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car kiln and salt/ will it work?

updated sun 14 dec 97

 

RothSmith on mon 8 dec 97

As I struggle on in trying to make design choices for my new kiln, I have
another question for the group:

Can one build a car kiln that could be fired effectively in salt? Recently
some people have suggested to me that a well-sealed car kiln could function as
a salt kiln. I'd love to be able to use a car kiln. We were already having
trouble lifting shelves into the upper back of my old kiln. And our teenaged
son, who has been doing most of the heavy lifting, will soon be moving on.

Deos anyone know of potters who have successfully built and used car kilns in
salt? Is a salt car kiln just an unrealistic fantasy on my part, or can it
be/ has it been done?

Thanks,
Nan

Nan Rothwell
221 Pottery Lane
Faber Virginia 22938
804-263-4023
RothSmith@AOL.com

Craig Martell on wed 10 dec 97

At 08:40 AM 12/8/97 EST, Nan wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>As I struggle on in trying to make design choices for my new kiln, I have
>another question for the group:
>
>Can one build a car kiln that could be fired effectively in salt?

Hi Nan:

Sure you can build a car kiln for salt and I think they would work well.
I'm not speaking from practical experience though.

Anne Shattuck uses a car kiln to fire her salt ware. As far as I know, she
still lives in New York and I think the town is Brandt Lake but I'm not
sure. I would try and talk with her. If I've given you the wrong town, I
know that Jim Bailey has done photography for her and actually, I think I
heard they were married but I'm not sure. Anyway you might be able to
contact her by giving the folks at Bailey a call.

regards, Craig Martell-Oregon

Stovers on sat 13 dec 97


----------
From: RothSmith
To: Multiple recipients of list CLAYART
Subject: Car kiln and salt/ will it work?
Date: Mon, 8 Dec 1997 08:40:08 EST

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
As I struggle on in trying to make design choices for my new kiln, I have
another question for the group:

Can one build a car kiln that could be fired effectively in salt? Recently
some people have suggested to me that a well-sealed car kiln could function
as
a salt kiln. I'd love to be able to use a car kiln. We were already having
trouble lifting shelves into the upper back of my old kiln. And our
teenaged...
Nan, I built a car/soda crossdraft kiln several years ago but it's only
had maybe 6 or 8 soda firings to c.6 since then (it's at a 'vacation' home).
I coated the bricks with a kyanite solution after construction which seems
to work ok as a resist, but where it was thicker it has started to spall in
a few spots (This was constructed with K23 softbrick by the way... and I've
since heard, at NCECA Las Vegas, that K26 are much better for salt/soda -
also I believe it's said that the ITC coating is very effective on bricks,
though quite expensive). I've also just finished a soda kiln, an old
commercial updraft that I converted into downdraft and car configuration,
leaving the door attached to the frame. I've fired it a number of times
without soda , so I can't give you any advice on this kiln, yet. I coated
all bricks with a thin kyanite slurry as I built. On neither of these
kilns does the car seem to be much of an issue. I'm feeling the same way
about heavy shelves, and am hoping these kilns work out. I'll be interested
to hear of others...

Lanse Stover in Beverly, MA
lanse@jillo.com