JULIE BOUCHE on wed 19 may 99
Dear Claymates:
My Number One Support Person (to steal a line from my beloved Joyce
Lee) has offer to give me $1,000 as long as the money is used toward
the purchase of an electric kiln (my first one! Yippee!). I can put in
about another $500 of my own $$. This is especially meaningful to me
since my #1SP is my mother, not my husband, as usually is the case.
(Not that my husband isn't supportive, just not with that kind of
money!) Anyway, I am collecting information about electric kilns and
have read with interest the recent thread about kiln design,
insulation, etc. Also have Richard Zakin's electric kiln ceramics book
(whoever on the list recommended that book has my sincerest thanks).
Here's my problem(s): Naturally, I want the best kiln I can get for the
money. Since I am, at this point, strictly a small scale, part-time
potter (but with big dreams about that ever-elusive "someday"), I think
it would be best for me to be relatively conservative in my selection,
i.e., I don't need the biggest, bestest, most magnificent kiln ever
made. (Kind of like having a Ferrari to drive three blocks to the
grocery store, but I don't want to buy a Yugo either.) Does this seem
like sound thinking to you more experienced folk? Am I going to regret
my conservativeness a year or two from now? Someone -- mel? -- said
'get the best kiln you can possibly afford.' Oh, dear. I've tried to
project how much use the kiln will get -- an almost impossible task. I
make both functional and sculptural, thrown and handbuilt pieces, on
the smallish side (nothing over 20" in any direction). Mostly use
commercial glazes, fire from ^06 to ^6, doubt if I would ever need to
go to ^10. Would fire maybe twice a month(?), one bisque, one glaze.
Maybe a little more, maybe a little less (depending on the weather and
whether the horses are demanding to be ridden and if the garden's
producing and the canning needs to be done and, oh yeah, there's that
very inconvenient 8-to-5 job I have to go to every weekday far into the
forseeable future).
From the kiln thread on the list a few weeks ago, I got the feeling
that a Cone-Art/Shimpo kiln would be a good choice in terms of
insulative qualities, energy efficiency, and durability, but I don't
know a thing about cost. They may be wonderful, but completely out of
my price range. I found a Cone-Art/Shimpo distributor in Kingston, New
York, but am concerned about the cost of freight to ship something that
heavy all the way across the country. Does anyone know of a CA/Shimpo
distributor, say, west of the Rockies? BTW, I tried the Shimpo web site
(www.Shimpo.com) -- it's all in Japanese! I'm embarrassed to admit it
took me a moment to stop being incredibly ethnocentric and remember
that the web is international in nature. Duh!
I have also collected kiln specs from L&L and Skutt, whose products
appear to be almost indistinguishable from each other (am I missing
something here?). If I can ever find Paragon's email address again, I'm
going to request info from them.
And, ah, here's the rub: I live only 50 miles from the Skutt
manufacturing plant (in Portland, Oregon). My inclination is to take
the easy route, buy a Skutt (either an 818 or 1027), pick it up myself,
and save all the freight. Problem is, I don't want to "settle" for a
Skutt (no offense to Skutt intended) just because they're close by if a
CA/Shimpo or L&L or whatever would be a "better" choice for me. Good
grief! I'm agonizing more over this than I did about quitting my day
job and going away to art school at the age of 37 a few years ago!
Any thoughts, information, addresses, insights, etc. would be greatly
appreciated, to the list or privately at: saltcreekart@yahoo.com
Julie Bouche'
in Salem, Oregon, where all the university students, on the campus
across the street from my office, are out in the pouring rain packing
their cars to the brim for their summers at home. Glad I'm not doing
that anymore.
_____________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Free instant messaging and more at http://messenger.yahoo.com
Gary & Carla Goldberg on fri 21 may 99
My name is Gary Goldberg, my wife is a potter (out of town on business
right now) similar to you and she has purchased a Crucible Kiln #186AP
from Seattle Pottery Supply in Seattle, WA. She bought it new and has
used it a whole bunch for the past 3 year or so. No problems whatsoever,
she loves it. One thing, when you wire your house for your kiln you'll
probably need a 50 ampere plug (like a kitchen stove outlet), NOT a 35
amp plug like an electric dryer outlet. Amps in electricty are what can
kill you (I know from my ham radio and electronic theory experience)
(not the wattage or voltage). Please DO NOT attempt to wire your new
kiln in, or let your husband do so, please get a licensed electrician.
Call Seattle Potter Supply in Seattle and ask them for a catalog. I
don't think this cost more than what you'll have (money-wise) although
I'm not sure. Good Luck!
