mel jacobson on fri 8 mar 02
the fear of gas and electricity is very real.
and one should respect that. they are both
very dangerous when messed with without
information and education.
but, you can get education.
A VERY SIMPLE PRIMER
the big issues in using propane are:
a regulator without fail. never use propane
straight from the tank. always buy and use
a regulator.
pilot lights. good ones. i like to think the bigger
the better. warm your kiln with them.
baso valves or `automatic shutoffs`. they are
essential to safety. would not think of using gas
without them.
frequent testing of all your safety equipment.
the easiest test is soap and water. just swab down
the entire system. if you see bubbles, you have a leak.
as simple as that.
turn off your pilots and make sure the system shuts down.
in fact, i do this every time i shut off kilns. turn off the pilots
first, then let the entire system drain of gas and shut down
by itself.
if you preheat your kiln, make sure you get all the unburned
gases out of the stack and kiln. i use a burnzomatic torch
and shoot the flame in the stack before lighting my kiln. in
other words, make sure that heat is rising in your stack. i have
seen several kilns `whoomp` when being lit. scares the hell
out of one, and warps the kiln. (you know, what is a bar room?
it is the sound of an elephant farting in a cave....or a kiln
lit with gas in it, BARRROOOM!)
keep close tabs on your gas kiln for the first few hours.
you must get red heat inside the kiln before you can ease
back your watchful eye. once the kiln has red heat, gas entering
the kiln will self ignite. hot kilns are much more safe than sorta
hot kilns. ( hank murrow has taught us to re/lite the kiln and
just let it simmer. this is very safe, as the kiln has 1900F heat
in it already. as he says', `let it fire all night.`)
i never take gas kilns for granted. i talk myself through every
firing. one mistake and my studio and garage are gone.
outdoor kilns i treat the same..yet they are much safer.
i keep a check list. make sure i do everything on the list.
such as:
1. check pilots for on/off
2. check baso valves.
3. check chimney direction. check damper position
(heat going up...visual check against sky. waves of heat.)
4. clear away all trash from walking spaces. (safe walking)
5. water bottles filled. ( i like spray bottles, fire extinguishers
make big fog, may not work. i keep water handy. i have
one of those garden sprayers...keep it pumped up. i also
spray water on the walls and around the kiln in the summer when
things get rather hot. keep things sorta damp. check air and
start fans running. ( have 5 fans to keep air movement around
my kiln.) in hot months i may add several more. (no dead
air space around a kiln...causes hot spots.)
6. make sure you have plenty of time, no interruptions....keep
folks away. FOCUS. never plan a party or dinner and theatre on firing
days. you may not make them.
7. start kiln in the early a.m. 5 a.m. perfect. the phone does not
ring, neighbors do not stop in for coffee. (WIND IS CALM USUALLY)
8. watch the kiln like a hawk until red heat. (cone 08)
9. do not hang around the kiln. check it and move
away. fumes can get to you.
10. if you have a headache, find out what is causing it.
usually carbon something. it is the first and most telling
sign that something is wrong. always trust a headache
when you are firing.
11. shut off all gas systems when finished. walk through
the entire system visually.
go to bed, worry about shino glaze getting hot enough.
worry about temmoku...but, you should not worry
if the kiln is safe. do that before you go to bed.
mel
From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
Ingeborg Foco on fri 8 mar 02
Mel,
All excellent suggestions for firing safely. You forgot one however. After
you soap test your connections, flush the soap from the connections with
water. Soap on the fittings is actually corrosive. (A propane guy told me
that many moons ago)
Sincerely
Ingeborg
p.s. I'm leaving the entire post because it is worth reading again.
> the fear of gas and electricity is very real.
> and one should respect that. they are both
> very dangerous when messed with without
> information and education.
>
> but, you can get education.
> A VERY SIMPLE PRIMER
>
> the big issues in using propane are:
>
> a regulator without fail. never use propane
> straight from the tank. always buy and use
> a regulator.
>
> pilot lights. good ones. i like to think the bigger
> the better. warm your kiln with them.
>
> baso valves or `automatic shutoffs`. they are
> essential to safety. would not think of using gas
> without them.
>
> frequent testing of all your safety equipment.
>
> the easiest test is soap and water. just swab down
> the entire system. if you see bubbles, you have a leak.
