Dannon Rhudy on sat 24 oct 98
Well, one adventure after another. We built an
MFT kiln a year ago November, here at the college.
Lots of folks from all around came to
help, observe, have fun. Got the kiln built in a
couple of days (takes longer with a lot of people
helping all at once). Took a couple of firings
to get it figured out, and it has worked a treat ever
since. I'd been away for a couple weeks when it
was time for term to begin, so when I got
back I dashed off to the studio to make sure
things were as I left them, ready to go. Lots of clay,
yes; equipment in good repair, yes; kiln patio
still clean/tidy, yes; etc. etc. Everything in good shape.
That was at about ten a.m. Between then and my
return at one p.m. a number of things occurred.
The important one, from my view, was that
a maintenance worker running an overhead gas line
to the jewelry room had decided to stand on top the
MFT to work. It would not have been a good plan
in any case, but it happens that he was about
seven feet tall, weighed close to 300 lbs. He went
right through the roof, taking out /down a couple
of hundred soft brick, breaking all the kiln shelves
and posts. His explanation was that he thought
that he was stepping onto "a pile of brick".
He was not hurt, a momentary disappointment
to me. I was rather wishing that he'd broken both
legs , every toe, and quite possibly his neck.
When the maintenance manager came to look at
the mess, he said "that's no problem"; they'd just
"stuff some bricks back up there with a little mortar".
I said no, they would not. Doesn't work that way.
He said "Then you can fix it, can't you?" Well, now.
I'm a part-time employee. Would they pay me?
No. It was his opinion I should consider such
things "community service". I declined. Just told
them I'd get the costs together for new materials,
and check to see who could/would come to do it,
and how much they'd charge. That's what I did, and it turned
out that the best they could do was to bring Mel
Jacobson back down to repair it. And that was only
because Mel is kind and generous. He arrived
at the weekend. The students rallied round to help,
hand bricks, etc. Got it done on Sunday
and Monday. He stayed a little extra time to do
a ceramics workshop just for the students, and a
painting demo on Tuesday night. Left on Wednesday,
and is already missed by one and all. We all had a good
time, Mel ran us ragged and fixed everything he could
see, whether it needed it or not. We were probably
lucky he didn't bring his Mikita drill and giant chainsaw.
He did bring some new stories and a lot of laughter.
And the kiln is actually better than before,
because the new brick was accurately cut, and not
missized, beveled, distorted and otherwise annoying
as the other lot of NEW APGreen brick had been.
Thanks, Mel. Come back any time. Next time bring
Kurt. If I'd thought of it, I 'd have told 'em it
was a two-person job. The students are planning to
buy the guy who stood on the kiln a case of beer.....
Dannonl Rhudy
P.S. and since this is way too long anyway:
The kiln roof was an easy chore, save for having
to remove the brackets. And even that was not difficult.
When maintenance fails to show up as scheduled,
there is a special method for such repairs. One calls out
"Wes" and a Texas myth steps forward from
his beat-up truck, bringing with him of course his portable
welding outfit. He takes a cutting torch and detaches the
brackets. Says "shucks, anytime ma'm" and tips his hat,
scuffs his boots a little, checks the time on his
Rolex. He and Mel discuss the various possibilities, adjust
the brackets a bit here/there , pull everything tidily
together, tighten the nuts a little, use the torque wrench,
re-weld. I watch, duly admire, and we all spend a pleasant
half-hour talking about the state of the world, the cost of
good boots/hats, and what the young'uns are a-comin' to.
Then Wes says he's got to be gittin' along, calves need work
etc., Mel and I light the kiln, tidy up the
mess, and go make a few pots. Ain't nothin' to it, atall.
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