Claudia Kashpureff on thu 21 oct 04
Hello, one and all!
This is my first posting, so let me introduce myself: I'm an ex-electrical
engineer who enjoys pottery and jewelry smithing. I've also begun to
explore glass arts, and I've recently purchased a medium-fire kiln (to
1800F) that will serve me well for annealing beads, fusing glass, and
casting gold and silver...
But of course I've already begun to think about designing and building a
"dream kiln" that will allow me to fully enjoy pottery, too... and since I
have an electrical engineering background, I can pretty much design any kind
of kiln I want.
A kiln with a programmable controller that will remember dozens of different
ramp/soak/cooling sequences? Can do.
A kiln with a vacuum pump for casting platinum and easing out air bubbles
from melting glass or glaze? Sure, no problem.
Different heating zones? Automatic cooling/venting during specific points
in a programmed sequence? Sure, I can design a kiln that does that, too...
But it occurred to me as I was thinking about all of these options that if
I'm going to go to all the trouble to design a multi-use, state-of-the-art,
AFFORDABLE kiln, maybe there are dream features others would want... and
maybe -- since I found out I live near a major refractory maker -- I could
design a kiln that could be manufactured in quantity, with custom-order
modular construction, that could be useful to lots of people.
So I'm asking all of you (but especially those of you who enjoy multiple
kiln arts), What's your dream kiln? What features of your own kilns have
you found especially irritating, and what would you change if you could? If
you could afford any kiln available, is there one already on the market that
fits your ideal? Or does even that "dream" kiln lack some desirable feature?
Any and all responses and ideas will be appreciated.
Oh, and nice to meet you all!
Love,
Claudia
Mickey Tynan Weitsen on mon 22 aug 05
On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 15:39:09 -0400, Claudia Kashpureff
wrote:
>Hello, one and all!
>
>This is my first posting, so let me introduce myself: I'm an ex-
electrical
>engineer who enjoys pottery and jewelry smithing. I've also begun to
>explore glass arts, and I've recently purchased a medium-fire kiln (to
>1800F) that will serve me well for annealing beads, fusing glass, and
>casting gold and silver...
>
>But of course I've already begun to think about designing and building a
>"dream kiln" that will allow me to fully enjoy pottery, too... and since
I
>have an electrical engineering background, I can pretty much design any
kind
>of kiln I want.
>
>A kiln with a programmable controller that will remember dozens of
different
>ramp/soak/cooling sequences? Can do.
>
>A kiln with a vacuum pump for casting platinum and easing out air bubbles
>from melting glass or glaze? Sure, no problem.
>
>Different heating zones? Automatic cooling/venting during specific points
>in a programmed sequence? Sure, I can design a kiln that does that,
too...
>
>But it occurred to me as I was thinking about all of these options that if
>I'm going to go to all the trouble to design a multi-use, state-of-the-
art,
>AFFORDABLE kiln, maybe there are dream features others would want... and
>maybe -- since I found out I live near a major refractory maker -- I could
>design a kiln that could be manufactured in quantity, with custom-order
>modular construction, that could be useful to lots of people.
>
>So I'm asking all of you (but especially those of you who enjoy multiple
>kiln arts), What's your dream kiln? What features of your own kilns have
>you found especially irritating, and what would you change if you could?
If
>you could afford any kiln available, is there one already on the market
that
>fits your ideal? Or does even that "dream" kiln lack some desirable
feature?
>
>Any and all responses and ideas will be appreciated.
>
>Oh, and nice to meet you all!
>
>Love,
>
>Claudia
>
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melpots@pclink.com.
Claudia - I am picking up your topic from a good while ago - I am a potter
who wants to adapt her kiln to glass fusing from time to time. did you
ever build your dream kiln? Or did you adapt your kiln for both pottery
and glass? Suggestions anyone? I have a Blue Diamond Kiln that uses bar
cones.
Mickey
Covington, Louisiana
Brian Gracia on mon 22 aug 05
Mickey,
Where in Covington are you located, I live in Bush. I am trying to get
into pottery as a hobby to relieve job stress.
Thanks,
Brian G.
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Mickey Tynan Weitsen on tue 23 aug 05
I live north of Covington, up Lee Road, near Playmaker's Theatre.
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