Naomi Rieder on wed 9 dec 98
I'd like to hear from anyone who sawdust reduces in an elctric kiln using
saggars,
especially if you work in a large city, as I do, and have to be careful of
smoke getting to neighbors. I've just tried it and had smoke leaking from the
duct but hope to fix that by raising the duct up like a flue, over the roof
line. Has anyone done that? And last, if the reuction works, does it look
like pit firing, with variations in smoke markings and color? I work with
terra sigs and am trying for depth of color.
Naomi
Don & Isao Morrill on thu 10 dec 98
At 11:36 12/9/98 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I'd like to hear from anyone who sawdust reduces in an elctric kiln using
>saggars,
>especially if you work in a large city, as I do, and have to be careful of
>smoke getting to neighbors. I've just tried it and had smoke leaking from
the
>duct but hope to fix that by raising the duct up like a flue, over the roof
>line. Has anyone done that? And last, if the reuction works, does it look
>like pit firing, with variations in smoke markings and color? I work with
>terra sigs and am trying for depth of color.
>
>Naomi
> Although I have done little reducing in an elecric kiln, I would
caution you: Donot use oily woods such as cedar. Oily woods tend to release
their oils which migrate to the coils. Make certain that any scrap wood
contains no preservatives since even 'benign' chemicals may break down
under heat. Be certain that any wood you use be thoroughly dry. don morrill
>
Don & Isao Morrill on thu 10 dec 98
At 11:36 12/9/98 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I'd like to hear from anyone who sawdust reduces in an elctric kiln using
>saggars,
>especially if you work in a large city, as I do, and have to be careful of
>smoke getting to neighbors. I've just tried it and had smoke leaking from
the
>duct but hope to fix that by raising the duct up like a flue, over the roof
>line. Has anyone done that? And last, if the reuction works, does it look
>like pit firing, with variations in smoke markings and color? I work with
>terra sigs and am trying for depth of color.
>
>Naomi
> While I have introduced bits and pieces o wood into electric kilns,I
hav never been real serious about it. I would like to offer you a hint or
two: Never ue oily woods such as cedars. They simpply coat the insaide of
the kiln and the elements,with a dark oil residue.This prbaby has some
effect on the elements. Do not use scrap wood which has been
pressure-treated,often with poisonous chemicals and certainly with
chemicals which may break down into radicals. Always attempt to obtain
freshcut wood and dry it thoroughly befor using,remembering that the volume
of the wood affects its burn time and therefore the reduction. Don Morrill
>
Abro on fri 11 dec 98
Hi Naomi,
I have done some sawdust firings. The first one created alot of smoke too.
What I've done is experiment with the amount of sawdust. I've found that I
only need about 2 inches of sawdust on the bottom of the saggar and a medium
handful between each pot. (I nest them in 4 at a time in a 14 inch saggar).
With this arrangement I have very little smoke. Oh and I get jet black on
my burnished bowls. Good luck.
Karin A.
-----Original Message-----
From: Naomi Rieder
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Wednesday, December 09, 1998 11:37 AM
Subject: Sawdust in elec.kiln
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I'd like to hear from anyone who sawdust reduces in an elctric kiln using
>saggars,
>especially if you work in a large city, as I do, and have to be careful of
>smoke getting to neighbors. I've just tried it and had smoke leaking from
the
>duct but hope to fix that by raising the duct up like a flue, over the roof
>line. Has anyone done that? And last, if the reuction works, does it look
>like pit firing, with variations in smoke markings and color? I work with
>terra sigs and am trying for depth of color.
>
>Naomi
Lori Pierce on sat 12 dec 98
Sounds like I want to try it...what cone do you fire to; is your body a
terra cotta, whiteware, or stoneware? etc,etc. Is the kiln "clean" inside
after firing? Can you fire a bisque or glaze load immediately after the
saggar sawdust firing? Can one fire a mixed load...a saggar plus ware
tobisque or glaze? Thanks, Lori Pierce
-----Original Message-----
From: Abro
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Friday, December 11, 1998 8:11 AM
Subject: Re: Sawdust in elec.kiln
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Hi Naomi,
I have done some sawdust firings. The first one created alot of smoke too.
What I've done is experiment with the amount of sawdust. I've found that I
only need about 2 inches of sawdust on the bottom of the saggar and a medium
handful between each pot. (I nest them in 4 at a time in a 14 inch saggar).
With this arrangement I have very little smoke. Oh and I get jet black on
my burnished bowls. Good luck.
Karin A.
-----Original Message-----
From: Naomi Rieder
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Wednesday, December 09, 1998 11:37 AM
Subject: Sawdust in elec.kiln
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I'd like to hear from anyone who sawdust reduces in an elctric kiln using
>saggars,
>especially if you work in a large city, as I do, and have to be careful of
>smoke getting to neighbors. I've just tried it and had smoke leaking from
the
>duct but hope to fix that by raising the duct up like a flue, over the roof
>line. Has anyone done that? And last, if the reuction works, does it look
>like pit firing, with variations in smoke markings and color? I work with
>terra sigs and am trying for depth of color.
>
>Naomi
Abro on mon 14 dec 98
Hi Lori,
I use Standard 308 Brooklyn Red clay, cone 6 stoneware. I burnish it twice.
Bisque to cone 08 so as not to lose the sheen. The saggar firing is to cone
017. I have done regular bisque firings afterward with not problems. I've
never tried a mixed load, didn't seem like the right way to go for my work.
Have fun!
Karin A.
