honthaas on tue 6 oct 98
Can't help with details of sawdust firing but be cautious of firing in a
trash can. Most are not aluminum but rather galvanized steel. They can
give off very toxic fumes when exposed to heat and flame. Veronica
Nancy Gallagher on sun 3 jun 12
I recently experimented with my first trash can firing, taking some
collective advice from some who have done it in the past. My final
results - meh. I've got the firing process and resulting pots pretty
well documented in my latest blog entry, if anyone would like to take a
look and leave me some possible pointers for my next firing in the
comments, I sure would appreciate it! The page entry is here:
http://www.gallagherpottery.com/archives/1250
thanks,
Nancy
--
Nancy Gallagher
http://www.gallagherpottery.com
Want to adopt a basset hound? Visit http://www.dailydrool.com
Snail Scott on tue 5 jun 12
On Jun 5, 2012, at 7:20 PM, Elizabeth Willoughby wrote:
> ...The concern with using galvanized metal, is, the arsenic that used =3D
in the
> process, or is it lead? Anyway, the fumes were horrible and I am sure =
=3D
not
> healthy...
It's zinc. Causes 'metal-fume fever', not fun: nausea=3D20
and dizziness in the short term, and worse results=3D20
with prolonged exposure. However, most trash-can=3D20
firings don't get hot enough to release much in the way=3D20
of fumes. Just don't hang around breathing the air=3D20
during a firing, but that's just good sense anyway.=3D20
If you use a cutting torch to make holes in the can, you=3D20
need to wear a fume-grade respirator!=3D20
-Snail=3D
Elizabeth Willoughby on tue 5 jun 12
Hi Nancy,
I had a look at your firing technique, and your results, and thought they
were pretty good. I used to do a few firings in a garbage can quite a few
years ago, and used your methods, making sure there were a lot of holes,
and slashes for air to get in. However, I used mostly sawdust mixed with
various oxides, lit it on the top, got it smouldering and put a lid on it,
kind of to the side, so that air would still get in. It would take about
24 hours to fire down and I got some very nice results using the terra sig
on bisqued pots.
The concern with using galvanized metal, is, the arsenic that used in the
process, or is it lead? Anyway, the fumes were horrible and I am sure not
healthy, and I know some use a large metal container that is not galvanized=
.
It is always interesting to try different methods of firing work, thanks
for the images on your web-site, you went to a great deal of trouble to
document what you did.
Good luck,
Liz Willoughby
from Brighton, Ontario, Canada.
On Sun, Jun 3, 2012 at 10:01 PM, Nancy Gallagher wro=
te:
> I recently experimented with my first trash can firing, taking some
> collective advice from some who have done it in the past. My final
> results - meh. I've got the firing process and resulting pots pretty
> well documented in my latest blog entry, if anyone would like to take a
> look and leave me some possible pointers for my next firing in the
> comments, I sure would appreciate it! The page entry is here:
>
> http://www.gallagherpottery.**com/archives/1250ry.com/archives/1250>
>
>
> thanks,
>
> Nancy
>
>
> --
> Nancy Gallagher
> http://www.gallagherpottery.**com
> Want to adopt a basset hound? Visit http://www.dailydrool.com
>
Vince Pitelka on thu 7 jun 12
Snail Scott wrote:
"It's zinc. Causes 'metal-fume fever', not fun: nausea and dizziness in th=
e
short term, and worse results with prolonged exposure. However, most
trash-can firings don't get hot enough to release much in the way of fumes.
Just don't hang around breathing the air during a firing, but that's just
good sense anyway. If you use a cutting torch to make holes in the can, you
need to wear a fume-grade respirator!"
The above represents Snail's normal level of expertise and accuracy on so
many things. I worked as a mechanic/welder and have experienced zinc-fume
fever, and it is no fun - vomiting and flu-like symptoms. But the
fume-grade respirator is overkill. Do the cutting outside with a powerful
fan blowing the fumes away from you and you will be fine.
This is nothing to be toyed with, and one should always avoid breathing all
dust and fumes, but it would take a significant amount of zinc fumes to
build up truly toxic levels in the body. As you know, we need a certain
amount of zinc in our system, but needless to say, no one should be getting
their daily zinc intake from fumes!
