Mel Jacobson on thu 4 dec 97
when nils first wrote his book,`the art of firing`, i told him he should
change the name to `the science of firing`...he laughed, told me i was a
dork (or something like that), and kept the original title.
he is correct of course....firing is like throwing, coiling, glazing.....it
is all about feel, touch, smell, hearing....it is a sensual (almost sexual)
feeling.
when you have fired your kiln hundreds of times you get a real feel for it.
I just love hearing ron roy tell us that this is firing number 978 or
something of his kiln...(and he keeps good charts.) I have a hunch that
ron, even though he is a technically astute potter.....`feels` his kiln
with the best of them. he really understands and trusts his kiln.
when you watch nils fire, or help someone with a bad kiln...he thinks with
the kiln, feels with the kiln. and i love it when he gives advice such
as.....`if the kiln stalls, add three feet of stack, or take off three feet
of stack, or add two pounds of pressure, or reduce the pressure two
pounds, add primary air, or take away primary air.`...and of course what
this should tell you is..................there are many factors in reaching
cone 10 just the way you want to, and many ways to get there...and no one
way is perfect for your individual kiln on any given day.
I have found over the years that what is being fired, how the kiln is
stacked, and how many pots are in the kiln has a great influence on the
outcome of the firing. (even with an oxyprobe).....If my kiln is poorly
stacked...shelves all parallel, i could have 50 lucky charms hanging from
the kiln, kiln gods on top...and pray all evening, and the damn thing will
fire like crap....air and heat flow moving through the kiln is
critical.....and getting it to flow where you want it is the answer. If
you block that flow with kiln shelves, or try to stack every pot you have
into the kiln....it will just ruin things.
and...............why put pots in spots or on shelves that always fire poorly?
i have one spot...sorta in the back, near the flu....always reduces
poorly....so i put a brick on that spot...the brick loves it there.
i save that pot for the next firing. the pots hate to be put there.
they know they will be hammered to death if they are fired there. pots hate
that...getting hammered. (and so would you)
ramblin at three a.m. just have been thinking about this again.
especially after helping dannon with her new kiln...always wonder
how it will fire, kinda want to do it 20 times alone, solve all the little
problems.....but it is her kiln, no one can do it for her....she has to
solve the problems, learn her kiln, trust her kiln...and she will.
mel.mn
http://www.pclink.com/melpots
David Hendley on sun 7 dec 97
Well, here I am disagreeing with my good buddy Mel again.
Of course firing is a science, Mel.
I'll bet some of our chemist/scientist/engineer types on Clayart
could recite for you the "science" to explain everything that goes on
inside a kiln.
"Throwing, coiling, and glazing" are also physical sciences.
BUT, all these things also involve "art" or "feeling".
That's the beautiful thing about what we do.
It's an integration of science and art.
Both aspects are required for good results.
Pottery made with science but without art or
feeling will yield lifeless, spiritless, but utilitarian pieces.
Artistically inspired pottery made ignoring the laws
of science will end up seriously flawed. The finished product
will not convey the intent.
In another field I've studied, psychology, the age old argument is
"Nature or Nuture", asking if people act as they do
because of the way they are made (nature), or as a response
to things they have experienced (nuture).
The only reasonable answer is that it is a combination of the two.
Likewise, the only reasonable answer in the "science or art"
argument is that both are involved in the creation of good
ceramic works.
My suggestion to Nils Lou would have been "The Art AND Science
of Firing", (and he probably would have called me a dweeb, too.)
Also, what are teachers supposed to do?
Tell their students that that firing a kiln is an "art"
that they must get the "feel" for?
Of course not, the logical place to begin is with scientific
principles. Hopefully, the students will grow from
simply following the guidelines to getting a real feel and
understanding.
All that said, I count myself firmly in your corner as an
"art firer" much more than a "science firer".
I use one cone in my kiln. That's it.
After a hundred or more firings
I probably don't even need it, but that's a mighty big jump
I've yet to take.
I, like you, know so incredibility much about my kiln I wouldn't
know how to begin to tell someone how to fire it.
But, if all this knowledge were written down and analyzed, I think
it could be reduced to scientific principles.
I know that's not nearly as romantic as "feeling the kiln", but
I think it is more accurate description.
