Greg Skipper on thu 20 nov 97
Hi: I've been lurking and learning from this list for a while.
Thanks! My wife and I are getting into relief sculptures and other hand
building stuff. We are hobbiests but are really enjoying ourselves. We
want to learn to throw more stuff as well and have a used wheel. We
both have full time jobs and it's difficult to take our work to someone
else to be fired. Thus we are thinking of buying or making a kiln. We
live in rural Oregon on a farm so we have plenty of space (and extra out
buildings). One friend says we should get an electric Skut kiln (made
in Portland, 20 miles away). A new one of the size we think we'd like
will run around $1500 with all the extras (furniture, computer control,
and vent). I've been watching the paper and used electric kilns aren't
common and the ones I've looked at thusfar aren't right and I'm
reluctant to buy a used kiln (one was a Westby and I called Seattle
where it was made and they no longer have a listing). Another friend
says we should build a kiln.
I would like advice. I'm trying to weigh the ease of use, time
needed, flexibility etc. but obviously don't want to spend more than
neccessary and don't have alot of time I want to put into building a
kiln and operating it right now. The people at the store say I should
buy an electric kiln, but obviously they have a potential bias.
Thanks,
Greg
Oregon
Dannon Rhudy on thu 20 nov 97
You already answered your own question. If you don't have a lot
of time to build a kiln, buy the one you want; Skutt's are
great. Take care of it, it'll last a LONG time. The other
advantage of electric for people without too much time is that
you don't have to be there every minute that it is firing. If you
decide later that you want to fire reduction and so on, then you
can always build a kiln at that point.
Dannon Rhudy
potter@koyote.com
----------------------------Original
message----------------------------
Hi: I've been lurking and learning from this list for a
while.
Thanks! My wife and I are getting into relief sculptures and
other hand
building stuff. We are hobbiests but are really enjoying
ourselves. We
want to learn to throw more stuff as well and have a used wheel.
We
both have full time jobs and it's difficult to take our work to
someone
else to be fired. Thus we are thinking of buying or making a
kiln. We
live in rural Oregon on a farm so we have plenty of space (and
extra out
buildings). One friend says we should get an electric Skut kiln
(made
in Portland, 20 miles away). A new one of the size we think we'd
like
will run around $1500 with all the extras (furniture, computer
control,
and vent). I've been watching the paper and used electric kilns
aren't
common and the ones I've looked at thusfar aren't right and I'm
reluctant to buy a used kiln (one was a Westby and I called
Seattle
where it was made and they no longer have a listing). Another
friend
says we should build a kiln.
I would like advice. I'm trying to weigh the ease of use,
time
needed, flexibility etc. but obviously don't want to spend more
than
neccessary and don't have alot of time I want to put into building
a
kiln and operating it right now. The people at the store say I
should
buy an electric kiln, but obviously they have a potential bias.
Thanks,
Greg
Oregon
douglas gray on fri 21 nov 97
In message "douglas gray" writes:
> Greg,
>
> Having just come from a kiln building experience in Paris, TX with Dannon,
> Mel, David and others, I have to admit there is something wonderful about
> looking over a new kiln that you and your co-workers just built. I am a
> little bit disappointed that my schedule didn't allow me to stay for the
> first firing, but I might get a chance to fire either of those kilns before
> too long.
>
> In answer to your question, however, you will ultimately need to select a
> kiln that provides the flexibility and ease your lifestyle demands. Mel
> mentioned that the first thing to decide, when choosing a kiln, is what type
> of fuel you have available. I would think that the second thing to consider
> would be the size of your work and how frequently you want or need to fire.
>
> Being employed full time, there would be advantages to using an electric
> kiln, in which you could load your work, place the cone in the sitter (or
> better yet get one with a computer controller) do a turn up or two, and walk
> away from it. An electric kiln could perform equally well for bisque and
> glaze and is in general a valuable tool.
>
> There are those among us who would agrue that the electric kiln surface
> leaves much to be desired, when compared to high fire gas or wood fired
> wares. The results are different, I agree, dramatically so, but that is not
> to assume that they must be inferior. In general, electic kiln clays and
> glazes are more predictable and can be food safe, if needed. In fact they
> can be too predictable, if you know what I mean, but again creative glaze
> application, or manipulation of recipes, can make a world of difference in
> the surface. Actually, I have been impressed, lately, by the wide range of
> commercially available clay and glazes. They are narrowing the gap between
> electric and gas fired results.
>
> Having said all this, though, I feel certain that you could do just as well
> with a small hand built kiln, such as the baby kiln Dannon built this past
> weekend. Bisque firing would probably need to go slower, especially with
> Mel's handmade rocket launching burners in use, but all in all that small
> kiln can provide plenty of possible approaches.
