Steve Hum on fri 9 may 97
Wood Burners,
The question is, now that we have it how do we include others? "It" is a
fairly large noborigama (10x6x30 or so) that requires alot of work and
wood and $ to fire up, as you all know. We are trying to come up with a
fair formula to include others into the experience (this is not a money
making venture but a way to fire our own pots plus bring together other
potters). Do you charge by the pot, the square foot, stackable vs. only
on a shelf, credit for hours (days) labor getting wood ready etc., time
in the stoke hole....? We would love to know the experience others have
had with this problem.
Perplexed in Santa Cruz
Steve Hum
The Shelfords on sat 10 may 97
Re:
>The question is, now that we have it how do we include others? "It" is a
>fairly large noborigama (10x6x30 or so) that requires alot of work and
>wood and $ to fire up, as you all know. We are trying to come up with a
>fair formula to include others into the experience (this is not a money
>making venture but a way to fire our own pots plus bring together other
>potters). Do you charge by the pot, the square foot, stackable vs. only
>on a shelf, credit for hours (days) labor getting wood ready etc., time
>in the stoke hole....? We would love to know the experience others have
>had with this problem.
You might like to get in touch with the Tozan Society in Nanaimo, BC. They
have built and are running for public use a very large Tozan-type
noborigama. They have a formula for charging by the square foot, modified
by whether you work at the firing or not.
Phone: Maureen and Les Beardsley (250) 245-4867 or
E-mail: Jeorge McGladrey at jeorge@direct.ca
They are working on a web-site but I haven't heard it it's finished yet.
- Veronica
____________________________________________________________________________
Veronica Shelford
e-mail: shelford@island.net
s-mail: P.O. Box 6-15
Thetis Island, BC V0R 2Y0
Tel: (250) 246-1509
____________________________________________________________________________
WardBurner@aol.com on sat 10 may 97
Steve,
We fire a large noborigama here in east TN twice a year. The kiln was built
by Peter Rose and is on his and his wife's property. Initially he brought
over a gentleman from Korea to help with construction, have a throwing
workshop, and firing. This was a commercial venture.
That was years ago.
Peter works to fill up the kiln with his pieces, then the folks that want to
put pots in the kiln show up to help load and fire. Some folks bring 40 pots,
some 2 pots. Peter devises the schedule of who shows up when. We usually take
about three days to finish. We unload in 4 days or so and have a pot luck and
party. It's always lots of work (especially for Peter) and lots of fun.
No money is involved!
From our experience, I would caution about charging. There are so many
variables and so many egos. I think our's works well cause everyone that is
there wants to be there, not because they paid to be there. The folks with 40
pots work as hard as the folks with 2 pots. If you're a whiner or slackard
you just won't be clued into the next firing date. Make the firing a select
group only thing, but encourage all sorts of friends, family, press, or
whatever to drop by and watch and come to the party. After the first couple
of times you'll be able to figure out a "team" that is always going to fire.
Another thing to try and do is have only one "boss". I give Peter a hard time
about dampers and air, sorta good natured ribbing, but he's in charge. Too
many cooks spoil the broth.
Ours works because it's communal not commercial.
Marc Ward
Ward Burner Systems
PO Box 333
Dandridge, TN 37725
USA
423.397.2914 voice
423.397.1253 fax
wardburner@aol.com
In a message dated 5/9/97 3:06:10 PM, you wrote:
<The question is, now that we have it how do we include others? "It" is a
fairly large noborigama (10x6x30 or so) that requires alot of work and
wood and $ to fire up, as you all know. We are trying to come up with a
fair formula to include others into the experience (this is not a money
making venture but a way to fire our own pots plus bring together other
potters). Do you charge by the pot, the square foot, stackable vs. only
on a shelf, credit for hours (days) labor getting wood ready etc., time
in the stoke hole....? We would love to know the experience others have
had with this problem.>>
The Slack-DeBrock Family on sun 11 may 97
Regarding the sharing and use of woodburning kilns: I don't have one as
large as yours...mine is just 30 cu.ft., holds about 150-175 pots,
depending. We fire it about every 2 months all year long. I came up with
charging people $25 per firing, which entitles them to 4 shelves (12x24) of
space. We sort of adjust that very loosely if the pots are really big, and
it always seems that everyone is satisfied. I try to get in whaterver extra
is possible. People help with splitting wood during the firing, but I have
it ready in fairly small pieces. I used to provide glazes but have stopped
doing that..it was more to introduce people in the area to reduction glazes
and firing, which many of them had not experienced. It became too much of
an organizing hassle, I lost time in my studio, and some people were really
messy. The biggest problem is having enough space available for my own
pots...and I have begun asking a few people to fire with me rather than
announcing it to everyone. The nice thing is the cameraderie, a day of pot
talk (and many other subjects), the help, and the sense of community. In
comparison, a fellow I know in Washington, D>C> fires a similar kiln to
mine and pays about $300 to do so (the wood is provided)......
The wood costs and my labor are starting to add up, so all of this may
change, but for now this is what works for us!
Joan Slack-DeBrock/River Run Pottery
P.O.Box 95
McNaughton, WI 54543
715-277-2773
riverrun@newnorth.net
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