> as simple as that.
>
> turn off your pilots and make sure the system shuts down.
> in fact, i do this every time i shut off kilns. turn off the pilots
> first, then let the entire system drain of gas and shut down
> by itself.
>
> if you preheat your kiln, make sure you get all the unburned
> gases out of the stack and kiln. i use a burnzomatic torch
> and shoot the flame in the stack before lighting my kiln. in
> other words, make sure that heat is rising in your stack. i have
> seen several kilns `whoomp` when being lit. scares the hell
> out of one, and warps the kiln. (you know, what is a bar room?
> it is the sound of an elephant farting in a cave....or a kiln
> lit with gas in it, BARRROOOM!)
>
> keep close tabs on your gas kiln for the first few hours.
> you must get red heat inside the kiln before you can ease
> back your watchful eye. once the kiln has red heat, gas entering
> the kiln will self ignite. hot kilns are much more safe than sorta
> hot kilns. ( hank murrow has taught us to re/lite the kiln and
> just let it simmer. this is very safe, as the kiln has 1900F heat
> in it already. as he says', `let it fire all night.`)
>
> i never take gas kilns for granted. i talk myself through every
> firing. one mistake and my studio and garage are gone.
> outdoor kilns i treat the same..yet they are much safer.
>
> i keep a check list. make sure i do everything on the list.
> such as:
> 1. check pilots for on/off
> 2. check baso valves.
> 3. check chimney direction. check damper position
> (heat going up...visual check against sky. waves of heat.)
> 4. clear away all trash from walking spaces. (safe walking)
> 5. water bottles filled. ( i like spray bottles, fire extinguishers
> make big fog, may not work. i keep water handy. i have
> one of those garden sprayers...keep it pumped up. i also
> spray water on the walls and around the kiln in the summer when
> things get rather hot. keep things sorta damp. check air and
> start fans running. ( have 5 fans to keep air movement around
> my kiln.) in hot months i may add several more. (no dead
> air space around a kiln...causes hot spots.)
> 6. make sure you have plenty of time, no interruptions....keep
> folks away. FOCUS. never plan a party or dinner and theatre on firing
> days. you may not make them.
> 7. start kiln in the early a.m. 5 a.m. perfect. the phone does not
> ring, neighbors do not stop in for coffee. (WIND IS CALM USUALLY)
> 8. watch the kiln like a hawk until red heat. (cone 08)
> 9. do not hang around the kiln. check it and move
> away. fumes can get to you.
> 10. if you have a headache, find out what is causing it.
> usually carbon something. it is the first and most telling
> sign that something is wrong. always trust a headache
> when you are firing.
> 11. shut off all gas systems when finished. walk through
> the entire system visually.
>
> go to bed, worry about shino glaze getting hot enough.
> worry about temmoku...but, you should not worry
> if the kiln is safe. do that before you go to bed.
> mel
> From:
> Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
> web site: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Julie Milazzo on fri 8 mar 02
Thank you Mel! I printed that one out, and will follow
it closely. I'm feeling better about this. Julie
--- mel jacobson wrote:
> the fear of gas and electricity is very real.
> and one should respect that. they are both
> very dangerous when messed with without
> information and education.
>
> but, you can get education.
> A VERY SIMPLE PRIMER
>
> the big issues in using propane are:
>
> a regulator without fail. never use propane
> straight from the tank. always buy and use
> a regulator.
>
> pilot lights. good ones. i like to think the
> bigger
> the better. warm your kiln with them.
>
> baso valves or `automatic shutoffs`. they are
> essential to safety. would not think of using gas
> without them.
>
> frequent testing of all your safety equipment.
>
> the easiest test is soap and water. just swab down
> the entire system. if you see bubbles, you have a
> leak.
> as simple as that.
>
> turn off your pilots and make sure the system shuts
> down.
> in fact, i do this every time i shut off kilns.
> turn off the pilots
> first, then let the entire system drain of gas and
> shut down
> by itself.
>
> if you preheat your kiln, make sure you get all the
> unburned
> gases out of the stack and kiln. i use a
> burnzomatic torch
> and shoot the flame in the stack before lighting my
> kiln. in
> other words, make sure that heat is rising in your
> stack. i have
> seen several kilns `whoomp` when being lit. scares
> the hell
> out of one, and warps the kiln. (you know, what is
> a bar room?
