David Hendley on mon 26 sep 11
----- Original Message -----
>i am all for science...know how.
>
> but here is the take of a potter, and older potter:
> fire your kiln for 19 hours, use 41 gallons of propane at 2.00+ per
> gallon.
> =3D$82.00, deduct that from your amount of ware in the kiln.
>
> my firing: 4 1/2 hours, 10 gallons of propane $20.
> notice any savings?
> this is how i calculate the science of firing.
> i just put bout 60 bucks in my pocket.
> mel
Mel knows we are on the same page about working smart, but in
the world of the professional artist-potter it makes no sense to
worry about productions costs if there is even the slightest possibility
that any savings might impact the quality of the work.
Sure $62 is $62, but in a firing that holds 100 pieces it is insignificant.
If there is even an extra 1% loss rate, or a 1% lower number of
exceptional racers because of a faster firing, the bottom line is
reduced, not increased.
The potter's time is the valuable commodity here - all other costs
are paltry in comparison.
Maybe firing with wood is different, but I don't think it is that
different. If I fire as fast as I can, I use less fuel and can knock off
early, but the pots end up looking pasty and dead. Yes, my kiln
will go to cone 10 in 6 hours, but I extend the firing to at least
10 hours. Everything looks better - claybody and glazes. Four
hours of fuel use adds hundreds of dollars to the bottom line.
Firing from zero to cone 10 in 4 hours is also very hard on
kiln furniture. Oops, there's another crack in a $82 kiln shelf....
I am absolutely 100% sure I could survey a group of pots and
pick out which were fired in Mel's kiln for 4 1/2 hours and
which were fired in Hank's kiln for 28 hours. I would prefer the
look of the longer firing.
David Hendley
david@farmpots.com
http://www.farmpots.com
http://www.thewahooligans.com
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