Mark on thu 25 mar 99
I am considering building a small wood-soda kiln in a village setting. My
question is this: I have seen lots of pictures of wood kilns with flames
shooting out the chimney. Is this necessary? I think I read here that it
is not, and may even be a waste of energy (something like the flame's heat
is concentrated at the end; why send it out of the kiln). I am concerned
because I don't think neighbors will like it and I don't feel comfortable
doing it anyway -- I don't want to burn down anyone's barn. The kiln will
be legal and inspected and have all the necessary clearances, but we are in
a rural village here with outbuildings withing 50 or so feet.
Your thoughts?
Mark
Emily Lees on tue 15 feb 05
I am going in with some friends to do a wood firing. I have been firing
to cone 9 or 10 reduction, so I know my clay body is appropriate, but
what do I do about glazing? Currently, I don't have my own studio, and
the place where I do pottery has a variety of cone 9 glazes. They have a
soda kiln, so I know what some of the glazes do in a soda fire. Should I
just use oxides? Do I glaze the interior? I will be firing mostly
handbuilt cylinders with texture and/or additions. They are all bisqued,
so I suppose that slip is out of the question. Any advice would be
appreciated.
Edwards on wed 16 feb 05
Hello Emily: Without knowing what sort of woodkiln you are going to put
your pots in it is hard to tell you what to do.
Your friends that fire are probably the ones that would know the best.
Usually the person that has the kiln has some glazes that have been
working for them. Don't be afraid to ask. Hmmm... Should you glaze the
interior-- probably a good idea. Shinos and celadon are good in wood. I
like glazes that are sensitive to the flame so those are favorites. If
the kiln is an anagama or train kiln that throws allot of ash, glazing
can be counterproductive. If it's a fastfire or norborigama you probably
would want to put some glaze on.
Woodfiring is not a one shot thing. You can explore a lifetime of
possibilities. Enjoy the ride.
~Craig
_______________
Craig Edwards, New London MN
e-mail craigedwards@charter.net
http://photobucket.com/albums/v11/credwards/
Illegitimis non carborundum
Emily Lees wrote:
> I am going in with some friends to do a wood firing. I have been firing
> to cone 9 or 10 reduction, so I know my clay body is appropriate, but
> what do I do about glazing? Currently, I don't have my own studio, and
> the place where I do pottery has a variety of cone 9 glazes. They have a
> soda kiln, so I know what some of the glazes do in a soda fire. Should I
> just use oxides? Do I glaze the interior? I will be firing mostly
> handbuilt cylinders with texture and/or additions. They are all bisqued,
> so I suppose that slip is out of the question. Any advice would be
> appreciated.
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
>
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
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>
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> melpots@pclink.com.
>
Steve Mills on thu 17 feb 05
Glaze the inside and let the fire paint the outside with flame and ash!
That's what I do.
Enjoy!
Steve
Bath
UK
In message , Emily Lees writes
>I am going in with some friends to do a wood firing. I have been firing
>to cone 9 or 10 reduction, so I know my clay body is appropriate, but
>what do I do about glazing? Currently, I don't have my own studio, and
>the place where I do pottery has a variety of cone 9 glazes. They have a
>soda kiln, so I know what some of the glazes do in a soda fire. Should I
>just use oxides? Do I glaze the interior? I will be firing mostly
>handbuilt cylinders with texture and/or additions. They are all bisqued,
>so I suppose that slip is out of the question. Any advice would be
>appreciated.
--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
Carolyn Boeri on sun 16 may 10
Boy, Mike, I would love to have that wood. Why don't you go with it. How bi=
g
is your wood kiln? Dry pine, of course is a great wood source. I would
protect the hard brick with ITC and use clay that is good for a wood fire.
Check out glazes you would like with salt. Unless you are making precise
dinnerware or like to have exact results, which a wood fire does not give
you anyway, I would definately count your blessings and use it. Good luck.
Carolyn in Vermont.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike"
To:
Sent: Sunday, May 16, 2010 6:49 PM
Subject: Wood firing question
> To any wood firers or even those who just play one on tv, I have a
> question regarding choice of wood for wood firing. I've nailed down a
> really good almost free source of large beam cutoffs that are almost all
> North American pine (no way to know the exact variety). It has come to
> my attention that these logs all spend a good deal of time floating in
> the ocean before being brought over to Japan, and I am a bit worried
> about salt content in the wood and how it will affect the glazes and clay=
.