> it is the sound of an elephant farting in a
> cave....or a kiln
> lit with gas in it, BARRROOOM!)
>
> keep close tabs on your gas kiln for the first few
> hours.
> you must get red heat inside the kiln before you can
> ease
> back your watchful eye. once the kiln has red heat,
> gas entering
> the kiln will self ignite. hot kilns are much more
> safe than sorta
> hot kilns. ( hank murrow has taught us to re/lite
> the kiln and
> just let it simmer. this is very safe, as the kiln
> has 1900F heat
> in it already. as he says', `let it fire all
> night.`)
>
> i never take gas kilns for granted. i talk myself
> through every
> firing. one mistake and my studio and garage are
> gone.
> outdoor kilns i treat the same..yet they are much
> safer.
>
> i keep a check list. make sure i do everything on
> the list.
> such as:
> 1. check pilots for on/off
> 2. check baso valves.
> 3. check chimney direction. check damper position
> (heat going up...visual check against sky. waves of
> heat.)
> 4. clear away all trash from walking spaces. (safe
> walking)
> 5. water bottles filled. ( i like spray bottles,
> fire extinguishers
> make big fog, may not work. i keep water handy. i
> have
> one of those garden sprayers...keep it pumped up. i
> also
> spray water on the walls and around the kiln in the
> summer when
> things get rather hot. keep things sorta damp.
> check air and
> start fans running. ( have 5 fans to keep air
> movement around
> my kiln.) in hot months i may add several more. (no
> dead
> air space around a kiln...causes hot spots.)
> 6. make sure you have plenty of time, no
> interruptions....keep
> folks away. FOCUS. never plan a party or dinner and
> theatre on firing
> days. you may not make them.
> 7. start kiln in the early a.m. 5 a.m. perfect.
> the phone does not
> ring, neighbors do not stop in for coffee. (WIND IS
> CALM USUALLY)
> 8. watch the kiln like a hawk until red heat. (cone
> 08)
> 9. do not hang around the kiln. check it and move
> away. fumes can get to you.
> 10. if you have a headache, find out what is causing
> it.
> usually carbon something. it is the first and most
> telling
> sign that something is wrong. always trust a
> headache
> when you are firing.
> 11. shut off all gas systems when finished. walk
> through
> the entire system visually.
>
> go to bed, worry about shino glaze getting hot
> enough.
> worry about temmoku...but, you should not worry
> if the kiln is safe. do that before you go to bed.
> mel
> From:
> Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
> web site: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
>
>
______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change
> your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be
> reached at melpots@pclink.com.
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Working Potter on fri 8 mar 02
What are some good regulators for raku and put to gether temporary kilns
that are fired off propane portable tanks?WHAT CRITERIA ARE USED AS
GUIDELINES?
kmelpots@PCLINK.COM writes:
> a regulator without fail. never use propane
> straight from the tank. always buy and use
> a regulator.
>
>
Les Haworth on fri 8 mar 02
Try www.wardburner.com they have a great regulator for propane. Check it
out! Les H.
Lester R. Haworth III
Sales and Technical Support
Laguna Clay Co.
14400 Lomitas ave
City of Industry, CA 91746
1(800) 4-LAGUNA ext. 229
mailto:les@lagunaclay.com>
http://www.lagunaclay.com/>
"When I was in elementary school my teacher pinned a note to my shirt for my
parents to read. It said, 'Charlene is not coloring inside the lines.' My
parents contacted the teacher and asked the teacher what the purpose of
coloring inside the lines was.' The teacher didn't quite know what to say,
except that the direction she had given was to color inside the lines. My
dad told me to color any way I wanted to and when I was done coloring, to
draw a black line around my picture." Charlene Felos, Ceramics Instructor -
Cypress College
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
Behalf Of Working Potter
Sent: Friday, March 08, 2002 11:59 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: [CLAYART] gas/fear
What are some good regulators for raku and put to gether temporary kilns
that are fired off propane portable tanks?WHAT CRITERIA ARE USED AS
GUIDELINES?
kmelpots@PCLINK.COM writes:
> a regulator without fail. never use propane
> straight from the tank. always buy and use
> a regulator.
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
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