Corinne Null on sat 16 may 98
There has to be some collective wisdom here about the end of life for a
kiln. I am having a hard time with the concept of chopping up a kiln and
taking it to the dump. Is that what is done when it's time is done?
I read about kiln sites that are no longer used, but visited for their
historical significance. True, these are one-of-a-kind wood fired kilns.
Are they the only ones worshipped?
What about a trusty gas kiln which has put out a multitude of gorgeous
pots? Just toss it out? Think nothing of it?
What kilns have you had to "dispose of"? How did you feel about it?
Help me.
Thanks
Corinne
Corinne Null
Bedford, NH
USA
null@mediaone.net
Barbara Brown on sun 17 may 98
Corinne,
When my friend and teacher, Sandra Johnstone died, her sons put an ad in
the local potters newsletter offering the bricks from the kiln free. A
few were taken but there were still a lot of beautiful saltfired bricks
that the sons were going to have to take to the dump. I couldn't stand
the thought, so I took them all and made a brick walkway and large area
next to my patio and set some of Sandra's large pots on it and think of
her often when in the garden.
Barbara
Barbara Brown phone/fax 408-736-3889
1225 Manzano Way,Sunnyvale,Ca. 94089
http://www.silverhawk.com/crafts/bbrown97.html
Vince Pitelka on sun 17 may 98
>There has to be some collective wisdom here about the end of life for a
>kiln. I am having a hard time with the concept of chopping up a kiln and
>taking it to the dump. Is that what is done when it's time is done?
>What about a trusty gas kiln which has put out a multitude of gorgeous
>pots? Just toss it out? Think nothing of it?
Corinne -
Is your kiln really beyond help? Even if you do not want to face repairing
or rebuilding it, might someone else want to tackle it? And even if the
kiln is beyond repair, almost everything in a kiln is recyclable for you or
some other potter. If this is a commercially made kiln, then it can likely
be relined. If the frame is too far gone, or if it is a homebuilt kiln
which cannot be moved, the refractory can always be salvaged and used in
some other way. Unless it is a salt kiln, the burners are most likely very
salvageable. If the bricks are damaged by salt or soda, they can still be
used as the outer layer or as a foundation for another kiln. If they are
softbrick and are badly broken down, they can be pulverized and used as
insulating grog in a castable refractory mix.
I shudder at the thought of ANY kiln going to the landfill. They can ALWAYS
be reused, intact or in pieces, in other kiln projects. Let the potters in
your area know about it, and it will find another life.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
Home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801, fax 615/597-6803
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
KAYREAM on sun 17 may 98
When I moved and could not take my trusty gas kiln, which I had built and
rebuilt and moved once, I felt terrible. Fortunately a young potter friend
was ecstatic when I told her she could have all that was salvageable--burners,
plumbing, safety cutoffs, arch bricks which we carefully took out one at a
time with the arch support in the kiln, etc.
It was much better than taking a trusting friend to the dump!
kayream@AOL.com
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