Alan Hathaway on thu 19 feb 98
-------------------
I want to rebuild my wood-burning kiln with a fast fire wood kiln. Does =
anyone
have any comments about the general plans presented in the Olsen Kiln Book? =
I
would like the kiln to be slightly bigger than the one in the book. Maybe =
50-60
cubic feet. How much wood does a firing take? Does the kiln fire evenly? =
etc.
Thanks for any help.
Alan
David Hendley on fri 20 feb 98
Alan,
My kiln is 1 1/2 times as big as the plans in Olsen's book.
(3 banks of 12X24 shelves, rather than 2). About 35 cu. ft.
Everything - fireboxes, flues, stack - is proportionately larger.
It fires fast and evenly - doesn't take much wood.
Be aware that 50 - 60 cubic feet is not 'slightly bigger' than the
plans, it is more than twice as big.
David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas
See David Hendley's Pottery Page at
http://ww.sosis.com/hendley/david
At 07:40 AM 2/19/98 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>-------------------
>I want to rebuild my wood-burning kiln with a fast fire wood kiln. Does
anyone
>have any comments about the general plans presented in the Olsen Kiln Book? I
>would like the kiln to be slightly bigger than the one in the book. Maybe
50-60
>cubic feet. How much wood does a firing take? Does the kiln fire evenly? etc.
>Thanks for any help.
>Alan
>
>
Anthony G Allison on sat 21 feb 98
Dear Alan,
We built a larger version.
I recommend a bigger taller chimney, arches over the fireboxes, and a lot of
insulation.
Tony
At 08:22 AM 2/20/98 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Alan,
>My kiln is 1 1/2 times as big as the plans in Olsen's book.
>(3 banks of 12X24 shelves, rather than 2). About 35 cu. ft.
>Everything - fireboxes, flues, stack - is proportionately larger.
>It fires fast and evenly - doesn't take much wood.
>Be aware that 50 - 60 cubic feet is not 'slightly bigger' than the
>plans, it is more than twice as big.
>
>David Hendley
>Maydelle, Texas
>See David Hendley's Pottery Page at
>http://ww.sosis.com/hendley/david
>
>
>At 07:40 AM 2/19/98 EST, you wrote:
>>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>>-------------------
>>I want to rebuild my wood-burning kiln with a fast fire wood kiln. Does
>anyone
>>have any comments about the general plans presented in the Olsen Kiln Book? I
>>would like the kiln to be slightly bigger than the one in the book. Maybe
>50-60
>>cubic feet. How much wood does a firing take? Does the kiln fire evenly? etc.
>>Thanks for any help.
>>Alan
>>
>>
>
mel jacobson on wed 6 oct 99
>To: clay
>From: mel jacobson
>Subject: wood fire
>
>there is a growing number of potters around the world that are
>turning to wood as a fuel and building very big anagama* style
>kilns.. it is interesting that in the third world, wood is often a
>depleted resource....
>
>here in north america and northern europe the amount of throw away wood is
>very great.
>potters can have it for the asking.
>more is dumped to get rid of it, than one can believe.
being at the wood conference has illustrated to me that many great big,
very expensive kilns are being built, grant you, many are going into colleges
and art centers, but, they are huge....take weeks to load, and many days
to fire.
it is in some cases, an act of ego, `holy cow martha, letsa build us
a 100 foot kiln, then get a front end loader to scoop the crap
out after the firing`. we know that is happening...bigger is better.
`then the piss ants can't copy us`.
a great deal of the aesthetic of wood fired anagama pots is based
on it sitting on a pedestal in a gallery or museum. that fact was admitted
several times from those presenting. (nothing wrong with that)
many of the potters are turning to japan exclusively for design concepts...
the copying is amazing. this is not totally true, but in the main, a fact.
the australians seem to be on a mission to make there own, see a new aesthetic,
but it is a very difficult problem.
without question, those that wood fire, take on a giant task of adding
amazing amounts of work to the ceramic experience....they are often
on a mission to join the long line of potters who for centuries have used
wood as a fuel. the entire task is daunting.
the potter that fires with fuel, makes a huge leap in learning what
clay and glaze are all about. the problems are many, and the results are
often difficult to reproduce. in the end, it is a very satisfying way to work.
the potter has to be smart, high energy, and a terrific problem solver.
