Bill Downs on wed 30 jun 99
Les, sorry for my long delay in responding to your inquiry. Well, first off I
think I met you at Tozan 10+1 at NAU a few years back. I was the haole from
Hawaii rooming across the hall from you in the dormitories. We had a few
beers and talked story a few times. Maybe? I've been very busy building the
kiln described in Jack Troys book as Udal / Rankin 20-22 cu.ft. cross draft
centenary arch. At this point I have only the upper half of the chimney to
go. Only major concern at this time is the close proximity of the top of the
arch to one beam. Maybe only three or four inches in between. I hope to rap
with Transite sheet, fiberfrax, and finally stainlessteel. If it still burns
I'll replace the wood beam with steel channel. As far as your interest in
where my wood comes from. Located on the East side of the most southerly
Hawaiian Island we are the first land mass to be hit by the Pacific trade
winds. With mountains reaching 14000 ft above sea level we have some of the
wettest weather on earth. Thus subtropical rainforest with incredible growth
rates, trees introduced from Australia (eucalyptus) can produce a cord of
hardwood in 10-15 years from a single plant. Indigenous varieties such as
Ohia grow much slower but produce a very high BTU, and lots of silica. A
special treat for fire wood is drift wood (conifers are hard to get here)
from your country the Pacific northwest, huge firs and hemlocks that took the
slow drift to Hawaii. These add salt to their special flame. So at any rate
wood is abundant so you can be picky about what to burn and usually choose
what's closest to home.
Busy Bill on the Big Island
Dave Finkelnburg on thu 1 jul 99
Bill,
Read your post with interest. Sounds like you're having a lot of fun
with your kiln project!
May I offer a suggestion on the beam clearance? Air is the best
possible insulator. If you can get some protectionl 1-inch from the wood
beam, then another layer another inch from that, you'll have the effect of
having about 24" of clearance. You do need to let air move up through the
space between the beam and the reflector. I'd suggest something like using
lag screws with sleeves and washers to hold some transite out from the beam
an inch, then an inch off the transite you can put another sheet with some
shiny metal, very light gauge would be fine. As long as air can circulate
up through the gap and carry away heat, your beam should never get hotter
than the ceiling in the building.
I know you didn't ask for this comment, so if it's unneeded, just
disregard it. It's, I hope, a constructive suggestion from someone who
built such a shield out of transite to keep the wood wall of our home cool
from the proximity of the stovepipe on the wood stove many years ago.
Good luck with your kiln project!
Dave Finkelnburg in breezy southern Idaho
dfinkeln@gemstate.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Downs
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Wednesday, June 30, 1999 9:08 AM
Subject: Wood Fire on the Big Island
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Les, sorry for my long delay in responding to your inquiry. Well, first off
I
>think I met you at Tozan 10+1 at NAU a few years back. I was the haole from
>Hawaii rooming across the hall from you in the dormitories. We had a few
>beers and talked story a few times. Maybe? I've been very busy building the
>kiln described in Jack Troys book as Udal / Rankin 20-22 cu.ft. cross draft
>centenary arch. At this point I have only the upper half of the chimney to
>go. Only major concern at this time is the close proximity of the top of
the
>arch to one beam. Maybe only three or four inches in between. I hope to
rap
>with Transite sheet, fiberfrax, and finally stainlessteel. If it still
burns
>I'll replace the wood beam with steel channel. As far as your interest in
>where my wood comes from. Located on the East side of the most southerly
>Hawaiian Island we are the first land mass to be hit by the Pacific trade
>winds. With mountains reaching 14000 ft above sea level we have some of the
>wettest weather on earth. Thus subtropical rainforest with incredible
growth
>rates, trees introduced from Australia (eucalyptus) can produce a cord of
>hardwood in 10-15 years from a single plant. Indigenous varieties such as
>Ohia grow much slower but produce a very high BTU, and lots of silica. A
>special treat for fire wood is drift wood (conifers are hard to get here)
>from your country the Pacific northwest, huge firs and hemlocks that took
the
>slow drift to Hawaii. These add salt to their special flame. So at any rate
>wood is abundant so you can be picky about what to burn and usually choose
>what's closest to home.
> Busy Bill on the Big Island
>
Les Crimp on sat 3 jul 99
Bill -
Fascinating!!!! Knowing where you live on The Big Island I now understand
your wood supply. I was surprised to hear that you get logs fron the
Pacific Coast. They will definitely supply salt if you need it.
I note you are getting advice on you beam insulation problem. This is a
wonderful thing this CLAYART group.
