LaurieJean gombar on fri 25 apr 03
Hi!
We are just setting up a studio in Maine... have plans in the far future
to get a gas kiln for reduction. But my husband... whom has become a
"jack of all trades", remodeling the house, doing wiring, and knowing
how to build networks and fix computers, now wants to add building a
charcoal kiln to his "resume." He has not found a lot of info out
there. At first he did not think someone else had thought of it
before-yah right. SO the obstacles now are finding the right
kind of charcoal... the other night he was muttering about getting 5
metric tons... or something from India? I hope I did not hear that
right. He also does not know where the best place is to get brick- I
would think we would need a combination of soft brick and hard brick.
If we sacrificed our barbecue grill.... is there any way we would be
able to just fire some small pots in that? To pacify him? What would be
the most forgiving clay for this process? Raku... or a groggy
stoneware? Would it have to be groggy? I would be able to make him
some small practice pots...
LJ
(who has been humoring her husband the past few weeks, knowing he will
just slide into being a potter. "Behold the power of fire!" He still
won't let me show him how to throw. Maybe I'll make him make his own
pots for his own barbecue kiln... if that is possible.)
terry sullivan on sat 26 apr 03
A small correction to Ray Gonzalez's post.
I studied with Phill Cornelius for many years and did dozens of
"charcoal infussion" firings. The process was codeveloped by Phill
Cornelius and Walter Cleveland at Pasadena Community College. Actually I
believe Walter came up with the germ of the idea first ( I spent many
years working with both these felows). Phill, as the lead ceramics
instructor, must be credited with refining the method and letting
hundreds of his students participate and learn. He encouraged his
students to participate, expiriment, and learn. Our own Bamboo Karen
Sullivan is a notable one.
After years of building the Nottingham Center for the Arts; I finaly had
the time to set up an old Alpine 30 exclusively for the charcoal
infussion process a few months ago. The kiln is located well away from
any buildings so we can also add some salt when desired. Lots of fun
and some great results.
Terry Sullivan
Director, and Chief Gofer
Nottingham Arts
San Marcos,CA
www.nottinghamarts.org
Where we finaly have our hot glass studio comming online in the next few
weeks. Yippeeee !
RAYMOND W GONZALEZ on sat 26 apr 03
Laurie,
Just some information, there IS a difference between what you describe as a
charcoal kiln (one that derives its fuel from charcoal) and what I know as a
charcoal firing. I did have the oppurtunity to study with Phil Cornelius
(IMHO, The inventor of charcoal firing,)before i left California about a
year ago. The process that Phil uses involves the introduction of charcoal
at ^5 and ^10 into a high fire, updraft, reduction kiln. the kiln is
modified slightly to allow the introduction of charcoal (and I like to use
salt too.) I have fired this way several times and had very good results.
I regret that I know nothing of the charcoal firing that you are speaking of
in terms of results.
Ray
Las Cruces, NM
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