>
> The final choice, for you, boils down to what you want, what your work needs
> to be completed, and how much time and effort you would like to spend with
> each firing. I would image, that if the mood struck, you could build
> yourself a pheonix fast fire and fire a wood kiln in 4-6 hours if you really
> wanted. I image wood will be an abundant supply in your parts.
>
> Build or buy the kiln that suits your needs. If you decide to buy an
> electric kiln, you can always build a gas kiln later. If you need help
> building a kiln, post a message to the list. You'll have more help than you
> know what to do with.
>
> for what it's worth,
> doug
>
>
> My wife and I are getting into relief sculptures and other hand
> > building stuff. We are hobbiests but are really enjoying ourselves. We
> > want to learn to throw more stuff as well and have a used wheel. We
> > both have full time jobs and it's difficult to take our work to someone
> > else to be fired.
>
> > I would like advice. I'm trying to weigh the ease of use, time
> > needed, flexibility etc. but obviously don't want to spend more than
> > neccessary and don't have alot of time I want to put into building a
> > kiln and operating it right now.
>
>
> ============================================================================
> =)
> Douglas E. Gray
> Assistant Professor of Art, Ceramics
> Francis Marion Univeristy
> Florence, South Carolina 29501
>
> dgray@fmarion.edu
>
>
============================================================================ =)
Douglas E. Gray
Assistant Professor of Art, Ceramics
Francis Marion Univeristy
Florence, South Carolina 29501
dgray@fmarion.edu
Don Prey on fri 21 nov 97
Greg,
Just two quick thoughts on your kiln search......Skutt usually has a 20
percent off sale in march; and if you can dedicate one of the outbuildings to
the kiln, at least when it is being fired, you can probably do without a vent
and just make sure the building itself is ventilated.
Don Prey in Oregon
Jane Woodside on fri 21 nov 97
When I researched this issue in 1994, I decided to get a Skutt 7 cubic foot
electric kiln--and so far its met all my needs. I found that the best price
option was available by ordering out of state. Look at the ads in CM and
definitely call Bennetts in Fla. They've been lowest on price on many items.
I found that even with the shipping cost, the price was substantially better
than what was available locally in California. The disadvantage is that a
local supplier can provide service--but I've never needed any and so liked
getting a better price.
The Allens on sat 22 nov 97
Greg,
I work full time and pot on the side. I chose a Skutt with an automatic
controller and am very glad I did. Having no room at home, I placed it in a
utility room at my office. Although I would love someday (when time allows)=
to
do reduction firing I can't see trying to do it now. With the automatic
controller you can just set it to go and just make sure you can be around at
shut-off time. If I had to babysit the kiln, it would never get fired. To =
be
on the safe side, someone is around during the firing who knows how to =
throw
the breaker if something goes seriously wrong. For long firings you can =
delay
it to come on in the early morning hours so that the shut-off comes during =
the
day. It works for me at this stage of my life.
Carla
ridgerun=40scrtc.blue.net
----------
From: Greg Skipper=5BSMTP:skipper=40aracnet.com=5D
Sent: Thursday, November 20, 1997 8:34 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list CLAYART
Subject: Beginner Kiln Advice
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Hi: I've been lurking and learning from this list for a while.
Thanks=21 My wife and I are getting into relief sculptures and other hand
building stuff. We are hobbiests but are really enjoying ourselves. We
want to learn to throw more stuff as well and have a used wheel. We
both have full time jobs and it's difficult to take our work to someone
else to be fired. Thus we are thinking of buying or making a kiln. We
live in rural Oregon on a farm so we have plenty of space (and extra out
buildings). One friend says we should get an electric Skut kiln (made
in Portland, 20 miles away). A new one of the size we think we'd like
will run around =241500 with all the extras (furniture, computer control,
and vent). I've been watching the paper and used electric kilns aren't
common and the ones I've looked at thusfar aren't right and I'm
reluctant to buy a used kiln (one was a Westby and I called Seattle
where it was made and they no longer have a listing). Another friend
says we should build a kiln.
I would like advice. I'm trying to weigh the ease of use, time
needed, flexibility etc. but obviously don't want to spend more than
neccessary and don't have alot of time I want to put into building a
kiln and operating it right now. The people at the store say I should
buy an electric kiln, but obviously they have a potential bias.
Thanks,
Greg
Oregon
Tracy Dotson on sat 22 nov 97
Greg....buy the skutt....don't get into building your own kiln at your
stage....build one at a later date.
Tracy
Penland NC
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