Does the Hui No'eau Visual Arts Centre at Makawao on Maui know about your
kiln. I am sure Jennifer Owen and her group would like to be kept up to
date on your firings. We discussed woood firing s when I was there and of
course it is not as easy on Maui as it would be for you.
I will be firing my little kiln ( 20 cu.ft.) in the next couple of weeks for
the first time. It is a downdraft, Bourry box fed kiln. I wil be using
exclusively red cedar for the firing. Cedar does not give the intense heat
of hardwood in terms of B.T.U.'s and it burns very quickly. It does create
good ash and the flames are very long and sinuous so the colors should be
great. will keep yu posted.
I have made a note of your address for e-mail. If yo care to, send me yur
snail mail address and I will froward photos from time to time. Possibly
you would like to reciprocate???
Best regards,
Les Crimp
lcrimp@island.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Downs
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Wednesday, June 30, 1999 7:02 AM
Subject: Wood Fire on the Big Island
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Les, sorry for my long delay in responding to your inquiry. Well, first off
I
>think I met you at Tozan 10+1 at NAU a few years back. I was the haole from
>Hawaii rooming across the hall from you in the dormitories. We had a few
>beers and talked story a few times. Maybe? I've been very busy building the
>kiln described in Jack Troys book as Udal / Rankin 20-22 cu.ft. cross draft
>centenary arch. At this point I have only the upper half of the chimney to
>go. Only major concern at this time is the close proximity of the top of
the
>arch to one beam. Maybe only three or four inches in between. I hope to
rap
>with Transite sheet, fiberfrax, and finally stainlessteel. If it still
burns
>I'll replace the wood beam with steel channel. As far as your interest in
>where my wood comes from. Located on the East side of the most southerly
>Hawaiian Island we are the first land mass to be hit by the Pacific trade
>winds. With mountains reaching 14000 ft above sea level we have some of the
>wettest weather on earth. Thus subtropical rainforest with incredible
growth
>rates, trees introduced from Australia (eucalyptus) can produce a cord of
>hardwood in 10-15 years from a single plant. Indigenous varieties such as
>Ohia grow much slower but produce a very high BTU, and lots of silica. A
>special treat for fire wood is drift wood (conifers are hard to get here)
>from your country the Pacific northwest, huge firs and hemlocks that took
the
>slow drift to Hawaii. These add salt to their special flame. So at any rate
>wood is abundant so you can be picky about what to burn and usually choose
>what's closest to home.
> Busy Bill on the Big Island
>
Mo and Les Beardsley on wed 11 aug 99
Bill Downs wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Les, sorry for my long delay in responding to your inquiry. Well, first off I
> think I met you at Tozan 10+1 at NAU a few years back. I was the haole from
> Hawaii rooming across the hall from you in the dormitories. We had a few
> beers and talked story a few times. Maybe? I've been very busy building the
> kiln described in Jack Troys book as Udal / Rankin 20-22 cu.ft. cross draft
> centenary arch. At this point I have only the upper half of the chimney to
> go. Only major concern at this time is the close proximity of the top of the
> arch to one beam. Maybe only three or four inches in between. I hope to rap
> with Transite sheet, fiberfrax, and finally stainlessteel. If it still burns
> I'll replace the wood beam with steel channel. As far as your interest in
> where my wood comes from. Located on the East side of the most southerly
> Hawaiian Island we are the first land mass to be hit by the Pacific trade
> winds. With mountains reaching 14000 ft above sea level we have some of the
> wettest weather on earth. Thus subtropical rainforest with incredible growth
> rates, trees introduced from Australia (eucalyptus) can produce a cord of
> hardwood in 10-15 years from a single plant. Indigenous varieties such as
> Ohia grow much slower but produce a very high BTU, and lots of silica. A
> special treat for fire wood is drift wood (conifers are hard to get here)
> from your country the Pacific northwest, huge firs and hemlocks that took the
> slow drift to Hawaii. These add salt to their special flame. So at any rate
> wood is abundant so you can be picky about what to burn and usually choose
> what's closest to home.
> Busy Bill on the Big Island
Dear Bill
I have been away in Korea since the begining of June and just found out
you had emailed me. First to your questions which the answers are very
late. It would be a good idea to put some ITC over the fibre fax while
new to prevent flaking and will also help to keep the heat away from the
beam. Also use a fan if you can to push the heat away.
I do hope your kiln is very successful and that you have a great first
firing.
I do remember you from NAU of course, and am pleased to hear you are
carrying on with wood firing. We are going to fire the Tozan Noborigama
here next week so am in top gear trying to get the place ready.
Let me know how your firings go.
Regards
Les Beardsley
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