PurpleLama@AOL.COM on mon 2 oct 00
Well, this may be one of those stupid questions, but here goes -
In the near future, I hope to buy or build (which I think would be more fun
and hopefully cheaper) a gas kiln that I can fire to cone 10 reduction in the
privacy of my own back yard. The problem is that my back yard is in southern
California. That means that it is very small and other houses are close by.
So I want a kiln that will not attract attention. (This is also why I don't
raku in my back yard)
A few days ago I was checking out some Clay Arter's web sites and saw a
picture of a kiln being fired with flames leaping out of the stack. I don't
remember whether this was a gas kiln or a wood fired kiln, but it did get me
thinking. When one fires a gas kiln, do flames normally shoot out the stack
during some part of the process? Should I stick with electric in order not to
attract attention or can I go with gas? If gas is an option, is there one
type of kiln that will be less conspicuous (flame wise) then another? I don't
know whether this matters or not, but my house and hot water are heated by
natural gas, so I assume that I could fire the gas kiln with natural gas
rather than propane (does that mean that propane is unnatural?)
Also, if there anyone who has installed (or tried to install) a gas kiln in
Los Angeles County and dealt with the authorities in doing so, please contact
me off-line so that we can talk about your experience. I am particularly
interested in your experience if you attempted the feat in the South Bay area.
Thanks
Shula
Redondo Beach, California, USA
PurpleLama@aol.com
June Perry on mon 2 oct 00
Dear Shula:
I have a Geil 17cu ft kiln in Northridge. I never got a permit and my
neighbor was very supportive.
There was some fuss about fifteen-twenty years ago when the country said you
could have a kiln but it could only be 7cu. ft. I understand that someone
went to the committe with a garbage can to show them that that is what 7cu ft
(or thereabouts looks lik). It seems they had a vision of a 7 foot tall kiln
or something. I'm not sure how that ended, but best to check with the county
on regulations first. It may be perfectly legal within certain size limit and
other restrictions.
Here in Ashland, Oregon, anyone can have a 20 cu ft or smaller gas kiln at
home as long as it fits their safety requirements.
Regards,
June
Hank Murrow on mon 2 oct 00
Shula wrote;
>Well, this may be one of those stupid questions, but here goes -
>
>In the near future, I hope to buy or build (which I think would be more fun
>and hopefully cheaper) a gas kiln that I can fire to cone 10 reduction in the
>privacy of my own back yard. The problem is that my back yard is in southern
>California. That means that it is very small and other houses are close by.
>So I want a kiln that will not attract attention. (This is also why I don't
>raku in my back yard)
>Also, if there anyone who has installed (or tried to install) a gas kiln in
>Los Angeles County and dealt with the authorities in doing so, please contact
>me off-line so that we can talk about your experience. I am particularly
>interested in your experience if you attempted the feat in the South Bay area.
>
Dear Shula;
I've installed kilns in the LA area, some legal, some bootlegged. If your
kiln is an updraft design, you will get flame out the top under reduction;
but the flue could easily be screened from the neighbors' view. If a
downdraft design, you may be able to avoid flames at the top of the
chimmney; but there would be that tall(10 foot +) chimmney. For the last 20
years I've been building my "Doorless Fiber Kiln", so I am somewhat out of
touch with brick designs; but the Minnesote Flat Top has been built by a
lot of clayarters. I can send pics of my design (expensive to build) if you
like. Hank in Eugene
DONALD G. GOLDSOBEL on mon 2 oct 00
At 09:18 AM 10/02/2000 EDT, you wrote:
>Well, this may be one of those stupid questions, but here goes -
>
>In the near future, I hope to buy or build (which I think would be more fun
>and hopefully cheaper) a gas kiln that I can fire to cone 10 reduction in the
>privacy of my own back yard.
Shula,
I have had a kiln in my backyord in the San Fernando Valley for 20 years
and havae encountered no trouble with the law. I do not advise getting the
authorities involved. They have limits on the size of your gas kiln in a
home setting, the safety measures would make it unaffordable and they are a
royal pain in the butt.
A friend had a 14 cu ft updraft in her yard and had a metal shed with a
vented roof built to house it. The shed had large doors. She needed to keep
kids and nosey people out so she kept it padlocked even when firing.
I have a 12 cu ft downdraft that produces flames from the flue during
reduction. They are not visible during the daylight, but you need to see
them to control reduction. There are ways to veil the presence of the kiln
and its flames, just be cunning in locating the kiln and in determining
what kind of sheilding you use.
