mel jacobson on fri 16 jul 04
it is a very exciting time to be a potter.
new ideas, new technology, good programs
for glaze. exciting.
it is thrilling to get emails from manufacturers of
of kilns here on clayart. new ideas are being formed.
those that hang back, deny that change is ahead will
lose out.
the hybrid kiln is here to stay.
the combination of gas and electricity is
very doable. it is of course a liability
issue that will cause problems for schools
and art centers. axner has found that out.
but, for independent potters, working on
new ideas for reduction electric kilns the
projects are many. the gas electric kiln
is no more dangerous than any gas kiln.
in fact, not nearly as dangerous...because
you light the gas when the electric kiln is
fully red. the gas will just burn, in fact you
don't even have to light the burner, you just
start gas flow....it will ignite. and, a bunsen
burner is so small that it is of very little danger.
the kiln that ken nowicki is building is going to
be fabulous. and, remember, the downdraft hybrid
has already been done. vince's assistant at the
acc built one four years ago. a mini version, and
it worked like a charm. kenny's is just going to be
much larger.
i am pleased that L&L has decided to build this
kiln in their factory. it opens the idea of specially
built kilns...sort of `one of a kind`. i know john at
paragon has been doing this for several years with
good success. the potter designs the kiln, they make
it.
of course, this is not going to be off the shelf technology.
and, it will not be cheap. but, what good is cheap, if
it does not work? spend the money to get a quality
tool always pays big dividends in the end. and, then
we get a new breed of kiln that will be available to
the general population. the bugs get worked out.
making it safe is not hard, it just costs a few bucks extra.
and, a willingness for potters to take the high ground versus
the cheap way out. good pots/good service/good tools always
pay for themselves in the long haul.
len pointed out today that industry may pay 30,000 dollars for
a small heat treating oven. it is a part of doing business. and
those kilns often run 24/7 for years. itc is used in many of them
to save thousands of dollars per year per kiln in fuel costs..
and often tripling the life span of industrial furnaces.
if potters can combine thermal coatings, electricity and gas
the super kiln will be born.
bisque fire in it with electrics, glaze fire with electrics, reduction
fire to cone 10 with it, and of course, do crystals. all in the same
kiln. any temp, any atmosphere. and we predict that it will
last for hundreds of firings. (if built and maintained properly..)
and, that is always the big `if`.
and, i have done it, with the help of nils lou and others.
but, it works. cone 11 in 5 hours at the farm. an old throw
away kiln, rebuilt, itc'd, a small bunsen burner...bingo./ shino,
copper red/the works.
mel
From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
new/ http://www.rid-a-tick.com
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