Earl Brunner on sat 24 jul 99
I have always glaze fired to cone 10 reduction in fuel burning kilns.
The last three years teaching at the art center, I have had to learn
cone 5-6 oxidation firing. The two kilns that I fire are Skutt 1027's
with electronic controllers. They are in one corner of the studio, the
vent systems vent to outdoors. Several years ago they replaced old
kilns with new ones (before my time) They kept the old Vent-a-kiln vent
system in and the new kilns came with envirovents in the floors of the
kilns. Standard firing is to fire with both vent systems going (they
are wired together, someone sometime decided that if one system was
good, two would be better) through the entire firing cycle until cooled
down at the end and to fire through the whole process with the top plug
out the whole time. This is the case for both glaze and bisque. I have
noticed that if a pot is too close to the top peephole that there will
be a circle of underfired glaze. My last firing that was going to be
the case and I knew it so I left the top plug in. One of the other
teachers came unglued, you would think that everyone was going to die.
I explained to her that "Duhh! I wasn't an idiot!" ( you guys are all
supposed to re-enforce me here by the way). Her reasoning is that all
the toxic fumes are impregnating the ware (her words) when I close off
all the plugs. On this particular kiln the upper venting system isn't
working and only the envirovent in the floor is working, since it is
sucking air throught the floor of the kiln and since the peephole plugs
are not airtight, I figured this one time would be ok. Nobody is going
to die from the firing fumes unless its a homeless person huddled
outside the building near the vent for warmth ( but this is mid July in
Las Vegas). The kiln fires off overnight and there is nobody in the
building and the airconditioning replaces the air all night. I told her
we didn't vent to prevent "impregnated" ware we vented to keep people
healthy, by removing potentially harmful fumes from the work space.
--
Earl Brunner
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
mailto:bruec@anv.net
amy parker on sun 25 jul 99
... They kept the old Vent-a-kiln vent
>system in and the new kilns came with envirovents in the floors of the
>kilns. Standard firing is to fire with both vent systems going (they
>are wired together, someone sometime decided that if one system was
>good, two would be better) I have noticed that if a pot is too close to the
top peephole that there will be a circle of underfired glaze.
My last firing that was going to be
>the case and I knew it so I left the top plug in. One of the other
>teachers came unglued, you would think that everyone was going to die.
>I explained to her that "Duhh! I wasn't an idiot!" ( you guys are all
>supposed to re-enforce me here by the way). Her reasoning is that all
>the toxic fumes are impregnating the ware (her words) when I close off
>all the plugs. On this particular kiln the upper venting system isn't
>working and only the envirovent in the floor is working, since it is
>sucking air throught the floor of the kiln and since the peephole plugs
>are not airtight, I figured this one time would be ok.
-------------------------
Well, gee Earl! I also thought the idea was to remove the fumes from the
kiln area and put them someplace more useful!!! My bottom mount kiln vent
has holes drilled in the lid & instructions to leave all the peeps closed!
Do you have instructions for yours? They probably say the same thing! My
new kiln ain't exactly air-tight, either!!! Turn out the lights & look at
yours - or have the other teacher look at it! See the red glow leaking
out??? As for the "impregnated ware" - Hmmm. Either there is something in
her glazes that maybe shouldn't outta be there to get them pregnant or...
Amy in too Hotlanta
amy parker Lithonia, GA
amyp@sd-software.com
Don & Isao Morrill on sun 25 jul 99
At 16:16 7/24/99 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>>My Goodness gracious, You peole sure have problems. For much of the past
35 years we have been firing outofdoors,protecting the kiln with a light
metal roof. We have rarely,if ever,fired in a tight building even in
Northern New Brunswick. If the weather has gotten too bloody cold,we have
quit working until warmer,dryer weather. on occassion we have used a small
exhaust fan. It appears to us that many potters/artists,especially
academics, have become completly bureaucratised....and where is the
pleasure in that ? Isao & Don.
Earl Brunner on wed 28 jul 99
------------------
wschran=40erols.com wrote:
=3E ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
=3E ------------------
=3E
=3E =3EEarl - There's no problem with leaving in the top spy hole plug,
=3E though you may want to look at the instructions for the bottom venting
=3E system which usually requires drilling holes in the top of the kiln for
=3E proper air movement. I'm more concerned about you going off and laeving
=3E the kiln to =93fire off=94 during the night. If you are using a Kiln =
Sitter
=3E remember, this is a mechanical devise and mechanical devises fail=21
=3E Never walk off and leave a kiln to shut off by itself. Believe me, I've
=3E done it and suffered for it.
=3E Bill
I am using a computer controller, the Skutt KilnMaster to be specific, You
can either program a specific cone firing at slow, medium of fast, or a
ramp, step by step custom schedule. Most malfunctions that I am aware of
with this controller cause it to abort the firing and shut the power off.
Besides, If I don't fire, nobody else will and I'm only there a few hours a
day two or three times per week. It's their risk in any case. That's the
way they want to pay us for our time.
--
Earl Brunner
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
mailto:bruec=40anv.net
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