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smokeless, one person raku

updated mon 1 mar 99

 

Chris Campbell on fri 26 feb 99

There are two ways to reduce the smoke in Raku firings. The main one is to cut
way back on the amount of reduction material. Most people I've observed use
90% more than is needed. They get billows of smoke and think that it is the
key to success. I can Raku all day using only two newspapers and get excellent
results.

The second smokeless Raku tip involves purchasing 2 or 3 bags of sand and
dumping them on the ground. You put a small piece of paper on the sand, your
hot pots go on the paper and you invert the container over it and push to
seal. Quick easy and a one person job.

I keep a small sandy area in my yard and maybe add another bag of sand every
year or so. I use old cans of all descriptions as chambers. The cost is very
low. I recommend this method to anyone like myself who fires near fussy
neighbors - they don't even know you are out there!

Chris - in a cold but sunny Carolina

Dannon Rhudy on sat 27 feb 99



----------
The second smokeless Raku tip involves purchasing 2 or 3 bags of sand and
> dumping them on the ground. You put a small piece of paper on the sand,
your
> hot pots go on the paper and you invert the container over it and push to
> seal. Quick easy and a one person job.

> low. I recommend this method to anyone like myself who fires near fussy
> neighbors - they don't even know you are out there!

------------

True, Chris. And an easier way, too, my opinion. Especially with large
pieces, can move them more quickly, not have to lift them up/over big
can. It really reduces the smoke to nearly nothing. A boon to the lungs
and other parts.

Dannon Rhudy
potter@koyote.com

Sylvia See on sun 28 feb 99

We also tried the sand with the can over it bit. I even made a wooden box to
hold the sand so it didn't wreck my yard. Wetting the sand worked even
better and we got wonderful reduction. However, we abandoned it and went
back to garbage cans as they didn't wreck our yard and filling and storing
the box and sand became a real pain. I suppose if I was just firing one or 2
pieces at a time, it wouldn't be too bad. But finding enough room to store
box and sand for 4 to 6 pots at a time was a real problem. The reduction
chamber has been built to hold exactly what my kiln will hold. I love it. By
the way, the reduction chamber was tested with water, and sand in the
trough, instead of fiberfax, and both sucked back into the chamber when it
sealed, and was not a good idea. We went back to fiber fax. If it works,
don't need to fix it. Also if you are just firing a couple of pieces at a
time and want to use the sand and bucket technique the chamber bottom would
work well to store the sand, and it would have a lid to cover it when done.
Mine would have room for 4 pail sized buckets, or one garbage can.
Sylvia See Claresholm, Alberta sylviac@telusplanet.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Dannon Rhudy
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Saturday, February 27, 1999 8:59 AM
Subject: Re: Smokeless, one person Raku


>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
>
>----------
> The second smokeless Raku tip involves purchasing 2 or 3 bags of sand and
>> dumping them on the ground. You put a small piece of paper on the sand,
>your
>> hot pots go on the paper and you invert the container over it and push to
>> seal. Quick easy and a one person job.
>
>> low. I recommend this method to anyone like myself who fires near fussy
>> neighbors - they don't even know you are out there!
>
>------------
>
>True, Chris. And an easier way, too, my opinion. Especially with large
>pieces, can move them more quickly, not have to lift them up/over big
>can. It really reduces the smoke to nearly nothing. A boon to the lungs
>and other parts.
>
>Dannon Rhudy
>potter@koyote.com
>