LOWELL BAKER on mon 20 apr 98
I must start out by loudly singing the praises of the new digidal
pyrometer that I bought from Mark Ward. This is by far the
best tool I have ever owned for wood firing. It told us exactly
what we were doing right and wrong during the firing.
We fired through almost continuous rain (over three inches) thunder
storms and tornado watches. Sane folks would have gone home. I also
have to sing the praises of the group that assembled to fire the
kiln. What a bunch of troopers.
We lit the 90 ft. two chambered flat roofed wood kiln at 3:15 on
Friday afternoon. By six it was raining. We stoked wood through the
night in shifts, trying to take only small amounts out of the shed as
needed.
At 7:00am we started the sawdust burner and the temperature began
raising rapidly (as much as 100 degrees per hour). By noon we had
the first chamber to a soft cone 11. We moved the sawdust burner to
the second chamber which was about 1950 degrees by that time. By
1:00 cone 12 was melted in the second chamber. We fired the kiln for
another hour and a half to smooth out the ash by stoking with wood
and firing the sawdust burner every ten minutes or so.
The results were, nice ash, bright glazes and lots of tired but I
think satisfied firers. They can tell you their side of the story.
total fuel used: 150 cubic feet of oak strips and 250 cubic feet of
mixed wood sawdust.
total time: 23.75 hours
total rainfall: 3+ inches
the plan is to do it again twice in June.
W. Lowell Baker
The University of Alabama
Tim Lynch on tue 21 apr 98
Lowell: would you explain in a little more detail the use of the sawdust
blower? Can one be built? We have mounds and mounds of sawdust around
these parts that could be put to use. Thanks.
Tim Lynch
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I must start out by loudly singing the praises of the new digidal
>pyrometer that I bought from Mark Ward. This is by far the
>best tool I have ever owned for wood firing. It told us exactly
>what we were doing right and wrong during the firing.
>
>We fired through almost continuous rain (over three inches) thunder
>storms and tornado watches. Sane folks would have gone home. I also
>have to sing the praises of the group that assembled to fire the
>kiln. What a bunch of troopers.
>
>We lit the 90 ft. two chambered flat roofed wood kiln at 3:15 on
>Friday afternoon. By six it was raining. We stoked wood through the
>night in shifts, trying to take only small amounts out of the shed as
>needed.
>
>At 7:00am we started the sawdust burner and the temperature began
>raising rapidly (as much as 100 degrees per hour). By noon we had
>the first chamber to a soft cone 11. We moved the sawdust burner to
>the second chamber which was about 1950 degrees by that time. By
>1:00 cone 12 was melted in the second chamber. We fired the kiln for
>another hour and a half to smooth out the ash by stoking with wood
>and firing the sawdust burner every ten minutes or so.
>
>The results were, nice ash, bright glazes and lots of tired but I
>think satisfied firers. They can tell you their side of the story.
>
>total fuel used: 150 cubic feet of oak strips and 250 cubic feet of
>mixed wood sawdust.
>total time: 23.75 hours
>total rainfall: 3+ inches
>
>the plan is to do it again twice in June.
>
>W. Lowell Baker
>The University of Alabama
Tim Lynch
The Clay Man
748 Highline Drive
East Wenatchee, WA 98802-5606
509-884-8303
clayman@internet.wsd.wednet.edu
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Museum/1613
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