Before you do anything, make sure you have an adequate gas supply. This
will depend on the size of the pipes, the length of the run and the number
of angles in thepipe. All these factors determine the gas available at the
burners. Without adequate gas don't even look for a kiln. If you have a
swimming pool heater, that gas supply can be tapped.
Good luck and have fun.
Donald Goldsobel
ferenc jakab on tue 3 oct 00
> So I want a kiln that will not attract attention. (This is also why I
don't
Almost any kiln will be noticeable
>
> A few days ago I was checking out some Clay Arter's web sites and saw a
> picture of a kiln being fired with flames leaping out of the stack>.
Gas kiln flames are usually only visible from the chimney when in reduction.
> rather than propane (does that mean that propane is unnatural?)
Natural means not produced by refining petroleum but drawn staright from the
well and minimally processed.
>
> Also, if there anyone who has installed (or tried to install) a gas kiln
in
> Los Angeles County and dealt with the authorities in doing so, please
contact
Check out all your local regulations.
Feri.
ferenc jakab on tue 3 oct 00
> Shula,
>
> I have had a kiln in my backyord in the San Fernando Valley for 20 years
> and havae encountered no trouble with the law. I do not advise getting the
> authorities involved. They have limits on the size of your gas kiln in a
> home setting, the safety measures would make it unaffordable and they are
a
> royal pain in the butt.
>
I don't know about U.S. regulations but I find this advice a little
frightening. All that ignoring of safety regulations will be very expensive
in the event of a mishap and subsequent law suits. Additionally, insurance
companies delight in not paying up when un-authorised constructions are
involved. I suggest also that in twenty years regulations and attitudes to
public safety have changed.
Feri.
Maggie Woodhead on sun 8 oct 00
Hello Shula and Kia Ora,
This is to give you some
encouragement into getting your gas kiln. My husband built me a kiln
about a year ago and it is a dream of a kiln and No there are no flames
leaping out of the chimney.
The joy of a gas kiln is the opportunity to have either
reduction or oxidised firings
and not be confined to one or the other, There are limitless
possibilities
We live on a 600 squ. metre section (plot) in a built up area of
suburban housing and the only interest shown by our neighbours is
curiosity as to how the firings turn out. It is about 15 cubic foot
with 7.5 cubic foot stacking space and fires in about 81/2 hours to cone
10.
The kiln is a down draught, the shelves side by side and the easiest
to load I have ever come across, two venturi burners using propane.
You are lucky to be on gas as this would mean less cost supplying
the fuel. We have to have tanks and of course there are rules of safety
laid down we had to adhere to.
You may have to include added air to the natural gas but that is a
problem that could be solved.
If your computer can handle it I can send you photographs
off list but there are no plans. Mr Fix It made no drawings other than
on the garage wall but we can give you the basic details which any
reasonable D.I.Y. person can follow.
Good luck and success!
----Best Wishes
Maggie----
maggiew@clear.net.nz
----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Tuesday, 3 October 2000 02:18
Subject: getting fired up - gas kiln
Well, this may be one of those stupid questions, but here goes -
In the near future, I hope to buy or build (which I think would be more
fun
and hopefully cheaper) a gas kiln that I can fire to cone 10 reduction
in the
privacy of my own back yard. The problem is that my back yard is in
southern
California. That means that it is very small and other houses are close
by.
So I want a kiln that will not attract attention. (This is also why I
don't
raku in my back yard)
A few days ago I was checking out some Clay Arter's web sites and saw a
picture of a kiln being fired with flames leaping out of the stack. I
don't
remember whether this was a gas kiln or a wood fired kiln, but it did
get me
thinking. When one fires a gas kiln, do flames normally shoot out the
stack
during some part of the process? Should I stick with electric in order
not to
attract attention or can I go with gas? If gas is an option, is there
one
type of kiln that will be less conspicuous (flame wise) then another? I
don't
know whether this matters or not, but my house and hot water are heated
by
natural gas, so I assume that I could fire the gas kiln with natural gas
rather than propane (does that mean that propane is unnatural?)
Also, if there anyone who has installed (or tried to install) a gas kiln
in
Los Angeles County and dealt with the authorities in doing so, please
contact
me off-line so that we can talk about your experience. I am particularly
interested in your experience if you attempted the feat in the South Bay
area.
Thanks
Shula
Redondo Beach, California, USA
PurpleLama@aol.com
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