David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas
At 01:16 PM 12/4/97 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>when nils first wrote his book,`the art of firing`, i told him he should
>change the name to `the science of firing`...he laughed, told me i was a
>dork (or something like that), and kept the original title.
>
>he is correct of course....firing is like throwing, coiling, glazing.....it
>is all about feel, touch, smell, hearing....it is a sensual (almost sexual)
>feeling.
>
>when you have fired your kiln hundreds of times you get a real feel for it.
>I just love hearing ron roy tell us that this is firing number 978 or
>something of his kiln...(and he keeps good charts.) I have a hunch that
>ron, even though he is a technically astute potter.....`feels` his kiln
>with the best of them. he really understands and trusts his kiln.
>
>when you watch nils fire, or help someone with a bad kiln...he thinks with
>the kiln, feels with the kiln. and i love it when he gives advice such
>as.....`if the kiln stalls, add three feet of stack, or take off three feet
>of stack, or add two pounds of pressure, or reduce the pressure two
>pounds, add primary air, or take away primary air.`...and of course what
>this should tell you is..................there are many factors in reaching
>cone 10 just the way you want to, and many ways to get there...and no one
>way is perfect for your individual kiln on any given day.
>
>I have found over the years that what is being fired, how the kiln is
>stacked, and how many pots are in the kiln has a great influence on the
>outcome of the firing. (even with an oxyprobe).....If my kiln is poorly
>stacked...shelves all parallel, i could have 50 lucky charms hanging from
>the kiln, kiln gods on top...and pray all evening, and the damn thing will
>fire like crap....air and heat flow moving through the kiln is
>critical.....and getting it to flow where you want it is the answer. If
>you block that flow with kiln shelves, or try to stack every pot you have
>into the kiln....it will just ruin things.
>
>and...............why put pots in spots or on shelves that always fire
poorly?
>i have one spot...sorta in the back, near the flu....always reduces
>poorly....so i put a brick on that spot...the brick loves it there.
>i save that pot for the next firing. the pots hate to be put there.
>they know they will be hammered to death if they are fired there. pots hate
>that...getting hammered. (and so would you)
>
>ramblin at three a.m. just have been thinking about this again.
>especially after helping dannon with her new kiln...always wonder
>how it will fire, kinda want to do it 20 times alone, solve all the little
>problems.....but it is her kiln, no one can do it for her....she has to
>solve the problems, learn her kiln, trust her kiln...and she will.
>
>mel.mn
>
>
>
>http://www.pclink.com/melpots
>
>
David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas
See David Hendley's Pottery Page at
http://www.sosis.com/hendley/david/
Ron Roy on mon 8 dec 97
I think a balanced approach is crucial - especially in the beginning. Yes I
do use my nose - tells me a lot about what is happening. When I am
adjusting my burners I do it by sound as much as by the position of the
valve (I have 4 atmospheric burners.) I have 4 1" holes drilled through my
kiln wall above each burner - when I can see the flame after 700C I can
tell if I an in or out of reduction for each burner and I can tune that
burner using secondary to match the other three.
I also have a pyrometer which I think is an indispensable tool for knowing
approximately where you are. I always have at least 2 cones in each firing
stuck in a dark firing clay - to gauge temperature and reduction. If I were
starting out I would have many more in each firing. I fire indoors so I
have a carbon monoxide detector - funny - haven't had a headache since!
I've had my share of losses while learning - but that was many moons ago -
when there was precious little information available (before NL). I'm sure
I am still doing some things I don't have to because I tried two or three
things at the same time and still don't know which worked and which did
not.
>when you have fired your kiln hundreds of times you get a real feel for it.
>I just love hearing ron roy tell us that this is firing number 978 or
>something of his kiln...(and he keeps good charts.) I have a hunch that
>ron, even though he is a technically astute potter.....`feels` his kiln
>with the best of them. he really understands and trusts his kiln.
Ron Roy
93 Pegasus Trail
Scarborough,Canada
M1G 3N8
Evenings, call 416 439 2621
Fax, 416 438 7849
Studio: 416-752-7862.
Email ronroy@astral.magic.ca
Home page http://digitalfire.com/education/people/ronroy.htm
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