kterpstra on fri 13 feb 04
Vince is right. Loose kaowool is a problem. I forgot to mention=85when
we stuffed it in the expansion joint in the floor, we coated the entire
floor with ITC in one chamber and Mayco (?)zirconium coating in the
other. (Sorry I=92m having trouble remembering if that=92s the right =
name.
jeeez. I turn 50 this year and it=92s showing!) Since then it has also
been coated with kiln wash. The kaowool has developed a hard crust and
doesn=92t move. =20
=20
I like a tight kiln too. We also took =93tiles=94 of kaowool soaked in =
ITC
and attached them (pounded them in=85look up MFT kilns in archives) to =
the
interior joints where the front and back walls meet the arch. We wanted
extra insulation there since we have angle iron close to those joints
and do not have them imbedded in castable. We don=92t want that angle =
iron
to get too hot. This system is working fine for us.
=20
Speaking of tight kilns and slow cooling=85 I used to be anal about
closing the kiln up as tight as I could after a firing. However, I=92ve
become much more laidback (lazy?) so I just brick up the fire box, close
the ports, mouse holes etc. and I no longer worry about filling in every
=BC inch hole that I see. I still have a kiln that cools very =
s-l-o-w-l-y
because of its size and all the hard brick and insulation. On the sides
over the hard brick we used 1=94 layer of castable, wire mesh with a =
=BD=94
layer of castable, then a stucco layer-for looks. On the arches we used
1 layer of hard brick, 2 layers of soft brick (lighter weight than
castable), and one layer of castable. (Like the Hummer and Humvee you
either love the looks of this kiln or you hate it; but it=92s solid!)=20
=20
I think that a bit of oxidation is good for the work. Brighter colors I
think. Do some of you other wood firers agree? I love not having to use
that slurry newspaper crap or nasty kaowool at the end when I=92m tired. =
=20
It=92s taken me a long time to figure out how to shut down a wood kiln.
Every wood kiln is different and everyone fires for different effects so
asking a generic question like, =93How do you shut down a wood kiln?=94 =
was
like asking, =93What=92s your favorite desert after a meal?=94 I like =
our
method now but I think it=92s only possible because we took such great
pains during the building of it to make it tight.
=20
Karen Terpstra
La Crosse, WI
http://www.uwlax.edu/faculty/terpstra/=20
http://www.terpstra-lou.com =20
=20
Subject: Re: question on expansion joint
=20
> Why not just caulk the chinks with Kaowool?
=20
Because no one should be messing with loose Kaowool any more than
absolutely necessary, because it is so severely carcinogenic. Best
wishes -
- Vince
=20
Craig Edwards on fri 13 feb 04
Hello Vince;
Kaowool also comes in moldable form. Here is a link.
http://www.thermalceramics.com/upload/pdf/514-1010.pdf
I agree that loose Kaowool should be respected. However it is not "so
severely carcinogenic" that one should not use it. I believe that it is
rated about the same as silica, At least that is what the MDSD form
says. Let us be safe-- not paraniod.
Craig Edwards
New London MN
>
>Subject: Re: question on expansion joint
>
>
>
>>Why not just caulk the chinks with Kaowool?
>>
>>
>
>Because no one should be messing with loose Kaowool any more than
>absolutely necessary, because it is so severely carcinogenic. Best
>wishes -
>- Vince
>
>
>
>
>
Vince Pitelka on fri 13 feb 04
> Kaowool also comes in moldable form. Here is a link.
> http://www.thermalceramics.com/upload/pdf/514-1010.pdf
> I agree that loose Kaowool should be respected. However it is not "so
> severely carcinogenic" that one should not use it. I believe that it is
> rated about the same as silica, At least that is what the MDSD form
> says. Let us be safe-- not paraniod.
Craig -
If you had been paying attention to my posts over time, you would know that
I am a primary foe of excess paranioa in ceramic toxicity issue. That is a
real problem here on Clayart. But so much for your warning. Your statement
that kaowool is rated about the same as silica is of course just a very
strong support of my warning. Silica is THE PRIME DANGER in the ceramic
studio, and I thank you for pointing out that Kaowool is equally dangerous.
I do appreciate the support. So, for those who don't already know, both
silica dust and loose kaowool fibers are extremely dangerous to lung health.
Do not EVER under any circumstance engage in activities that produce silica
dust or loose kaowool fibers, unless you do so outdoors, with proper
respirator to protect your lungs.
Thanks again Craig for supporting my warning -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Office - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 x111, FAX 615/597-6803
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
Craig Edwards on sat 14 feb 04
Hello Karen: In your last post you mentioned.
=93How do you shut down a wood kiln?=94 was
like asking, =93What=92s your favorite desert after a meal?=94
Your so right I think that there are probably as many ways to end a firin=
g as there are kiln types. On my current kiln, an anagama, we start seali=
ng up the front then the sidestoking gets to the second side port, about =
4-6 hours before the firing ends. At the fire off point there are so many=
cu ft of embers in the fire box that it is still probably reducing.=20
Anyway, by the time the back of the kiln is at ^12, the front has already=
cooled to about 2000F.=20
This next firing I think that I'll reduce some more on the cooling. I thi=
nk that cooling a wood kiln can be as complex as firing it up, and I don'=
t think that I'll ever get to the point that I won't be trying something =
different. I'm just to curious. Here is a link to the last firing ending,=
and a couple photos of pots from it.
http://volcano.photobucket.com/albums/v11/credwards/anagama
The Best
Craig Edwards
New London MN
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