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
Snail Scott on fri 8 jun 12
On Jun 7, 2012, at 3:40 PM, Vince Pitelka wrote:
> I...have experienced zinc-fume
> fever, and it is no fun - vomiting and flu-like symptoms. But the
> fume-grade respirator is overkill. Do the cutting outside with a powerfu=
l
> fan blowing the fumes away from you and you will be fine...
Yes, for most folks, this will do. I find that I am a
bit sensitive to it, however, and when working near
a building, eddies in the local air-flow pattern can
bring the stuff back around to you even with a fan.
(The building where I used to be the sculpture tech
was notorious that way, as is the present building I
teach in.) Know your surroundings!
I want to reinforce Vince's statement: the fan must
face AWAY from you. Fans work best for removal
when they are sucking air, not pushing it. A good
breeze is enough most of the time, eliminating the
need for a fan, but don't mistake just being outdoors
as sufficient. Still air is no help.
It's not gonna kill you if you get a whiff of zinc fumes.
You will recover just fine from occasional exposure,
but you will feel really crappy for quite a few hours.
(Just a reminder...pennies are zinc nowadays. Melt
them, and you make fumes, no welding necessary.)
-Snail
Elizabeth Willoughby on fri 8 jun 12
Thanks Snail and Vince for the information on galvanized metal. . .not
arsenic, not lead, but zinc. . .I do remember getting quite nauseated a
couple of times when I was around the fumes when doing sawdust firings in
the garbage can. The fan is a good idea, unless you are way outside not
close to an electric plug. I eventually made myself a little outdoor kiln
made of bricks for that type of firing. Maybe Nancy Gallagher could do the
same. They don't have to be bricks that can stand a lot of heat.
Very best,
Liz
Brighton, Ontario, Canada.
On Fri, Jun 8, 2012 at 9:09 AM, Snail Scott wrot=
e:
> On Jun 7, 2012, at 3:40 PM, Vince Pitelka wrote:
> > I...have experienced zinc-fume
> > fever, and it is no fun - vomiting and flu-like symptoms. But the
> > fume-grade respirator is overkill. Do the cutting outside with a
> powerful
> > fan blowing the fumes away from you and you will be fine...
>
>
> Yes, for most folks, this will do. I find that I am a
> bit sensitive to it, however, and when working near
> a building, eddies in the local air-flow pattern can
> bring the stuff back around to you even with a fan.
> (The building where I used to be the sculpture tech
> was notorious that way, as is the present building I
> teach in.) Know your surroundings!
>
> I want to reinforce Vince's statement: the fan must
> face AWAY from you. Fans work best for removal
> when they are sucking air, not pushing it. A good
> breeze is enough most of the time, eliminating the
> need for a fan, but don't mistake just being outdoors
> as sufficient. Still air is no help.
>
> It's not gonna kill you if you get a whiff of zinc fumes.
> You will recover just fine from occasional exposure,
> but you will feel really crappy for quite a few hours.
>
> (Just a reminder...pennies are zinc nowadays. Melt
> them, and you make fumes, no welding necessary.)
>
> -Snail
>
David Todd on fri 8 jun 12
Once you start adding heat to the trash can barrel, just the force of the
rushing gases will dislodge particles from the blanket and blow them out
into the air. The fibres disolve in water when they are in the blanket but
once they are heated and floating around outside the can, I wonder if they
are still safe? Use some rigidizer on the blanket to try and contain the
fibers (if they can be). If you add a blower to your heat source it will
blow the fabric apart soon and all those fibres go some where.
David Todd
www.otterrafting.com
Snail Scott on sat 9 jun 12
On Jun 7, 2012, at 3:40 PM, Vince Pitelka wrote:
> ...I worked as a mechanic/welder and have experienced zinc-fume
> fever, and it is no fun - vomiting and flu-like symptoms. But the
> fume-grade respirator is overkill...
I should mention I've already got a fume-grade respirator
for other purposes, so I use it. Safest option. But you don't
need to run out and buy one just to cut holes in a can, or
for some other one-time application. Just ensure you are
breathing fresh air, by whatever means you have on hand.
-Snail
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