think of the factors:
weather,
high and low pressure,
rain.
wind,
storms.
time constraints.
once you start, you must keep going.
local ordinances,
neighbors,
smoke,
flame.
technical problems.
clay,
glaze.
ash deposits
that are never
the same.
crabby mates and children.
day after day in front of that kiln.
and the list just grows and grows.
i have an amazing affection for those serious wood firers.
they are the front line of potters.
when done for the right reasons, with passion and energy
they are icons.
when done for the wrong reasons, big for big sake, ego,
fame...they are the same dorks that ruin the profession for all.
so, it was a great pleasure to be at the conference, i learned a great
deal, have a new admiration for many men and women potters, want
to get at our own firing of the baby train. (as i have said before, kurt
and i design
kilns for individual potters, working alone, doing their thing...small can
be perfect
in many cases.)
i again say....it is too bad that we forget those that have been firing with
wood for decades, thousands of years. the primitives, the mexicans, indians,
that love the fire. wood has become an anagama thing...huge. that is fine,
it is their thing, but let us not forget, wood as a fuel has many friends,
many styles,
techniques and can produce magic without a gigantic kiln.
mel/mn
* anagama kilns are large single chamber kilns.
noborigama kilns are multi chambered, usually going up a hill.
ground hogs are obviously built underground, flat, with earth
as a major insulator. bourries, trains, fast fires are all combinations
of the original designs. it is still flame, draft, fuel, combustion.
http://www.pclink.com/melpots
from minnetonka, minnesota, u.s.a.
Stephen Mills on thu 7 oct 99
I personally find it sad that the trend should be towards ever larger
kilns, especially at colleges where they should be teaching their
students how to build affordable kilns that one person can, at a pinch,
fire on their own. This is the basic philosophy behind the Playing With
Fire courses we run each spring over here. The best example is the one I
call the 60 minute kiln, because that's how long it took a group of 5 of
us to build the first one. Double cross draught, made out of buff house
bricks (dry laid) and thick kiln shelves, held together with angle iron
and fencing wire, fires to cones 10/12 in a full day. Great fun, lovely
pots.
Steve
Bath
UK
>>Subject: wood fire
>>
>>there is a growing number of potters around the world that are
>>turning to wood as a fuel and building very big anagama* style
>>kilns.. it is interesting that in the third world, wood is often a
>>depleted resource....
>>
>
--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
home e-mail: stevemills@mudslinger.demon.co.uk
work e-mail: stevemills@bathpotters.demon.co.uk
own website: http://www.mudslinger.demon.co.uk
BPS website: http://www.bathpotters.demon.co.uk
Dwiggins, Sandra (NCI) on fri 8 oct 99
Steven--
When do you do those classes? I'm toying with the idea of coming to UK, now
that the air fare is so cheap.
Sandy
-----Original Message-----
From: Stephen Mills [SMTP:stevemills@mudslinger.demon.co.uk]
Sent: Thursday, October 07, 1999 8:26 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Subject: Re: wood fire
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
I personally find it sad that the trend should be towards ever larger
kilns, especially at colleges where they should be teaching their
students how to build affordable kilns that one person can, at a pinch,
fire on their own. This is the basic philosophy behind the Playing With
Fire courses we run each spring over here. The best example is the one I
call the 60 minute kiln, because that's how long it took a group of 5 of
us to build the first one. Double cross draught, made out of buff house
bricks (dry laid) and thick kiln shelves, held together with angle iron
and fencing wire, fires to cones 10/12 in a full day. Great fun, lovely
pots.
Steve
Bath
UK
>>Subject: wood fire
>>
>>there is a growing number of potters around the world that are
>>turning to wood as a fuel and building very big anagama* style
>>kilns.. it is interesting that in the third world, wood is often a
>>depleted resource....
>>
>
--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
home e-mail: stevemills@mudslinger.demon.co.uk
work e-mail: stevemills@bathpotters.demon.co.uk
own website: http://www.mudslinger.demon.co.uk
BPS website: http://www.bathpotters.demon.co.uk
John Rodgers on fri 8 oct 99
Steve, your 60 minute kiln sounds intriguing. I am going to build a fuel
kiln(as opposed to electric) soon, and this might fit my needs. Do you have
drawings or whatever for thgis kiln, or maybe pictures and instructions.
Sure would help to see them.
