Carolyn Boeri on fri 30 oct 98
We have our wood-firing Noborigama 2 chamber kiln just about done. It is
amazing how much time and energy it takes to build and equip one of these,
but I am sure it will be worth it when we get to fire it. We want to fire
Nov. 7&8, we'e not really ready so the first firing we will use some things
that will not hold up for more than just this firing. We just are anxious
to go for it and are short on money. We can buy more shelves and dampers
again, later. The final unfinished details are these:
1.Stoke hole covers; I made the stoke holes sguare, 3 bricks or 13.5". I
have seen fiber used as covers, but to me its too unhealthy. I have lots
of soft brick so I could use it, if I find the right cement to hold
it together. I will need handles on the covers for ease of handling
also, what have others used?Any suggestions here? Theres alot of heat
here so its tricky.
2.Dampers; What has been used successfully on a temporary basis? what else
could be used temporarily? If one were to paint a thin layer of
castable over a piece of fiber blanket, would that work temporarily just
for one firing? Would it be stiff enough to act like a shelf? We may
have to use narrower kiln shelver than the openings, but I to use
narrower kiln shelves, but I hate to sacrify any of the (short supply)
of shelves I have for dampers.
3.Wood; This kiln is well made and will be heavily insulated. The draw
will be good and we will probably have to hold the heat back, I hope.
The wood we have is dry split ash left over from a split rail fence
company and kiln dried, left over, hard wood furniture sticks. This
will be good but we will need more filler. I am going to check with a
sawmill this next week. This is last minute stuff, I hope.
4.Ware: I have been making stuff as fast as I can, stuff I really want
to make but I can't spend the time on it that I usually do so the design
has to be simple. I make heavy duty wood-fired garden sculpture so I can
stack it on top of itself with soft brick separaters. The second chamber
will be salt and more functional,
with glazes, still, only on the inside, mostly. We will stack the
kiln to fit the piece as much as possible with room for surprises. I
will be absolutely exciting and I have told myself just today that it
will not be stressful because I just started a remission for my NHL
cancer so this HAS to be fun!!!!!!
5.aesthetics: LET THE WHOLE PROCESS BE AESTHETIC AND IT WILL BE BOTH
BEGINNING TO END.
6.tHE DRAGON: i KNOW not to fight the dragon alone therefore i seek help
around every corner. some corners I miss.
WISH US LUCK, i HOPE TO SEE ANYONE HERE that likes to fire and wants to put
something in. We will be loading on fri. or sat. on Nov. 6-7.
email me directly for directions and to secure a bed, tent site,
barn, old volvo, bunkhouse or tub( don,t laugh at my son's junior prom
party at our house, one of his friend's crashed in our tub with his
sleeping bag and he wasn't asian).
So, please, answer any questions that I have asked or not asked and I will
most gratefully appreciate.
Carolyn Boeri
Weed Rd.
Hartland Vermont
802-436-2521
claychi@vermontel.com
Mo and Les Beardsley on sun 1 nov 98
Carolyn Boeri wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
> We have our wood-firing Noborigama 2 chamber kiln just about done. It is
> amazing how much time and energy it takes to build and equip one of these,
> but I am sure it will be worth it when we get to fire it. We want to fire
> Nov. 7&8, we'e not really ready so the first firing we will use some things
> that will not hold up for more than just this firing. We just are anxious
> to go for it and are short on money. We can buy more shelves and dampers
> again, later. The final unfinished details are these:
>
> 1.Stoke hole covers; I made the stoke holes sguare, 3 bricks or 13.5". I
> have seen fiber used as covers, but to me its too unheal
> of soft brick so I could use it, if I find the right
> it together. I will need handles on the covers for ease of
> also, what have others used?Any suggestions here? Theres
> here so its tricky.
>
> 2.Dampers; What has been used successfully on a temporary basis?
> could be used temporarily? If one were to paint a
> castable over a piece of fiber blanket, would that wo
> for one firing? Would it be stiff enough to act like a
> have to use narrower kiln shelver than the openings, but
> narrower kiln shelves, but I hate to sacrify any of the (sh
> of shelves I have for dampers.
>
> 3.Wood; This kiln is well made and will be heavily insulated. The
> will be good and we will probably have to hold the heat
> The wood we have is dry split ash left over from a spl
> company and kiln dried, left over, hard wood furniture st
> will be good but we will need more filler. I am going to che
> sawmill this next week. This is last minute stuff, I hop
>
> 4.Ware: I have been making stuff as fast as I can, stuff I really want
> to make but I can't spend the time on it that I usually do so
> has to be simple. I make heavy duty wood-fired garden sculpt
> stack it on top of itself with soft brick separaters. Th
> will be salt and more functional,
> with glazes, still, only on the inside, mostly. We wil
> kiln to fit the piece as much as possible with room for
> will be absolutely exciting and I have told myself just t
> will not be stressful because I just started a remission fo
> cancer so this HAS to be fun!!!!!!
>
> 5.aesthetics: LET THE WHOLE PROCESS BE AESTHETIC AND IT WILL BE BOTH
> BEGINNING TO END.
>
> 6.tHE DRAGON: i KNOW not to fight the dragon alone therefore i seek
> around every corner. some corners I miss.
>
> WISH US LUCK, i HOPE TO SEE ANYONE HERE that likes to fire and wants to put
> something in. We will be loading on fri. or sat. on
> email me directly for directions and to secure a bed,
> barn, old volvo, bunkhouse or tub( don,t laugh at my son's junior prom
> party at our house, one of his friend's crashed in our tub with his
> sleeping bag and he wasn't asian).
>
> So, please, answer any questions that I have asked or not asked and I will
> most gratefully appreciate.
>
> Carolyn Boeri
> Weed Rd.
> Hartland Vermont
> 802-436-2521
> claychi@vermontel.com
Dear Carolyn
Hi...I can feel your great excitment!...I know the feeling well from
the first firing of the Tozan Kilns in Nanaimo B.C.
1) Stoke hole plugs...we originally had plugs made of clay with great
handles on them but as they got broken we went to using hard brick and
just pulled them out to stoke. At the end of the firing we mudded over
them with the same mud that was used to close the doors up.
2) Dampers were hand made steel with chains on them to lift. We have
gone to boat trailer cranks and marked the height of the damper to the
chains so everyone knows how high the damper is and for ease of lifting.
The steel dampers have a frame to slide up and down in which is built
into the kiln so this may be a project for later.
Mel mentioned in one of his posts that ceramic fiber sprayed with ITC
will stiffen up...if my mind is working tonite.
We have also used kiln shelves.
Good luck and have a wonderful time. Let us know the results.
Regards
Maureen Beardsley from cloudy Ladysmith B.C.
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