mel jacobson on thu 15 jun 00
kurt has put together a nice set of plans for the small
flat top that we have built at the farm, at kurts and bob
fritz.
this is a generic plan of the classic nils lou flat top.
we have scaled down the size to accommodate those
who do not have huge masses of pots to fire.
with a good spray of itc on the inside, shelves, posts
etc...you have a kiln that can be fired propane or natural
gas...fired in maybe 6 hours or less.
kurt would like some small payment 10 bucks or so, as with
xeroxing etc. postage...it does add up.
nils will probably charge us 5 bucks, but we will not give
it to him....and tony will think it too small, but what do we
care what he thinks. we love these kilns...they should be
all over the world...fit the need. slip them into a garage or
storage shed...fire with no smoke, neighbors need not know.
use a quality kaowool flu liner in the stack...nice metal flashing
through the roof...safe as can be.
we love the nils lou burner system...really dandy...and for propane
they cannot be beaten.
we think you can build this little baby for under $4500....and then
add about 500 for some good burners....or build your own.
anyone can build this kiln...no serious welding needed..in fact
it can be stabilized with aircraft cable and turnbuckles. just
some welding to make the genius corner brackets...should not
cost much to have them made at any welding shop.
we are convinced that the flat top design of nils lou can be made any
configuration, any size...and they fire very well.
kilns should be built (in my opinion) to fit the work load of the
potter. most big kilns cause the potter to chase the kiln...always
feeling guilty that the work is not getting done and the kiln cannot
be fired.
totally agree with tony that a full time potter can always use a big sturdy
kiln...and keep it going.
saves money in the long run.
i think that the new itc sprayed electric kiln is going to be the answer
for many `at home` potters wishing to combine cone six electric, bisque,
and cone 6+ reduction all in one kiln....and for hardly any increase in
costs. again, those kiln companies that refuse to look at this new idea
are going to be seriously cut out in the next 5 years...wait and see.
mel
we will have our little gas/electric firing in the next two weeks.
the gang at hay creek will all help in the construction (you know, bumping
into each other saying...`hey let me do that, or, hey mel always get
to spray itc, throw him in the river.`)
we will report the progress and results.
http://www.pclink.com/melpots
written from the farm in wisconsin
clennell on sat 17 jun 00
>kurt has put together a nice set of plans for the small
>flat top that we have built at the farm, at kurts and bob
>fritz.
>
>this is a generic plan of the classic nils lou flat top.
>we have scaled down the size to accommodate those
>who do not have huge masses of pots to fire.
>with a good spray of itc on the inside, shelves, posts
>etc...you have a kiln that can be fired propane or natural
>gas...fired in maybe 6 hours or less.
>
>kurt would like some small payment 10 bucks or so, as with
>xeroxing etc. postage...it does add up.
>nils will probably charge us 5 bucks, but we will not give
>it to him....and tony will think it too small, but what do we
>care what he thinks. we love these kilns...they should be
>all over the world...fit the need. slip them into a garage or
>storage shed...fire with no smoke, neighbors need not know.
>use a quality kaowool flu liner in the stack...nice metal flashing
>through the roof...safe as can be.
>we love the nils lou burner system...really dandy...and for propane
>they cannot be beaten.
>
>we think you can build this little baby for under $4500....and then
>add about 500 for some good burners....or build your own.
Mayor Mel and friends:
It is early summer and this year like every year I have been on clayart the
Mayor is building another kiln. the kiln that everyone should want to own.
Last year it was the tiny train , the year before the experimental ITC
wonder salt kiln. Most of us are always thinking the best pot is yet to
come in the next firing. The Mayors best pot is in the next kiln-
literally.
I commmend the Mayor for his enthusiasm for kilns. I have the same passion
for changing clay bodies. The next clay will be the one to die for.
My uncles advice to me which I have never followed was- stick to a good
clay body.
My advice to would be kiln builders is NEVER build a kiln that is in it's
first year no matter how much confidence you have in the builder. Follow a
plan that has worked- tried, tested and true. Many times over.
I feel for Steve Dalton with that bastardized train, anagama, headacheayama!
We built our train according to John Neelys plans. no trying to reinvent
the train. We have fired it this year 7 times to Cone 12 and got some
racers outta each kiln. I want to make pots not rebuild kilns.
If you're going to build Kurts new little kiln and spend $4500 ( almost
$8000Cdn) be sure the kiln will get most of the pots to market. A fellow
potter told me that a kiln is like taking a covered wagon full of women
across the western frontier to destination Oregon. the job of the driver
is to get all the passengers to Oregon. You can't loose a woman in Utah,
one in the Rockies and a few hither and yon. The covered wagon should get
the payload to it's destination.
The kiln is a big investment in time and money. Do your homework. Look at
the potters pots, visit his/her studio, help with a firing, ask if others
are firing the kiln, phone them. do I sound paranoid?
Another piece to the paranoia part is getting a safety inspection. It costs
$800 per visit for the Technical and Safety Standards guys to visit your
kiln before gas hookup. If they don't like what they see, it will cost
another $800 for visit #2 and so on. Home made burners- hee,hee, haw, haw,
no safeties rolling on the lawn with laughter. They don't have to know,
right! Burn down your house and see if the insurance clicks in.
Stay tuned for June 2001 when the Mayor and I go thru this again.
Cheers,
Tony
Tony and Sheila Clennell
Sour Cherry Pottery
4545 King St.
Beamsville, On.
Canada L0R 1B1
http://www.sourcherrypottery.com
905-563-9382
fax 905-563-9383
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