Scott Harrison on fri 5 apr 02
I have been getting up the nerve and lucre to build a gas kiln at my rural
high school in upstate CA. Has anybody on the list ever attempted this? What
kind of bureaucratic stuff should I expect before getting knee deep in the
hoopla? I have built kilns at our local college (HSU) and we have a portable
gas Raku kiln. We have propane tanks on campus for the cafeteria and Home Ec
dept. I would rather build than buy because of cost and the experience. Last
year on Clayart I received loads of great info on building an MFT and have
Nil's book on kiln building. I am thinking along the lines of a 20-25 cu.ft.
MFT. Thanks to any people who have attempted this and can respond with words
of support. Our school board is supportive as the head also owns the local
Propane and Propane Accessories store.
Thanks!
Scott Harrison
South Fork High School
In the Humboldt Redwoods
Mark Potter on mon 8 apr 02
Scott,
I assume you are planning to build it outside. In all respects this would be
easier and cheaper to do and much much safer. Also, what sort of door are
you considering? Brick up, rolling fiber door?, swinging brick door? Are you
a welder or can you get someone to weld for you? If you build a rolling
fiber door you'll need a smooth concrete pad a good bit larger than the kiln
to roll the door on, whether indoors or out, and good air ventilation
becomes a necessity if indoors since students will, most definitely brush up
against the fiber surface. I would recommend the added structural investment
in a swinging steel and brick door, somewhat harder to build but it will
last much longer. Students and novice studio potters will beat the hell out
of a fiber door no matter how well you make it. A fiber door will save a lot
of money in gas though, as will a fiber roof.
I say all this since I used to work at a community workshop in New Haven and
being good friends with the director who builds all the kilns there, and
seeing what he has to do to keep them up. Our shop has an alpine and two
Brookfield downdrafts. To give you an idea of issues - the ventilation
system for the shop cost as almost much as the kilns did, because they are
indoors. The fiber in the doors hardly last three years. Students,
overtighten the door, which overcompresses the fiber and basically beats it
to hell.
The alpine, with its steel frame and swinging steel and brick door, keeps on
chugging. Both types have sprung brick-arch tops so there is less problem of
stuff hitting or getting stuck to a fiber roof.
At a school, the fire and air quality safety issues become a real concern if
you are hoping to build it indoors. I would only attempt an indoor kiln if
literally there was no other place to do it.
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
Behalf Of Scott Harrison
Sent: Friday, April 05, 2002 7:20 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Building a Gas Kiln in CA High School?
I have been getting up the nerve and lucre to build a gas kiln at my rural
high school in upstate CA. Has anybody on the list ever attempted this? What
kind of bureaucratic stuff should I expect before getting knee deep in the
hoopla? I have built kilns at our local college (HSU) and we have a portable
gas Raku kiln. We have propane tanks on campus for the cafeteria and Home Ec
dept. I would rather build than buy because of cost and the experience. Last
year on Clayart I received loads of great info on building an MFT and have
Nil's book on kiln building. I am thinking along the lines of a 20-25 cu.ft.
MFT. Thanks to any people who have attempted this and can respond with words
of support. Our school board is supportive as the head also owns the local
Propane and Propane Accessories store.
Thanks!
Scott Harrison
South Fork High School
In the Humboldt Redwoods
____________________________________________________________________________
__
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.
| |
|
