Richard Gralnik on fri 26 feb 99
Sylvia See sent me the raku chamber drawings and some explanatory text.
I put these on our anonymous ftp server so anyone who wants them can
get them by ftp'ing to ftp.desktalk.com
Login as anonymous, password is guest. Change directory to ceramics
(cd ceramics). Type "get rakuchamber.txt" to download the text file.
Next type "bin" to put yourself in binary mode then type "mget *.jpg"
to download the pictures (rakuchamber1.jpg and rakuchamber2.jpg).
Richard
stephen baxter on sat 27 feb 99
Richard:
A few comments on the Raku Chamber. I assume that you let the pots sit in
the chamber for ????? minutes/hours until they are cool. I am concerned
that some people may attempt to open the lid prior to this time and have
the trapped gas re-ignite in their faces. I started doing Raku in 1970 when
I was a student a Teachers College Columbia Univ. I later worked with Nancy
Jurs, a Raku potter in New York. I made my living selling Raku from 1972 to
1989.
What we used to do was make up a area with dirt and some saw dust mixed
into it. This kept the ground soft. We would then find metal containers
which were around the correct size for each individual pot. The metal
containers which hold jelly from donut shops work well.
A piece of paper was put down on top of the dirt, some saw dust sprinkled
on top of the paper and when the pot was removed from the kiln it was
placed on the sawdust and covered with the metal can. dirt was pushed
around the edge of the can to seal it. In this way each pot could get
whatever attention it you wanted and as much reduction as it needed. quite
frankly this technique sound a lot like what you are trying to do with your
chamber but without the drawbacks. Drawbacks being -multiple pots in one
container-possible large area of collected unburned gas waiting for oxygen
to re-ignite.
Stephen baxter
----------
> From: Richard Gralnik
> To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> Subject: rakuchamber drawings and explanation
> Date: Friday, February 26, 1999 11:09 AM
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Sylvia See sent me the raku chamber drawings and some explanatory text.
> I put these on our anonymous ftp server so anyone who wants them can
> get them by ftp'ing to ftp.desktalk.com
>
> Login as anonymous, password is guest. Change directory to ceramics
> (cd ceramics). Type "get rakuchamber.txt" to download the text file.
> Next type "bin" to put yourself in binary mode then type "mget *.jpg"
> to download the pictures (rakuchamber1.jpg and rakuchamber2.jpg).
>
> Richard
Sylvia See on sun 28 feb 99
Steven, I haven't been using this chamber long, but so far have not had the
explosion, or flareup, of reduction material when we lifted the lid. If we
put the newspapers in metal can and set them on the rack, then set a timer
for 15 mins, and take the lid off, yes there will be still newspapers hot
enough to reignite. However, they do not explode, or big outburst of fire,
like they used to do in the garbage cans. My last firing, I tried it putting
all the newspapers and reduction under the wire frame, as there was a bit of
a wind, and it helped keep the papers from blowing away onfire. This worked
wonderfully for the white crackle, as you had no cleanup on the pieces or
those black sticky marks to wash off. Also did not have any rough surface on
the white crackle glaze at the bottom of the pot. By putting the paper under
the wire, the pots are not sitting right on the paper, and my paper under
the wire was completely cold and definitely out, when I lifted the lid. I
was able to empty the bottom reduction material right into a plastic bag.
However, I would have liked a better reduction on glazes like multicolored
sand, and alligator. So next time I would put those glazed pieces into the
buckets and set the buckets on the racks. This keeps the pieces right in
contact with the reduction material, and it will definiely relight when you
lift the lid and the pails have to be emptied into a metal garbage can. I
also don't think you can burp the chamber, like you could the garbage cans,
but the colors that we have been getting, in the pails, are the best we have
ever had. My chamber will hold 4 fairly large metal buckets. I am planning
to fire tomorrow and have 60 pieces ready to go. I am going to fill the
bottom with sand, and put the wire on top of the sand. The white crackle I
will reduce with paper under the wire, and pots just sitting on the rack.
The multi-colored sand and alligator I will do in buckets, and add leaves
and paper on top before closing the lid. I also have a bunch of small pieces
the kids have made and glazed all afternoon. Those I am going to set on the
sand with a piece of paper on the sand, and then put buckets over the top
and press into the sand, to cut down the air space for such small pieces.
I'm going to line the buckets with paper, so when I put them over the
pieces, I will get the reduction from the top I want. I am setting the timer
for 15 mins in reduction as a starting point and will experiment with times
as I use it more.
Hope I haven't made this too confusing.
Sylvia See Claresholm, Alberta sylviac@telusplanet.net
-----Original Message-----
From: stephen baxter
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Saturday, February 27, 1999 9:54 PM
Subject: Re: rakuchamber drawings and explanation
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Richard:
>A few comments on the Raku Chamber. I assume that you let the pots sit in
>the chamber for ????? minutes/hours until they are cool. I am concerned
>that some people may attempt to open the lid prior to this time and have
>the trapped gas re-ignite in their faces. I started doing Raku in 1970 when
>I was a student a Teachers College Columbia Univ. I later worked with Nancy
>Jurs, a Raku potter in New York. I made my living selling Raku from 1972 to
>1989.
>What we used to do was make up a area with dirt and some saw dust mixed
>into it. This kept the ground soft. We would then find metal containers
>which were around the correct size for each individual pot. The metal
>containers which hold jelly from donut shops work well.
>A piece of paper was put down on top of the dirt, some saw dust sprinkled
>on top of the paper and when the pot was removed from the kiln it was
>placed on the sawdust and covered with the metal can. dirt was pushed
>around the edge of the can to seal it. In this way each pot could get
>whatever attention it you wanted and as much reduction as it needed. quite
>frankly this technique sound a lot like what you are trying to do with your
>chamber but without the drawbacks. Drawbacks being -multiple pots in one
>container-possible large area of collected unburned gas waiting for oxygen
>to re-ignite.
> Stephen baxter
>
>----------
>> From: Richard Gralnik
>> To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
>> Subject: rakuchamber drawings and explanation
>> Date: Friday, February 26, 1999 11:09 AM
>>
>> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>> Sylvia See sent me the raku chamber drawings and some explanatory text.
>> I put these on our anonymous ftp server so anyone who wants them can
>> get them by ftp'ing to ftp.desktalk.com
>>
>> Login as anonymous, password is guest. Change directory to ceramics
>> (cd ceramics). Type "get rakuchamber.txt" to download the text file.
>> Next type "bin" to put yourself in binary mode then type "mget *.jpg"
>> to download the pictures (rakuchamber1.jpg and rakuchamber2.jpg).
>>
>> Richard
>
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