Russel Fouts on sun 18 may 03
Janet,
>> If I remember rightly, it was the oil supply which kept failing that caused the most grief on the technical side... It was impossible to keep it burning evenly. <<
You have to filter it. we did it through several layers of nylon
stockings (hard to find at an alternative college in the 70's. Actually
got them from a drag queen friend of mine)
And a bit of heat also helps to thin the oil. I don't remember how we
accomplished this but I imagine that heating tape, the kind put on roofs
in wintery climates to thaw ice, would probably be enough.
Oh, yeah, and mount the outlet from the barrel higher than the very
bottom to let some of sludge settle.
We fired with waste oil the whole time I was in school. Probably based
on the same Mad Proffessor (at Harrow? Billy-Eddie always referred to
the pipe built burner as a "harrow burner") We didn't fire it as often
after the wood kilns got build. I don't remember it being that dirty to
fire. I think Phil is right, if you let the oil settle out to clarify it
would be a lot cleaner and safer (but then what to do about the left
over sludge). And if your burner is reasonably efficient, it should burn
out most of the nasties.
However, there are other environmental and health concerns apart from
those related to burning.
All that said, I do think that a move to a "friendlier" oil like frying
oil would be a better approach.
Russel
--
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Janet Kaiser on mon 19 may 03
Dear Russel
It is heart-warming to know others were working along the same lines back
in those days! And obviously with better results than our poor attempt! Do
you remember what method you used? Drip or atomizing the oil feed? My brain
is hurting from trying to remember all the ins and outs of what we tried
out, but they remain the two most engraved on my memory... Petty amazing
since I had mentally withdrawn from the whole business once the bricks and
mortar had been laid (my only contribution to the project) and the lads
took over... An accepted thing in those days, but something modern women
would not allow!
You don't remember the dirt? Well... perhaps you did not notice it at the
time? Did you use saggars for the pots? How about the kiln furniture? Was
the kiln in an open area? That was one of the primary mistakes we made...
We should have built it out of town on the wood-kiln site and nowhere near
any buildings. Certainly not in an inclosed space.
I am actually not too sure about the friendlier veggie oil either... The
reason for this doubt is a "common sense" thing (not technical knowledge)
because it no long heats enough to cook efficiently. Get oil from a
well-run place and there may be some value left in it, but get it from a
source which over-uses the oil and it will be much less valuable. Sure it
will burn, but will it produce enough heat? And again... The smoke. How
could it be burned "clean"? I do not see a way and burning vegetable fat is
no less noxious an experience than crude oil.
By the way... You will soon be over here at Aberystwyth. I do not know if I
will be able to attend, but still hope to. If you have the time, maybe you
could hop on a train and come up to The Chapel of Art? It would be great to
meet you!
Best wishes
Janet - Still procrastinating about doing some work.
*** IN REPLY TO THE FOLLOWING MAIL:
>You have to filter it. we did it through several layers of nylon
>stockings (hard to find at an alternative college in the 70's. Actually
>got them from a drag queen friend of mine)
>
>And a bit of heat also helps to thin the oil. I don't remember how we
>accomplished this but I imagine that heating tape, the kind put on roofs
>in wintery climates to thaw ice, would probably be enough.
>
>Oh, yeah, and mount the outlet from the barrel higher than the very
>bottom to let some of sludge settle.
>
>We fired with waste oil the whole time I was in school. Probably based
>on the same Mad Proffessor (at Harrow? Billy-Eddie always referred to
>the pipe built burner as a "harrow burner") We didn't fire it as often
>after the wood kilns got build. I don't remember it being that dirty to
>fire. I think Phil is right, if you let the oil settle out to clarify it
>would be a lot cleaner and safer (but then what to do about the left
>over sludge). And if your burner is reasonably efficient, it should burn
>out most of the nasties.
>
>However, there are other environmental and health concerns apart from
>those related to burning.
>
>All that said, I do think that a move to a "friendlier" oil like frying
>oil would be a better approach.
>
>Russel
*** THE MAIL FROM Russel Fouts ENDS HERE ***
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