mel jacobson on wed 28 jul 99
it is without doubt marcia a wonderful sense of
love that you have for arches...and we commend
you for that.
you know them, understand them, and can build
one in your sleep.
keep up the great work....you are a teacher.
mel/mn.
we never care what kind of kiln anyone likes.
just make great pots from the kiln you have.
gas, electric, arch, flat, pit.
pots are what count.
i repeat however, nil's advice.
the flat top is easy to build, cheaper, and you do not
need expensive welding.
http://www.pclink.com/melpots
from minnetonka, minnesota, u.s.a.
David Hendley on fri 30 jul 99
At 02:37 PM 7/28/99 EDT, mel wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>i repeat however, nil's advice.
>the flat top is easy to build, cheaper, and you do not
>need expensive welding.
Mel and I have been doing the flat-top/arch dance for about
3 years now.
What would you expect; he sports a flattop while my rapidly
thinning hair is in a ponytail.
I'd like to make 2 comments on the above quote:
First, a flat top kiln is not cheaper, and you still need 'expensive'
welding to build it.
When you add in all the expensive all-thread rods needed to
hold the top in compression, the cost of the supporting steel for a
flat-top is comparable to the cost of the angle iron corners needed
for a sprung arch, and much more than the cost of the minimal
steel needed for a cantenary arch.
I would put angle iron corners on any square-sided kiln I built
anyway, even a flat-top, just to protect it and hold it together.
Second, the first point is not important. The kind of kiln you build
should not be determined by what is cheaper and easier. I know
Mel would agree with this; he has sent numerous messages to
Clayart through the years telling us to buy the best tools. Well,
your kiln is the most important tool a potter has.
It will take you longer to build an arched kiln if you've never done
it before. So what? Like everything else, you get out of something
what you put into it, and if you do a good job, you will be pleased
and proud everytime you load your kiln and admire your
craftsmanship. It will inspire you to make pots worthy of the kiln.
I often show my kiln to visitors to my shop. I like to show them how
the wood firing works and how the flames pass through the kiln.
They, however, are always more impressed with holding an
insulating firebrick and....the arch.
Finally, building your own kiln, no matter what kind, ALWAYS beats
buying a pre-made kiln. Unless, of course, there are unusual over-riding
concerns or regulations. If you think you could handle building a flat-top,
but figuring out an arch is beyond you, then go flat. You will certainly
understand kilns much better than if you had simply written a check.
David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas
hendley@tyler.net
http://www.farmpots.com
At 02:37 PM 7/28/99 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>it is without doubt marcia a wonderful sense of
>love that you have for arches...and we commend
>you for that.
>you know them, understand them, and can build
>one in your sleep.
>keep up the great work....you are a teacher.
>mel/mn.
>we never care what kind of kiln anyone likes.
>just make great pots from the kiln you have.
>gas, electric, arch, flat, pit.
>pots are what count.
>i repeat however, nil's advice.
>the flat top is easy to build, cheaper, and you do not
>need expensive welding.
>
>http://www.pclink.com/melpots
>from minnetonka, minnesota, u.s.a.
>
Bruce Girrell on sun 1 aug 99
David Hendley wrote:
> It will take you longer to build an arched kiln if you've never done
> it before. So what? Like everything else, you get out of something
> what you put into it, and if you do a good job, you will be pleased
> and proud everytime you load your kiln and admire your
> craftsmanship. It will inspire you to make pots worthy of the kiln.
> I often show my kiln to visitors to my shop. I like to show them how
> the wood firing works and how the flames pass through the kiln.
> They, however, are always more impressed with holding an
> insulating firebrick and....the arch.
I agree that the arch (and certainly a catenary) is sexier to look at that a
flat top, but Nils also makes the point that heat reflected from a flat roof
will be distributed throughout the kiln much more evenly than in a kiln with
an arched roof, where the arch tends to concentrate the heat much as a
(concave) curved mirror concentrates light.
No quibbles with your other points, though.
Bruce Girrell
in Northern Michigan with the drawings of the next incarnation of our kilns
awaiting further attention, still trying to figure out what the second
venturi does, and still tempted to put in bagwalls, but bagwalls made out of
fiberboard, rather than brick. But then again, Nils sez "No."
k.smead on tue 3 aug 99
Flat or arch..???
well.. i didnt find the arch that big a deal to make... i didnt have to
employ a welder and i wanted
the charm in my backyard versus this industrial looking box....
So... i have flower pots in the door and its a cutiepie...honeybee of a
kiln...
and i used used bricks with refractory in the spaces where usually u would
employ wedged brick..
Just depends on what u want to see .... aesthetically.. its an arch that
blows my skirt up..
katie
on the gulf of mexico...trying to catch some coool....
----- Original Message -----
From: Bruce Girrell
To:
Sent: Sunday, August 01, 1999 10:19 AM
Subject: Re: flat/arch
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> David Hendley wrote:
>
> > It will take you longer to build an arched kiln if you've never done
> > it before. So what? Like everything else, you get out of something
> > what you put into it, and if you do a good job, you will be pleased
> > and proud everytime you load your kiln and admire your
> > craftsmanship. It will inspire you to make pots worthy of the kiln.
> > I often show my kiln to visitors to my shop. I like to show them how
> > the wood firing works and how the flames pass through the kiln.
> > They, however, are always more impressed with holding an
> > insulating firebrick and....the arch.
>
> I agree that the arch (and certainly a catenary) is sexier to look at that
a
> flat top, but Nils also makes the point that heat reflected from a flat
roof
> will be distributed throughout the kiln much more evenly than in a kiln
with
> an arched roof, where the arch tends to concentrate the heat much as a
> (concave) curved mirror concentrates light.
>
> No quibbles with your other points, though.
>
> Bruce Girrell
> in Northern Michigan with the drawings of the next incarnation of our
kilns
> awaiting further attention, still trying to figure out what the second
> venturi does, and still tempted to put in bagwalls, but bagwalls made out
of
> fiberboard, rather than brick. But then again, Nils sez "No."
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