>
> Has anyone out there fired with this type of wood, and can you tell me
> anything about what to expect from it regarding the salt and its
> influence on the firing? I do plan to do some tests in the gas kiln
> using the wood in saggars with some glazed ware, but suspect this won't
> give me the full picture.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Mike
>
> --
> Mike
> in Taku, Japan
>
> http://karatsupots.com
> http://karatsupots.blogspot.com
>
> Kiln Building Workshop, Oct. 15 - 22
>
> http://karatsupots.com/workshop2010/workshop2010.html
> http://karatsupots-workshop.blogspot.com/
>
>
Vince Pitelka on sun 16 may 10
Mike in Taku wrote:
"To any wood firers or even those who just play one on tv, I have a
question regarding choice of wood for wood firing. I've nailed down a
really good almost free source of large beam cutoffs that are almost all
North American pine (no way to know the exact variety). It has come to
my attention that these logs all spend a good deal of time floating in
the ocean before being brought over to Japan, and I am a bit worried
about salt content in the wood and how it will affect the glazes and =3D
clay."
Mike -=3D20
There would have to be an awful lot of salt impregnated into this wood =3D
in order for it to make a noticeable impact on the wares. If these =3D
beams were used in conventional construction, with steel fasteners, any =3D
significant salt content would be intolerable, because the fasteners =3D
would corrode almost immediately. Regarding the pots in the wood =3D
firing, the only effect I can imagine would be a slight enhancement of =3D
flashing, as the very small amount of salt vapors condenses on the pots =3D
and increases the adherence of fine particulates. =3D20
I can't imagine you have anything to worry about with this wood. Burn =3D
it!
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net; wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka
Mike on mon 17 may 10
To any wood firers or even those who just play one on tv, I have a
question regarding choice of wood for wood firing. I've nailed down a
really good almost free source of large beam cutoffs that are almost all
North American pine (no way to know the exact variety). It has come to
my attention that these logs all spend a good deal of time floating in
the ocean before being brought over to Japan, and I am a bit worried
about salt content in the wood and how it will affect the glazes and clay.
Has anyone out there fired with this type of wood, and can you tell me
anything about what to expect from it regarding the salt and its
influence on the firing? I do plan to do some tests in the gas kiln
using the wood in saggars with some glazed ware, but suspect this won't
give me the full picture.
Thank you,
Mike
--
Mike
in Taku, Japan
http://karatsupots.com
http://karatsupots.blogspot.com
Kiln Building Workshop, Oct. 15 - 22
http://karatsupots.com/workshop2010/workshop2010.html
http://karatsupots-workshop.blogspot.com/
Mike on mon 17 may 10
Hi Carolyn,
The kiln doesn't exist yet, but will soon, this October is the workshop
for building it. Hopefully the first of many workshops related to
Karatsu pottery, techniques, glazes, etc...
The kiln will be a 2 chambered catenary kiln, first chamber about 4
meters long, second about 2. Both chambers will be about 2 meters wide
at the bottom. Insulation all around (floor too).
I already have a palette of glazes and clays that are traditionally
fired with wood, but I'm currently firing them in gas and want the
warmth and character to the clay and variation in glaze surface that
can't be had with gas. Since I'm aiming for traditional looking Karatsu
ware, at least for the time being, I'm a tad worried about the Karatsu
'feel' being undermined by the salt. It's a fine line between having 'my
Karatsu' and something that the public doesn't view as sufficiently
'Karatsu-ish' to be considered Karatsu ware. I know it all boils down to
experimentation for one's self, but thought I'd try for a preview, maybe
have an idea of what to expect.
The wood itself is wonderful. Almost uniformly 5 inches thick and 18
inches wide, in varying lengths, easily cut by saw or chainsaw to
uniform length and easily split with a small electric splitter or axe.
Rarely run into any tough knots that resist splitting. I have some pics
of the wood here:
http://karatsupots-workshop.blogspot.com/
Thanks again,
Mike
Mike
in Taku, Japan
http://karatsupots.com
http://karatsupots.blogspot.com
Kiln Building Workshop, Oct. 15 - 22
http://karatsupots.com/workshop2010/workshop2010.html
http://karatsupots-workshop.blogspot.com/
(2010/05/17 9:15), Carolyn Boeri wrote:
> Boy, Mike, I would love to have that wood. Why don't you go with it.
> How big is your wood kiln? Dry pine, of course is a great wood source.
> I would protect the hard brick with ITC and use clay that is good for
> a wood fire. Check out glazes you would like with salt. Unless you are
> making precise dinnerware or like to have exact results, which a wood
> fire does not give you anyway, I would definately count your blessings
> and use it. Good luck.
> Carolyn in Vermont.
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike"
> To:
> Sent: Sunday, May 16, 2010 6:49 PM
> Subject: Wood firing question
>
>
>> To any wood firers or even those who just play one on tv, I have a
>> question regarding choice of wood for wood firing. I've nailed down a
>> really good almost free source of large beam cutoffs that are almost all
>> North American pine (no way to know the exact variety). It has come to
>> my attention that these logs all spend a good deal of time floating in
>> the ocean before being brought over to Japan, and I am a bit worried
>> about salt content in the wood and how it will affect the glazes and
>> clay.