Thanks,
John Rodgers
In New Mexico,USA
Stephen Mills wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I personally find it sad that the trend should be towards ever larger
> kilns, especially at colleges where they should be teaching their
> students how to build affordable kilns that one person can, at a pinch,
> fire on their own. This is the basic philosophy behind the Playing With
> Fire courses we run each spring over here. The best example is the one I
> call the 60 minute kiln, because that's how long it took a group of 5 of
> us to build the first one. Double cross draught, made out of buff house
> bricks (dry laid) and thick kiln shelves, held together with angle iron
> and fencing wire, fires to cones 10/12 in a full day. Great fun, lovely
> pots.
>
> Steve
> Bath
> UK
>
> >>Subject: wood fire
> >>
> >>there is a growing number of potters around the world that are
> >>turning to wood as a fuel and building very big anagama* style
> >>kilns.. it is interesting that in the third world, wood is often a
> >>depleted resource....
> >>
> >
>
> --
> Steve Mills
> Bath
> UK
> home e-mail: stevemills@mudslinger.demon.co.uk
> work e-mail: stevemills@bathpotters.demon.co.uk
> own website: http://www.mudslinger.demon.co.uk
> BPS website: http://www.bathpotters.demon.co.uk
Stephen Mills on sat 9 oct 99
Usually over the Easter Weekend as we get a 4 day holiday then which
allows us more building time (we fire an existing kiln the same
weekend). Have a look at the PWF page on my website:
http://www.mudslinger.demon.co.uk
Steve
Bath
UK
In message , Dwiggins, Sandra (NCI) writes
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Steven--
>When do you do those classes? I'm toying with the idea of coming to UK, now
>that the air fare is so cheap.
>Sandy
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Stephen Mills [SMTP:stevemills@mudslinger.demon.co.uk]
>Sent: Thursday, October 07, 1999 8:26 PM
>To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
>Subject: Re: wood fire
>
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I personally find it sad that the trend should be towards ever larger
>kilns, especially at colleges where they should be teaching their
>students how to build affordable kilns that one person can, at a pinch,
>fire on their own. This is the basic philosophy behind the Playing With
>Fire courses we run each spring over here. The best example is the one I
>call the 60 minute kiln, because that's how long it took a group of 5 of
>us to build the first one. Double cross draught, made out of buff house
>bricks (dry laid) and thick kiln shelves, held together with angle iron
>and fencing wire, fires to cones 10/12 in a full day. Great fun, lovely
>pots.
>
>Steve
>Bath
>UK
>
>
>>>Subject: wood fire
>>>
>>>there is a growing number of potters around the world that are
>>>turning to wood as a fuel and building very big anagama* style
>>>kilns.. it is interesting that in the third world, wood is often a
>>>depleted resource....
>>>
>>
>
>--
>Steve Mills
>Bath
>UK
>home e-mail: stevemills@mudslinger.demon.co.uk
>work e-mail: stevemills@bathpotters.demon.co.uk
>own website: http://www.mudslinger.demon.co.uk
>BPS website: http://www.bathpotters.demon.co.uk
>
--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
home e-mail: stevemills@mudslinger.demon.co.uk
work e-mail: stevemills@bathpotters.demon.co.uk
own website: http://www.mudslinger.demon.co.uk
BPS website: http://www.bathpotters.demon.co.uk
millie carpenter on mon 11 oct 99
Or maybe a group of us could get you to come to the US and do a series of
classes here
millie in md
"Dwiggins, Sandra (NCI)" wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Steven--
> When do you do those classes? I'm toying with the idea of coming to UK, now
> that the air fare is so cheap.
> Sandy
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stephen Mills [SMTP:stevemills@mudslinger.demon.co.uk]
> Sent: Thursday, October 07, 1999 8:26 PM
> To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> Subject: Re: wood fire
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I personally find it sad that the trend should be towards ever larger
> kilns, especially at colleges where they should be teaching their
> students how to build affordable kilns that one person can, at a pinch,
> fire on their own. This is the basic philosophy behind the Playing With
> Fire courses we run each spring over here. The best example is the one I
> call the 60 minute kiln, because that's how long it took a group of 5 of
> us to build the first one. Double cross draught, made out of buff house
> bricks (dry laid) and thick kiln shelves, held together with angle iron
> and fencing wire, fires to cones 10/12 in a full day. Great fun, lovely
> pots.