JULIE BOUCHE wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Dear Claymates:
>
> My Number One Support Person (to steal a line from my beloved Joyce
> Lee) has offer to give me $1,000 as long as the money is used toward
> the purchase of an electric kiln (my first one! Yippee!). I can put in
> about another $500 of my own $$. This is especially meaningful to me
> since my #1SP is my mother, not my husband, as usually is the case.
> (Not that my husband isn't supportive, just not with that kind of
> money!) Anyway, I am collecting information about electric kilns and
> have read with interest the recent thread about kiln design,
> insulation, etc. Also have Richard Zakin's electric kiln ceramics book
> (whoever on the list recommended that book has my sincerest thanks).
>
> Here's my problem(s): Naturally, I want the best kiln I can get for the
> money. Since I am, at this point, strictly a small scale, part-time
> potter (but with big dreams about that ever-elusive "someday"), I think
> it would be best for me to be relatively conservative in my selection,
> i.e., I don't need the biggest, bestest, most magnificent kiln ever
> made. (Kind of like having a Ferrari to drive three blocks to the
> grocery store, but I don't want to buy a Yugo either.) Does this seem
> like sound thinking to you more experienced folk? Am I going to regret
> my conservativeness a year or two from now? Someone -- mel? -- said
> 'get the best kiln you can possibly afford.' Oh, dear. I've tried to
> project how much use the kiln will get -- an almost impossible task. I
> make both functional and sculptural, thrown and handbuilt pieces, on
> the smallish side (nothing over 20" in any direction). Mostly use
> commercial glazes, fire from ^06 to ^6, doubt if I would ever need to
> go to ^10. Would fire maybe twice a month(?), one bisque, one glaze.
> Maybe a little more, maybe a little less (depending on the weather and
> whether the horses are demanding to be ridden and if the garden's
> producing and the canning needs to be done and, oh yeah, there's that
> very inconvenient 8-to-5 job I have to go to every weekday far into the
> forseeable future).
>
> >From the kiln thread on the list a few weeks ago, I got the feeling
> that a Cone-Art/Shimpo kiln would be a good choice in terms of
> insulative qualities, energy efficiency, and durability, but I don't
> know a thing about cost. They may be wonderful, but completely out of
> my price range. I found a Cone-Art/Shimpo distributor in Kingston, New
> York, but am concerned about the cost of freight to ship something that
> heavy all the way across the country. Does anyone know of a CA/Shimpo
> distributor, say, west of the Rockies? BTW, I tried the Shimpo web site
> (www.Shimpo.com) -- it's all in Japanese! I'm embarrassed to admit it
> took me a moment to stop being incredibly ethnocentric and remember
> that the web is international in nature. Duh!
>
> I have also collected kiln specs from L&L and Skutt, whose products
> appear to be almost indistinguishable from each other (am I missing
> something here?). If I can ever find Paragon's email address again, I'm
> going to request info from them.
>
> And, ah, here's the rub: I live only 50 miles from the Skutt
> manufacturing plant (in Portland, Oregon). My inclination is to take
> the easy route, buy a Skutt (either an 818 or 1027), pick it up myself,
> and save all the freight. Problem is, I don't want to "settle" for a
> Skutt (no offense to Skutt intended) just because they're close by if a
> CA/Shimpo or L&L or whatever would be a "better" choice for me. Good
> grief! I'm agonizing more over this than I did about quitting my day
> job and going away to art school at the age of 37 a few years ago!
>
> Any thoughts, information, addresses, insights, etc. would be greatly
> appreciated, to the list or privately at: saltcreekart@yahoo.com
>
> Julie Bouche'
> in Salem, Oregon, where all the university students, on the campus
> across the street from my office, are out in the pouring rain packing
> their cars to the brim for their summers at home. Glad I'm not doing
> that anymore.
>
> _____________________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Free instant messaging and more at http://messenger.yahoo.com
NakedClay@aol.com on sat 22 may 99
Hi Julie!
Another company that makes high-quality electric kilns on the West Coast is
Cress. Cress is located here is S. California, I believe in Norwalk (I hope a
fine Cress owner will provide more info--I lost my brochure on Cress Kilns).
My experience with Cress is quite favorable--the Laney College (Oakland, CA)
studio has one, which outlasted the Paragon Kiln which the school acquired
around the same time. Both kilns were used constantly, and were operated by
both students and instructors.
I hope this helps you!
Milton NakedClay@AOL.COM
Yucca Valley, CA A lovely evening--a slight breeze to cool the air, and a
symphony of crickets, with distant coyote choir.
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