mel jacobson on fri 19 oct 01
i have written broadly about this subject.
kurt and i have made many small kilns and
they work just great.
we have build many variations of the flat top, arch
and wood fired kilns.
in our/my opinion, most folks too large. they chase
their kilns and then poop out and give up pots.
make a kiln as large as you can throw pots to fill it
in one day.
for me...about 100...for most 25.
a good production potter will do 100 to 150 a day.
second day...trim and finish...
a new potter, maybe at most, 40 pots in a day.
a twenty cubic foot kiln as we built in denver would
serve that potter for 5 years or more.
kilns can be expanded. one of the nice features of the flat top.
electric kilns make great prodcution kilns.
it is amazing how one can fire every other day.
neat, clean....consistent.
anyway.
have met a great many folks who look at college and art center
kilns...think...man, that is for me...out of pots in two years.
`hey mel, you can have these bricks if you take down
this monster kiln. i am moving to arizona, never fired it.`
actual quote.
mel
From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
clennell on fri 19 oct 01
the mayor wrote
>
> make a kiln as large as you can throw pots to fill it
> in one day.
Dear mel: it is possible for me to have two thoughts in my brain at the same
time. I like a large kiln so that the making cycle can be extended. a
large kiln allows the potter to make for several weeks and expand on ideas
formulated while making. there is also the economy of scale idea to think
about. a large wood kiln and a small wood kiln take about the same amount
of time to fire. wood firing is hard work so you might as well get a lot of
pots out of it.
Our gas kiln is 24 cubic feet. sheila and I fill it it in two throwing
days. Our work has become fairly complicated so hence the long time filling
it. I wish it were 5 times as big cause i find it a pain in the arse firing
every week.
I also think that the kiln should be big enough to handle any scale you feel
like working on. If you have a small kiln you will limit yourself to small
pots.
the other thought in my head agrees with you. I had a 220 cubic foot two
chamber kiln. when I had a bad firing, and I did, it friggin near wiped us
out. I did however love making for that kiln.
Somehow I think about 60 cube would suit me and my bride.
cheers,
tony
Tony and Sheila Clennell
Sour Cherry Pottery
4545 King Street
Beamsville, Ontario
CANADA L0R 1B1
http://www.sourcherrypottery.com
clennell@vaxxine.com
Brad S. Reitz on fri 19 oct 01
CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG writes: Our gas kiln is 24 cubic feet. sheila
and I fill it it in two throwing
days. Our work has become fairly complicated so hence the long time
filling
it. I wish it were 5 times as big cause i find it a pain in the arse firing
every week.
>Somehow I think about 60 cube would suit me and my bride.
Well Said, Tony. That was exactly what I meant that I wished I knew.
Brad
Russel Fouts on sat 20 oct 01
There are ways to have both.
Many manufacturers make both electric and gas kilns that consist of
several stacked rings that can be broken down to the size you need. I
own the electric version of this from Ceramic Instruments (Brussels).
Each ring contains elements and it's own connection to the electric.
It's IFB so they're relatively easy to move.
I mostly fire with one ring which allows me to get back information from
my firings very quickly. My work is very much "one offs" and
"experimental" http://www.mypots.com
When I've been doing a lot of making and have a lot of pots to bisque, I
fire all three.
Works for me.
Russel
--
Russel Fouts
Mes Potes et Mes Pots
Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 2 223 02 75
Fax: +32 2 210 04 06
Mobile: +32 476 55 38 75
Web: www.mypots.com
Russel Fouts on sat 20 oct 01
>> 5. use it when you have lots of stuff to fire - I get one kiln done and start the next while the 1st is cooling - only have enough power for one at a time plus some of my pots are bisqued at ^08 and some at ^04 depending on the final treatment. <<
'Nita has hit on a great idea. I read about some tile makers on the back
of CM who do this. Have about 20 medium size kilns, fire all the time or
fire the ones they need.
If you've got the room, why not.
I think I'd go this way if I needed more kiln space. One electrical
connection, load and fire one while the other is cooling and unloading.
Russel
--
Russel Fouts
Mes Potes et Mes Pots
Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 2 223 02 75
Fax: +32 2 210 04 06
Mobile: +32 476 55 38 75
Web: www.mypots.com
| |
|
