Chirs Greenman on tue 24 feb 04
Hi all,
My students and I have just built the mini gama. The kiln is about 18" high
x 20" wide and about 30' long. It is drying now. I am hopeful to get it
bisqued by the 7,8 of March and fire it on the 10th. I have the book and I
have visited both websites on the minigama (Thanks Lee Love) but want to be
armed with as much info as possible when I fire this kiln. I am planning on
using charcoal and a hairdryer just like the book says to do but have doubts
whether I can get temperatures high enough to melt ash or high fire glazes
in 2-4 hours. Actually the book says two hours but I am going to fire
longer. I am also planning on having extra wood on hand for extra fuel and
ash. Propane as a standby only. Has anybody fired this little kiln recently?
I am very happy that my students are all gung ho on this project. I just
want to know as much as possible. I was going to brush up on Nil's book
before I fire. Oh yea, one little addition to the kiln which is just coil
built with clay ( grog and fireclay added to raku clay). We brushed on ITC
as we built it so at least we have a little added insurance that the kiln
will withstand the heat. I am going to try several glazes and pan on putting
several pieces in the firebox- load like a wood kiln to some extent.
Thanks for your input.
Chris in Montgomery
cgreenman3@knology.net
Lee love on wed 25 feb 04
Hi Chris,
Sounds like a fun class project!
Here are some ideas, from browsing the minigama and hibachi kiln
websites:
Japanese charcoal is not like the briquettes most commonly used
in America. It is actually charcoalized whole wood, that is cut into
smaller pieces. I think it burns faster and hotter. I have found
"natural" charcoal in the states. I think I once used some mesquite
charcoal. If you use briquettes, I wonder if it was broken into
smaller pieces, it might help the burning by adding surface area?
If you have any fiber blanket around, if you are having some
trouble reaching temperature, you might try putting some on top of the kiln.
If you use wood at the end, split it really small. Also, it
occurred to me, that it might be possible to rig a sawdust hopper and
blow sawdust in with the exhaust of a shop vac or leaf blower.
Good luck! Keep us posted. I plan on experimenting with both the
Minigama and the hibachi kilns. I'm thinking that an oil drip might
be another way to add btus.
-- Lee In Mashiko http://mashiko.us
Chris Morgan on thu 26 feb 04
Be sure you dry it SLOWLY. Mine just cracked into pieced while drying.
Next time I plan to construct the kiln in pieces that can be conected post
bisque so if something breaks I only have to replace a brocken chimney
instead of the whole thing. Good luck and keep us posted!
Chri Morgan
On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 22:49:27 -0600, Chirs Greenman
wrote:
>Hi all,
>
>My students and I have just built the mini gama. The kiln is about 18" high
>x 20" wide and about 30' long. It is drying now. I am hopeful to get it
>bisqued by the 7,8 of March and fire it on the 10th. I have the book and I
>have visited both websites on the minigama (Thanks Lee Love) but want to be
>armed with as much info as possible when I fire this kiln. I am planning on
>using charcoal and a hairdryer just like the book says to do but have
doubts
>whether I can get temperatures high enough to melt ash or high fire glazes
>in 2-4 hours. Actually the book says two hours but I am going to fire
>longer. I am also planning on having extra wood on hand for extra fuel and
>ash. Propane as a standby only. Has anybody fired this little kiln
recently?
>I am very happy that my students are all gung ho on this project. I just
>want to know as much as possible. I was going to brush up on Nil's book
>before I fire. Oh yea, one little addition to the kiln which is just coil
>built with clay ( grog and fireclay added to raku clay). We brushed on ITC
>as we built it so at least we have a little added insurance that the kiln
>will withstand the heat. I am going to try several glazes and pan on
putting
>several pieces in the firebox- load like a wood kiln to some extent.
>
>Thanks for your input.
>
>Chris in Montgomery
>
>cgreenman3@knology.net
>
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Lee love on fri 27 feb 04
Chris Morgan wrote:
>Next time I plan to construct the kiln in pieces that can be conected post
>bisque so if something breaks I only have to replace a brocken chimney
>instead of the whole thing. Good luck and keep us posted!
>
>
>
Chris, I thought about making a noborigama in sections. It would be
a great teaching tool.
Lee In Mashiko
Lee@Mashiko.org
http://Mashiko.us
"With Humans it's what's here (he points to his heart) that makes
the difference. If you don't have it in the heart, nothing you make will
make a difference." ~~Bernard Leach~~ (As told to Dean Schwarz)
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