>
> Steve
> Bath
> UK
>
> >>Subject: wood fire
> >>
> >>there is a growing number of potters around the world that are
> >>turning to wood as a fuel and building very big anagama* style
> >>kilns.. it is interesting that in the third world, wood is often a
> >>depleted resource....
> >>
> >
>
> --
> Steve Mills
> Bath
> UK
> home e-mail: stevemills@mudslinger.demon.co.uk
> work e-mail: stevemills@bathpotters.demon.co.uk
> own website: http://www.mudslinger.demon.co.uk
> BPS website: http://www.bathpotters.demon.co.uk
clennell on wed 13 oct 99
Dear Mel: Post woodfire conference blues. I suffered this during the
conference I attended in the early 90's. got tired of potters standing up
talking about Japan this and japan that. If you hadn't been to be japan you
weren't a woodfire potter. then came Vernon Owen from NC- USA a breath of
fresh air. had someone that made frogs and critters to place in the
groundhog to help make $$$$$$$$. Said he felt bad about his pots some
evenings and then he got up in the morning and knew that 3 or 4 families
counted on working at his pottery to survive. another potter from China
stood up and said all I've heard about is Japan this and Japan that when is
someone going to talk about clay. I couldn't help myself when I broke into
applause.
Heard a woodfire potter from NY say he spent 30 days a year in New York
City snoozing and having dinner with prospective clients (collectors) to
sell them a piece. yes, piece not a pot. If I'm going to spend the big
bucks on dinner it's going to be with my darlin'.
The one potter that wasn't at the woodfire conference that I was at was
Todd Piker from connecticut- He has made more woodfired pots than there are
birth control pills. Probably he was busy at home fiing a kiln or making a
living. He would offer an interesting perspective on woodfiring and making
a living.
Just ramblin'
Tony
Tony and Sheila Clennell
Sour Cherry Pottery
4545 King St.
Beamsville, On. L0R 1B1
Stephen Mills on fri 15 oct 99
I was taught by Potters very much in the Leach tradition and became so
indoctrinated with it that my overriding ambition was to visit Japan and
go on this "spiritual quest!" That is until (here I go again) I got to
la Borne in central France and found this thriving community of Potters
who had grown up from a foundation of traditional high and low
temperature Woodfired Pottery. Strong, simple, uncomplicated, functional
wares, fired in "Whale" Kilns (French Anagama) from which root had
sprung this vital growth of terrific pots from Functional to Funk
putting the whole shooting match into perspective for me. Yes I would
still like to get to Japan, I have some very good friends there, but
now, I feel, for the right reasons. And I'd really like to get to see
some of those real Groundhogs I've seen in photographs.
Steve
in Bath
UK
slowly getting it together to come home smelling of wood-smoke again!
In message , clennell writes
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Dear Mel: Post woodfire conference blues. I suffered this during the
>conference I attended in the early 90's. got tired of potters standing up
>talking about Japan this and japan that. If you hadn't been to be japan you
>weren't a woodfire potter. then came Vernon Owen from NC- USA a breath of
>fresh air. had someone that made frogs and critters to place in the
>groundhog to help make $$$$$$$$. Said he felt bad about his pots some
>evenings and then he got up in the morning and knew that 3 or 4 families
>counted on working at his pottery to survive. another potter from China
>stood up and said all I've heard about is Japan this and Japan that when is
>someone going to talk about clay. I couldn't help myself when I broke into
>applause.
>Heard a woodfire potter from NY say he spent 30 days a year in New York
>City snoozing and having dinner with prospective clients (collectors) to
>sell them a piece. yes, piece not a pot. If I'm going to spend the big
>bucks on dinner it's going to be with my darlin'.
>The one potter that wasn't at the woodfire conference that I was at was
>Todd Piker from connecticut- He has made more woodfired pots than there are
>birth control pills. Probably he was busy at home fiing a kiln or making a
>living. He would offer an interesting perspective on woodfiring and making
>a living.
>Just ramblin'
>Tony
>
>Tony and Sheila Clennell
>Sour Cherry Pottery
>4545 King St.
