gary navarre on thu 27 jan 11
Hey Folks,
You know how we scare each other by saying you better put those spy and se=
condary stoke holes in when you build because it's a bear to put one in lat=
er? Well, after thinking about it, with a catenary arch all the bricks are =
pitched in and if I hammer long enough a brick will pop out and the other b=
ricks will stay put so that's what I did ...
http://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/ca/kpap/upwdfk011-3/
... cut the end off and slathered the brick back in place.
As the rest of the album shows I have a little over 4 cords of fuel cut an=
d ready for a firing. To start the load I just made a cone 4,6,8,& 9 pack f=
or the tail so I can set it in line with the bottom passive air hole...
http://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/ca/kpap/uphf2/cone-4-exit-flue.html
... and hope I can get it hotter this time around.
I better get it right this time because I've decided to pack it up and lea=
ve this cabin before next winter, or maybe spring 2012. The rent went up an=
d the property will be up for sale when the owner meets his demise, sooner =
if a couple of the kids have their way, so I better get to burning some pot=
s soon. There is a good chance I'll be selling a bunch of extra raw materia=
ls and maybe even the kiln because I'm not hauling all that crap around the=
country again. I'll probably keep the wheel just in case but I'm not build=
ing another wood kiln. I'd be almost 75 by the time I got it built again an=
d I'm not going through that much work for no money again. Like the old boy=
said, "A man has got to know his limitations." and I've exceeded mine way =
to many times.
Gary Navarre
Navarre Pottery
Navarre Enterprises
Norway, Michigan, USA
http://www.NavarrePottery.etsy.com
http://www.youtube.com/GindaUP
http://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/
Bonnie Staffel on fri 28 jan 11
Gary, that is such sad news. I know you put your heart into building =3D
that
kiln. It has become a great learning experience for you and all of us =3D
when
you shared all the things that you accomplished. You deserve a good =3D
firing
and I am sure all our hearts are out to you for such a happening.=3D20
As for the wheel, don't ever get rid of your equipment that you can =3D
carry. I
carried my wheel, slab roller and extruding pug mill all over the =3D
country so
that I could at least pick up an electric kiln to continue my work =3D
wherever
I went. Well, I am slowing down myself now. My problem is who will want =3D
my
ancient equipment? I am thankful that my great granddaughter has a =3D
degree in
clay, but she is across the country. It would cost her more than buying =3D
new
if she shipped it to her current studio. Outside of the memory of using =3D
her
gr-grandmother's equipment, I would say that my wheel is still in the =3D
best
condition.=3D20
Working in clay sure beats "working for the man" syndrome. I am sure you
will find your place in this clay world if you have to move. So sorry =3D
about
the situation, but it is out of your hands. Look upon it as a challenge =3D
and
choose a good fork in the road. An electric firing isn't so bad, really. =
=3D
I
had to give up my gas kiln when I moved north. I still feel the pain I =3D
felt
in selling it. But the electric kiln has given me a life and I made the =3D
most
of it.=3D20
Sorry for the preaching, but I have been there, done that. You can do it
too.
Love, Bonnie
http://webpages.charter.net/bstaffel/
http://vasefinder.com/bstaffelgallery1.html
DVD=3DA0 Throwing with Coils and Slabs
DVD=3DA0 Introduction to Wheel Work
Charter Member Potters Council
gary navarre on wed 22 jun 11
Hey Folks,
Wow, I musta been worn out and picked up another lung infection but I got =
to the doctor a lot sooner this time so I was down for only a day & a half.=
I can't be sick for the "Art For All" show in Iron Mountain on Saturday. H=
aven't been able to dig into the load much more even if I wasn't sick becau=
se it's been raining for a few days so I put some more pictures up in Fotki=
to keep track of some key results...
http://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/ca/kpap/upwdfk011-3/page2.html
One of my favorites is ...
http://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/ca/kpap/upwdfk011-3/working-the-pignose.htm=
l
... and I had a T-shirt made so I can wear it at the show.
Of particular interest is the amount of ash that accumulated on the shelvi=
ng and the way it filled the ash pit...
http://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/ca/kpap/upwdfk011-3/bbpap.html
I think it would look better if I had not gone nuts at the end when the ki=
ln stalled and burnt up all the pinky sized Balsam wreath scrap. Some was d=
amp on one end and getting old. Now I know not to use anything under an inc=
h or so in diameter. However, I like the shape of the hole burnt in the ash=
pile from the Bourry mousehole air that I enlarged. I think using differen=
t woods in combination would give me the heat I need along with a long flam=
e that will melt the ash settling on the pots, if I could figure out which =
woods those might be out of all the choices up here. Adding a couple feet t=
o the stack is another consideration I can do now that I realize my ladder =
will reach the top safely. I'm thinking more stack would pull air through t=
he coal pile more than over it and squeeze more heat out of the coals to re=
duce the ash pile and not choke off the throat arch. Lets hope I can give t=
he idea a try before winter.
Gary Navarre
Navarre Pottery
Navarre Enterprises
Norway, Michigan, USA
http://www.NavarrePottery.etsy.com
http://www.youtube.com/GindaUP
http://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/
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