Jonathan Pennington on fri 19 oct 01
Okay, I'm ready. My electric kiln temp drops like
a stone, I want more control. After my diatribe
on glaze chemistry, I can hardly be satisfied by
pushing buttons on an electronic kiln timer and
letting the temperature plummet. I'm ready to build
a gas kiln.
I've read the books and have decided on
an Oregon Flat Top (Thank you Don H.). Very nice
design, expandable, dry-laid bricks, seemingly
easy construction for my first time kiln project.
Good size for me and my wife. I'm ready.
Unfortunately, I have about 100 IFB, and need
probably 100 or so more. Darn shame, since I have
almost 300 hard bricks. What's a good source for
IFB? I know Ward Burner has them for $2.60. Is that
as cheap as I'm going to find them? Same for ITC?
Sources? Prices? Deals?
I figure I'll buy my burners from Nils or Ward,
I think all I need are the bricks and the time.
At this point bricks are cheaper :-)
Thanks all. Thanks especially to Don Hoskisson
for pointing me to the OFT. By the way, that's a
*really* cool picture of a nine year old Hoskisson
stoking that Anagama! I showed that to my new
pottery partner, a nine year old neighbor. She was
so excited that someone her age can do things like
that. She's mixed glazes with me already (Yes, with
masks!), and I promised her that we'd load and fire
the kiln together. She's stoked! (Pun very much
intended :-)
-J
Dave Finkelnburg on sun 21 oct 01
Jonathan,
There are two potential IFB sources that are not direct pottery
suppliers. Look in the yellow pages of your local phone directory for
companies that sell and/or install industrial brick. Insulating fire brick
(and refractory fiber) is commonly purchased by bricklaying companies that
repair burners and fireboxes for boilers. Freight can be a major part of
the cost of insulating fire brick and such a firm may be within driving
distance. If you ask, sometimes you will find they have an odd lot of brick
left over from a job that they want to move and will sell at a discount.
I'd start with the supplier, and if there is none local, then look for a
brick layer.
Good luck with your kiln,
Dave Finkelnburg
-----Original Message-----
From: Jonathan Pennington
>Unfortunately, I have about 100 IFB, and need
>probably 100 or so more. Darn shame, since I have
>almost 300 hard bricks. What's a good source for
>IFB?
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