>Beamsville, On. L0R 1B1
>
--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
home e-mail: stevemills@mudslinger.demon.co.uk
work e-mail: stevemills@bathpotters.demon.co.uk
own website: http://www.mudslinger.demon.co.uk
BPS website: http://www.bathpotters.demon.co.uk
mel jacobson on wed 26 jan 00
it is very interesting that while checking on sources
of scrap wood for our wisconsin train kiln, a number
of lumber yards are using all of their scrap to use
as fuel for drying lumber. several told me, `hell, why
should be give it away, when we can use it as fuel, free?`
of course, all of the scrap wood sources give their wood
to people to stuff into wood burning stoves. so, i do not
get it, heat with gas, wood, electricity, oil, cow dung...we
have to heat our houses or all move to texas.
if it is not used for fuel, it is just stacked and burned.
so be it....but we are with david hendley, we want to put
it to a better use...than just up the stack...at least we
will get a product from the result....not just heat.
mel/mn
http://www.pclink.com/melpots (website)
from minnetonka, minnesota, u.s.a.
Bill Merrill on tue 8 jun 10
Has anyone tested the wood you may be using in wood fire for the water
content of the wood you are using? There is a tool fine wood workers
use that will measure the woods water content. Wood kilns and the
carbon foot print will be different depending on the woods dryness. Top
drag racers even measure the grains of water in the air so they can set
their engines accordingly. Too high tech for wood firing, but using
wood with different amounts of water in the wood does affect the firing,
etc..
=3D20
I helped fire Shiho Kanzaki's Anagama in Shigaraki, Japan several years
ago. The wood was aged (several years) and was red pine.
=3D20
It was a 10 day firing. High temp was achieved in 5 days. The other 5
days the temp was maintained and lots of wood was used to create the
textures he achieved. Some of his pieces looked like Iga ware and other
work was unlike American wood fire as we know it today. =3D20
=3D20
If Mel will put up some pictures of these pieces on his Clayart site, I
will send him some pictures of the work.
=3D20
Bill Merrill on wed 5 jan 11
I was invited to fire with Shiho Kanzaki several years ago. I spent 3
weeks in Shig1raki and fired his anagama. I was put on the first shift
to preheat the kiln using the traditional way by building a small fire
outside the kiln which preheated the kiln through the lower ash pit. I
had to be extra careful since I could have blown up lots of pots. I
didn't. We worked in 8 hour shifts. =3D20
=3D20
The wood was seasoned red pine and the kiln while large reached cone 10
in4 days as I remember. Then the temperature was maintained for another
6 days. During the last 6 days the interior of the kiln went from
reduction to oxidation. At the chimney Shiho want to maintain what was
called "Pira Pira", It looked like a crown of thorns. About a foot
above the chimney small licking flames ignited for awhile and then
disappeared. That's when the kiln was stoked again. I would watch the
interior so I would know when to stoke. There was not masses of wood
stoked in , just controlled stokes so the interior was reducing and the
Pira Pira was always present. It only happened under certain
conditions. When the firing was completed the kiln was charged with
about 20 arm loads of wood, one after the other, each by a different
helper. Then the kiln was mudded up and the kiln cooled for 10 days
before an opening ceremony. There were blessings by monks, a large 75
person sit down traditional Japanese lunch. It was quite amazing .
Collectors and friends were also there along with the Tax man. We're
not alone when it comes to taxes.
=3D20
The kiln didn't stall at any point as the wood was perfect in size and
dryness. We sometimes used smaller sized wood if we thought the kiln
was stalling, but it was never noticeable. In fact the kiln had to be
controlled so the temperature stayed about the same for the last 5 days
of the firing. =3D20
=3D20
I did notice that there were lots of fired pots being re-fired. The
pots were carefully stacked. Many pieces had clay pieces (small 0 put
in front of re-fires to direct the flame around the pots and the center
would not get as much flashing. Pieces throughout the kiln were under
fired and they would be fired again. He obtained a unusual textural
white-(and pale yellow) magnesium Carbonate like crawl quality on some
of the pots around the firebox. He also obtain a "Shigaraki" look to
his pieces that he pulled into the large amount of coals in the firebox.
=3D20
It was a great experience. A potter that is very good with firing with
wood is Jeff Shipiro. Look up his work.
http://www.jeffshapiroceramics.com/gallery_teabowls.htm
=3D20
Bill
=3D20
=3D20
=3D20
=3D20
=3D20
=3D20
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