>>
>> Has anyone out there fired with this type of wood, and can you tell me
>> anything about what to expect from it regarding the salt and its
>> influence on the firing? I do plan to do some tests in the gas kiln
>> using the wood in saggars with some glazed ware, but suspect this won't
>> give me the full picture.
>>
>> Thank you,
>>
>> Mike
>>
>> --
>> Mike
>> in Taku, Japan
>>
>> http://karatsupots.com
>> http://karatsupots.blogspot.com
>>
>> Kiln Building Workshop, Oct. 15 - 22
>>
>> http://karatsupots.com/workshop2010/workshop2010.html
>> http://karatsupots-workshop.blogspot.com/
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
Steve Mills on mon 17 may 10
Mike,
I'm green with envy; you have a highly enviable fuel load there.
Vince is on the money there, what flashing you will get from the salt (if
any) will be very light and give a nice blush to the work.
In my own work I use extremely small quantities of salt to obtain light
subtle surfaces and flame "painting".
Steve M
On 17 May 2010 02:51, Mike wrote:
> Hi Carolyn,
> The kiln doesn't exist yet, but will soon, this October is the workshop
> for building it. Hopefully the first of many workshops related to
> Karatsu pottery, techniques, glazes, etc...
>
> The kiln will be a 2 chambered catenary kiln, first chamber about 4
> meters long, second about 2. Both chambers will be about 2 meters wide
> at the bottom. Insulation all around (floor too).
>
> I already have a palette of glazes and clays that are traditionally
> fired with wood, but I'm currently firing them in gas and want the
> warmth and character to the clay and variation in glaze surface that
> can't be had with gas. Since I'm aiming for traditional looking Karatsu
> ware, at least for the time being, I'm a tad worried about the Karatsu
> 'feel' being undermined by the salt. It's a fine line between having 'my
> Karatsu' and something that the public doesn't view as sufficiently
> 'Karatsu-ish' to be considered Karatsu ware. I know it all boils down to
> experimentation for one's self, but thought I'd try for a preview, maybe
> have an idea of what to expect.
>
> The wood itself is wonderful. Almost uniformly 5 inches thick and 18
> inches wide, in varying lengths, easily cut by saw or chainsaw to
> uniform length and easily split with a small electric splitter or axe.
> Rarely run into any tough knots that resist splitting. I have some pics
> of the wood here:
>
>
> http://karatsupots-workshop.blogspot.com/
>
> Thanks again,
>
>
> Mike
>
> Mike
> in Taku, Japan
>
> http://karatsupots.com
> http://karatsupots.blogspot.com
>
> Kiln Building Workshop, Oct. 15 - 22
>
> http://karatsupots.com/workshop2010/workshop2010.html
> http://karatsupots-workshop.blogspot.com/
>
>
> (2010/05/17 9:15), Carolyn Boeri wrote:
>
>> Boy, Mike, I would love to have that wood. Why don't you go with it.
>> How big is your wood kiln? Dry pine, of course is a great wood source.
>> I would protect the hard brick with ITC and use clay that is good for
>> a wood fire. Check out glazes you would like with salt. Unless you are
>> making precise dinnerware or like to have exact results, which a wood
>> fire does not give you anyway, I would definately count your blessings
>> and use it. Good luck.
>> Carolyn in Vermont.
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike"
>> To:
>> Sent: Sunday, May 16, 2010 6:49 PM
>> Subject: Wood firing question
>>
>>
>> To any wood firers or even those who just play one on tv, I have a
>>> question regarding choice of wood for wood firing. I've nailed down a
>>> really good almost free source of large beam cutoffs that are almost al=
l
>>> North American pine (no way to know the exact variety). It has come to
>>> my attention that these logs all spend a good deal of time floating in
>>> the ocean before being brought over to Japan, and I am a bit worried
>>> about salt content in the wood and how it will affect the glazes and
>>> clay.
>>>
>>> Has anyone out there fired with this type of wood, and can you tell me
>>> anything about what to expect from it regarding the salt and its
>>> influence on the firing? I do plan to do some tests in the gas kiln
>>> using the wood in saggars with some glazed ware, but suspect this won't
>>> give me the full picture.
>>>
>>> Thank you,
>>>
>>> Mike
>>>
>>> --
>>> Mike
>>> in Taku, Japan
>>>
>>> http://karatsupots.com
>>> http://karatsupots.blogspot.com
>>>
>>> Kiln Building Workshop, Oct. 15 - 22
>>>
>>> http://karatsupots.com/workshop2010/workshop2010.html
>>> http://karatsupots-workshop.blogspot.com/
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
--
Steve
Bath
UK
www.mudslinger.me.uk
Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional!
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