NORNSWOOD on mon 6 oct 97
Can someone with an opinion and or experiece tell me what works better for
"sawdust" firing, the store bought leaf burner type trash can with pre made
holes or a trash can that you drill holes in yourself? I'm wondering if the
holes in the pre made one are too big? New to sawdust. Thanks, Jeannie
Marcia Selsor on tue 7 oct 97
I don't know what a commercial leaf burner is. But. I use a 55 gallon
drum
with 36 holes one inck dia. or so. Holes are made with a welding torch.
These can be opened or shut to control the draft. Ex. if you have a
place refusing to burn, adjust the draft by opening the holes.
Use paper, sawdust, wood kindling flavored with a bit of manure.
really.
Marcia in Montana.
My Raku horse plaque (CM May 97) is on display in DC until Oct 15 at
the Meredian International Center with Fulbright artists if anyone is in
the area. about 16th and T on Cresent Place.
--
Marcia Selsor
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls/
mjbmls@imt.net
Claudia O Driscoll on tue 7 oct 97
Jeannie,
I have found that the BEST kiln for sawdust is one made of bricks. Air
circulation can be adjusted by opening and closing the space between
bricks. If that is not an option for you, though, what you choose could
depend upon desired results. The more air in, the lighter the
'smoking'...usually. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to
sawdust. It does what it wants.
claudia...in cold and wet Oregon
Vince Pitelka on tue 7 oct 97
>Can someone with an opinion and or experiece tell me what works better for
> "sawdust" firing, the store bought leaf burner type trash can with pre made
> holes or a trash can that you drill holes in yourself? I'm wondering if the
> holes in the pre made one are too big? New to sawdust. Thanks, Jeannie
Jeannie -
I do not recall the size and frequency of holes in the commercial
leaf-burner barrels. I have always drilled holes in trash barrels - either
galvanized trash cans, or recycled 55-gallon barrels. The last barrel I set
up here at the Craft Center had 1/2" holes drilled on a ten-inch grid. In
other words, take a piece of chalk or a felt marker, and mark off horizontal
lines at ten inches, twenty inches, thirty inches, etc. from the bottom.
And mark off vertical lines every ten inches around the circumference.
Drill a 1/2" hole everywhere the lines intersect. Worked great for us. But
remember, this also depends on the coarseness and dryness of your sawdust.
Very fine sawdust will burn slower, and of course damp sawdust will burn
slower or not at all. I have achieved good results with a mix of sawdust,
including some planer shavings. When we sawdust fired in a loose-stacked
brick enclosure at U-Mass we had to dampen our sawdust slightly so it would
not burn too quickly. You will have to do some experimenting.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
Home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801, fax 615/597-6803
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Stephen Earp on wed 8 oct 97
Vince,
I've been following some threads on this list and your comments always
seem very helpful. Regarding holes in trash cans, I have a question for
you; I'd like to burn grass clippings for a new ash glaze. What would be
the best (easiest) way to burn it all without having the light fly ash
blow away?
I just found an old chicken feeder, and I was toying with the idea of
poking some holes in that.
Steve Earp
Pat Sherwood on fri 10 oct 97
Stephen Earp wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Vince,
> I've been following some threads on this list and your comments always
> seem very helpful. Regarding holes in trash cans, I have a question for
> you; I'd like to burn grass clippings for a new ash glaze. What would be
> the best (easiest) way to burn it all without having the light fly ash
> blow away?
>
> I just found an old chicken feeder, and I was toying with the idea of
> poking some holes in that.
>
> Steve Earp
---------------------
Steve, when I wanted to burn rice hulls to get rice hull ash for a
special glaze, I found clothes tubs from automatic washing machines --
the kind with the sides full of holes -- at a second-hand store. Cost
me about a dollar apiece. Filled them about 2/3 full of rice hulls,
stacked one on top of the other, put them in a gas-fired kiln, and fired
it. Worked great. One caution, though -- the enamel on the tubs melts
around 1350 degrees F., so keep the top temp below that. (I managed to
take it to 1600 degrees one time, and stuck the tubs together. A number
of sharp blows after the whole thing cooled completely got them apart,
but I learned my lesson about watching the temp! The hard way. As
usual.)
Anyway, the hole-y tubs worked well for me, and seemed to keep the ash
contained.
Pat Sherwood, in Wyoming where the rain turned to snow mid-day today
Vince Pitelka on fri 10 oct 97
>I've been following some threads on this list and your comments always
>seem very helpful. Regarding holes in trash cans, I have a question for
>you; I'd like to burn grass clippings for a new ash glaze. What would be
>the best (easiest) way to burn it all without having the light fly ash
>blow away?
>I just found an old chicken feeder, and I was toying with the idea of
>poking some holes in that.
>Steve Earp
Steve -
Any relation to Wyatt? You're probably real tired of that question, right?
You have a good question there. I would think you would want to minimize
draft, while still encouaging a very hot fire, in order to reduce the grass
clippings completely to ash. I suppose it is inevitable that you will loose
some light fly ash. It seems to me that if you use a barrel with holes poked
in it, there might not be enough draft or sufficient temperature to
completely combust the clippings. I guess you will just have to try it and
see. Good luck.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
Home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801, fax 615/597-6803
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
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