-----Original Message-----
From: Lori Pierce
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Saturday, December 12, 1998 10:00 AM
Subject: Re: Sawdust in elec.kiln
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Sounds like I want to try it...what cone do you fire to; is your body a
>terra cotta, whiteware, or stoneware? etc,etc. Is the kiln "clean" inside
>after firing? Can you fire a bisque or glaze load immediately after the
>saggar sawdust firing? Can one fire a mixed load...a saggar plus ware
>tobisque or glaze? Thanks, Lori Pierce
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Abro
>To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
>Date: Friday, December 11, 1998 8:11 AM
>Subject: Re: Sawdust in elec.kiln
>
>
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Hi Naomi,
>
>I have done some sawdust firings. The first one created alot of smoke too.
>What I've done is experiment with the amount of sawdust. I've found that I
>only need about 2 inches of sawdust on the bottom of the saggar and a
medium
>handful between each pot. (I nest them in 4 at a time in a 14 inch saggar).
>With this arrangement I have very little smoke. Oh and I get jet black on
>my burnished bowls. Good luck.
>
>Karin A.
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Naomi Rieder
>To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
>Date: Wednesday, December 09, 1998 11:37 AM
>Subject: Sawdust in elec.kiln
>
>
>>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>>I'd like to hear from anyone who sawdust reduces in an elctric kiln using
>>saggars,
>>especially if you work in a large city, as I do, and have to be careful of
>>smoke getting to neighbors. I've just tried it and had smoke leaking from
>the
>>duct but hope to fix that by raising the duct up like a flue, over the
roof
>>line. Has anyone done that? And last, if the reuction works, does it
look
>>like pit firing, with variations in smoke markings and color? I work
with
>>terra sigs and am trying for depth of color.
>>
>>Naomi
Russel Fouts on wed 30 dec 98
Naomi,
>> I'd like to hear from anyone who sawdust reduces in an elctric kiln using
saggars, especially if you w ork in a large city, as I do, and have to be
careful of smoke getting to neighbors. I've just tried it and had smoke
leaking from the duct but hope to fix that by raising the duct up like a
flue, over the roof line. Has anyone done that? And last, if the reuction
works, does it look like pit firing, with variations in smoke markings and
color? I work with terra sigs and am trying for depth of color. <<
I'm not using sawdust. I smoke my terra-sig pots with only news paper in
tightly wrapped envelopes of double strength aluminium foil. I'm getting
lots of color and depth. The color comes from the clays I use to make the
terra-sigs; an orange flowerpot clay (also the body clay for the pots) and a
white ball clay.
I'm "renovating" my web page (massively, what you see are tests) and have
some pictures on line at the first URL below. you might find them
interesting.
Russel (still two weeks behind in Clayart but very pleased at selling most
of my show and having my law firm buy two of my pieces to present to a
departing lawyer friend).
Russel Fouts
Mes Potes & Mes Pots
Brussels, Belgium
32 2 223 02 75
Http://users.skynet.be/russel.fouts
Http://www.japan-net.or.jp/~iwcat
Grant me the Senility to forget the people I never liked anyway,
The good fortune to run into the ones I do
And the eyesight to tell the difference.
Naomi Rieder on fri 1 jan 99
Russel: Thanks for your info. I'd like to know how you deal with the smoke
that must escape from the foil packages. My elect. kiln has a downdraft vent,
but because of the proximity of neighbors, I can't vent out the window. I
thought I could run the vent up the side of the house but it's seemed too
risky to do so without a permit and where I live, San Francisco, California,
they are not giving permits for smoke/wood fire contraptions. How do you
manage in Brussels?
Russel Fouts on sun 3 jan 99
Naomi,
>> I'd like to know how you deal with the smoke that must escape from the foil p
Very, very little smoke escapes the foil packets, they're sealed really
well. Remember, I'm not using very much paper at all. Most of the work I
did for this last show only used less than 1/8th of a page of newspaper!
I didn't vent for about the first year and rarely even had to leave the
studio. I just opened the doors at both ends of the studio. One doorway
opened onto the stairwell for my 6 story building, created a nice little
draft.
I have an Envirovent hooked up now that takes care of everything. What
comes out the end of the 2 metre dryer hose is only SLIGHTLY warm and
smells only slightly of smoke. It only smells if I use a LOT of paper in
the packets, which I rarely do.
I live in the center of Brussels, with some pretty nosey neighbors. All
the backyards open onto a central space enclosed by our buildings
(hollow blocks). Nobody's complained.
Good Luck
Russel
Russel Fouts on mon 4 jan 99
Ralph,
>> I am gaining the courage to try a sawdust firing like you so described.
It will be in my basement. Any other advice? <<
Go for it! Burn what ever you want in the foil packets, experiment with
different amounts of combustibles, very little can go a LONG way.
>> Any you ever tried salt and/or copper oxides or carbonates with such
firings? <<
They don't have much if any effect at the temperature I smoke at; 500c nor
below 650c which is the limit of the aluminum foil. And it's important to me
to keep the elements as simple as possible. Two sigs, newspaper, foil and my
electric.
You can go higher with with the foil but it will start to go flakey and open
up at temps above 650c. Which is ok, you get different effects but you've
really got to have a good vent then.
Another thing I learned recently is to leave as little air space in the
packet as possible. You want the combustible to smolder, not to burn. If it
burns the temp inside the packet can go high enough to burn through the
foil. This can also be a nice effect but you've got to have a good vent
again.
Good luck
Russel
Russel Fouts
Mes Potes & Mes Pots
Brussels, Belgium
32 2 223 02 75
Http://users.skynet.be/russel.fouts
Http://www.japan-net.or.jp/~iwcat
Grant me the Senility to forget the people I never liked anyway,
The good fortune to run into the ones I do
And the eyesight to tell the difference.
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