dianamp@COMCAST.NET on sat 7 aug 04
Through the wine haze, I have to confess tonight
that our wood train kiln failed its first test.
After begging the chairman for months for money
to build it, after shlepping materials
hither to yon to make it happen, mostly alone;
after picking up cedar fence scraps in a
10 seater van (over and under the seats)
the only university truck available,
we finally got round to the first firing.
After 16 hours of stoking (since 5 a.m.) ,
my three devoted students and I gave up
at 9 p.m. when we had reached only bisque temp.
Now to get over the disappointment
that it didn't reach temperature in
a reasonable amount of time.
Now to try to guess what the design problems
(or other problems are)
and to tweak the design,
or give up and add some burners,
or get some better wood,
and more wood,
or convert it to a soda kiln.
I will ask the wood experts more specific
questions tomorrow, when my dauber
is not so down.
Whoever said it was easy and fun to be a potter.
Diana
David Hendley on sun 8 aug 04
Diana, I can imagine how down (and tired) you are.
I just had a rough firing day, as well. After 6 years with my
present kiln, I thought I knew it pretty well. Get to work,
punch the time clock, stoke for 10 hours, then seal it up
and have a beer.
Not this time.
I could tell it was almost finished, but I couldn't get the @#!
cone to bend until I put in 3 more hours of hard stoking.
In the oppressive August Texas heat, I was beat.
Fun, indeed.
As for your situation, I'm suspicious of your wood. Before
you go changing everything, you might want to try a firing
with wood that you know is good and dry. Hardwood
scraps from a cabinet or flooring shop would be good.
If that's not available, stack up some wood now (loose
drying stack, every row perpendicular to the one below)
so it can be drying for a few months, before you try again.
David Hendley
david@farmpots.com
http://www.farmpots.com
----- Original Message -----
> Through the wine haze, I have to confess tonight
> that our wood train kiln failed its first test.
> After begging the chairman for months for money
> to build it, after shlepping materials
> hither to yon to make it happen, mostly alone;
> after picking up cedar fence scraps in a
> 10 seater van (over and under the seats)
> the only university truck available,
> we finally got round to the first firing.
>
> After 16 hours of stoking (since 5 a.m.) ,
> my three devoted students and I gave up
> at 9 p.m. when we had reached only bisque temp.
Eva Gallagher on mon 9 aug 04
Hi Diana - how discouraging! I can't offer any advice as I can just see that
happening to me when I fire my train kiln - I am still in the brick
gathering stage. I would love to hear how you solve your problem as I
imagine that I will need it too. I bought Steve Harrison's wonderful book
Laid Back Woodfiring and am using one of the plans from that book. I'm not
sure what type of firbox you have but imagine it is a bourry box and one
thing that Steve emphasizes is to be sure to have mouse holes for efficient
burning and that the wood be really dry - and being in Australia that
probably means it's just about ready to ignite.
Eva Gallagher
Deep River, Ontario
----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Friday, August 06, 2004 10:01 PM
Subject: Dear Diary: Blue and cold
> Through the wine haze, I have to confess tonight
> that our wood train kiln failed its first test.
> After begging the chairman for months for money
> to build it, after shlepping materials
> hither to yon to make it happen, mostly alone;
> after picking up cedar fence scraps in a
> 10 seater van (over and under the seats)
> the only university truck available,
> we finally got round to the first firing.
>
> After 16 hours of stoking (since 5 a.m.) ,
> my three devoted students and I gave up
> at 9 p.m. when we had reached only bisque temp.
>
> Now to get over the disappointment
> that it didn't reach temperature in
> a reasonable amount of time.
> Now to try to guess what the design problems
> (or other problems are)
> and to tweak the design,
> or give up and add some burners,
> or get some better wood,
> and more wood,
> or convert it to a soda kiln.
>
> I will ask the wood experts more specific
> questions tomorrow, when my dauber
> is not so down.
>
> Whoever said it was easy and fun to be a potter.
>
> Diana
>
>
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