (1991: pgs.73-74), he guts a beat up electric kiln,
and cuts through the stainless jacket and softbrick to make the burner
port. follow the picture in the book, and cut it as he does.
next, check out robert piepenburg's "raku pottery". in his latest
edition, on pg.110 you will see the drawing for a raku burner which was
easy to make and hook up, and will take you only one or two stops at
local plumbing supply stores to run down parts. this is also a super
inexpensive route, costing about $25 for the burner and needle valve.
expect to pay more or less for the banged up electric kiln. nab a broken
1" kiln shelf and prop it up on some ratty soft brick which can be used to
also adjust the flame, keeping the flame from concentrating on the lower
back wall.
good luck, 'n all that
steve i. lurking
On Wed, 5 Mar 1997, Kathy A. Cheriki wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hi All,
>
> As I have been asked to do a summer raku workshop for adults with little
> or no training in pottery. The program I am doing it for has little
> resources. What I need to do is cheaply and easily build a raku kiln for
> this project. Any ideas out there? Any help will greatly be appreciated!
>
>
> TIA Kathy
>
Bruce Lenore on sun 9 mar 97
Hi cindy, The drum method for a raku kiln is fine but they remain
heavy. As with any raku kiln the main concern is getting the pieces
out quickly and easily. You can line the inside of the drum with
fiberfrax (sp), pin the fibre to the wall of the barrel and wrap
around the bottom edge. You can make pins out of kanthal wire, element
wire and washers out of any clay.. make buttons, or discs to hold the
fiber in place. Sodium silicate will work as a glue when you layer the
fibre. Remember to wear lots of clothes masks and eye protection when
using the fiber. As far as the removal of the drum ,a counterweight
works well or a simple pully system will be ok. You can also bolt or
weld handles to the drum or long bars along the top and lift that way
, a 2 person operation. I have made kilns using expanded stel mesh and
from hardware cloth as well, much lighter! The fire box is convention
and burners can be either a wed burner (propane) commercial burners
and some people use waste oil with a drip feed. If anyone else has
technical stuff on burners and such that would be helpful too. If you
can introduce forced air, the back of a vacumm or a squirrel cage
blower that speeds things up quite a bit. Have fun ,be careful.
e-mail me if you would like more info...Bruce Lenore in
RI..stxnstnz@edgenet.net
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