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salt and shelves

updated sat 23 apr 11

 

Bonita Cohn on thu 21 apr 11


shelves in a salt kiln will erode.
Years ago -- I fired with sandra Johnstone, in Los Altos, the kiln was on h=
er
"front lawn" ...she had a catenary arch, dirt floor kiln covered in crushed
oyster shells, with a bag wall, and NO SHELVES!
If you make pots that can stack on each other, lean the stacks into each ot=
her.
the clay body is 80 fireclay, 20 sand, 1# macaloid to a big batch...the pot=
s do
not fuse to each other. line pots with pv/gerstley 1:1, salt starting at c=
one
5. no cold spots or dry pots.
no need for shelves if you plan it right.

God, I miss her!

Best,

Bonita Cohn in San Francisco

ivor and olive lewis on fri 22 apr 11


Dear Bonita Cohn,

In 1988 I was invited by Janet Mansfield to convene and chair the Salt Glaz=
e
Seminar at the Australian Ceramics Conference in Sydney.

Sandra Johnstone was our opening speaker. Yes, she did advocate a dirt floo=
r
for a salt glaze kiln kiln. From memory, the idea was given to her by Paul
Soldner. Her presentation was entitled "Salt Firing Without Shelves". She
had used it since 1969 and her kilns had passive dampers.

Yes, she was a remarkable lady.

Best regards.

Ivor Lewis,
REDHILL,
South Australia