URL Krueger on wed 29 dec 04
Pamela,
I'm still in the hobbyist category but am likely to have to
build a new studio before too long so I'll pass on some of
my thoughts on the subject.
1. Knowing well the climate you live in you will discover
as I have that traipsing back-and-forth between the house
and the studio can be a real drag, especially when you
gotta pee really bad and it's cold and drizzling. I would
install a potty, if you can, or else a covered or enclosed
walkway between the studio and house. Make sure you have
lighting so you can see where you are going whilst making
the trip to avoid stepping on slugs .
2. Forget the clay traps on the sink. They just sound like
a PIB to me. If you are on a septic system, as opposed to
a city sewer, pouring water with finely suspended clay
particles into the system is a sure-fire way to clog your
drain field. Big $$$ to fix. Instead, I would dig a pit
outside your studio, fill it with large river rock, cover
with landscape fabric and run your sink drain into the pit.
If it ever fills up with clay you can always dig it out and
start over at minimal cost. I would keep it downhill from
your well though, if you have one.
3. I'll catch flack on this one but include a small
"kitchen" space. A place where you can put a tiny fridge
for cold drinks and ice, a coffee pot or hot plate for tea
as you prefer and a small cupboard for creamer, sugar,
munchies, first-aid supplies, etc.
4. Don't forget the phone/intercom so you don't have to
walk to the house to tell the significant other it's time
to put the casserole in the oven.
5. A fire extinguisher, of course.
6. Space, lots of space. I'm always running out of shelves
to put pots-in-progress on as well as kiln shelves and all
the other paraphernalia we seem to collect. I would
consider the size of a double car garage to be about the
minimum.
7. Definitely a separate kiln room. I would put a window
between the kiln room and the main studio so you can see
what's going on with the kilns while you are doing other
work. Also a safer way for visitors to see what a kiln
looks like without fear of them burning themselves.
8. Definitely a separate "dust" room for mixing glazes or
clay and doing other dusty operations.
9. One of those "instant" hot water heaters that don't have
a tank to keep hot. You won't use that much hot water but
it sure is nice to start with warm water in your throwing
bucket.
10. Sectional lighting. Many times there is no need to
keep the whole studio well lit. You only need light where
you are currently working. Most of the time I only have
three fluorescent fixtures on but if I need to I can turn
on the other 6 fixtures to really light the place up. A
little extra cost up front but not much and you will
recover the cost fairly quickly.
11. Wood stoves can be pretty intense, directional and
noisy if they have a fan. My first choice would be to heat
the cement slab with embedded hot water tubing. They make
wood pellet boilers now that might work good for this.
12. Don't tell anybody but it can occasionally get rather
warm here in July and August so make sure you can put a fan
in a window to get a breeze moving.
13. And of course you want to be able to drive the truck
with the ton or two of clay right up to the door.
14. Provide space for an "Other Potters Work" display. Put
the work of those you most admire and aspire to here for
inspiration and to keep yourself from getting too cocky.
15. An office place for all your receipts, catalogs, books,
drawings, etc.
Just a beginning.
--
Earl K...
Bothell WA, USA
If I remember history right,
crusades have never been successful.
URL Krueger on wed 29 dec 04
Oh, year,
16. I would NOT put the electric panel in the kiln room. I
would put it as close as I could to the kilns to keep the
wiring short but I would put it in a different room. That
way if something goes wrong you don't have to be near the
kiln, or even possibly lean over it, to shut the breaker
off. Also heat from the kilns wont affect the breakers if
they are in a different room.
--
Earl K...
Bothell WA, USA
Morality:
U.S. aid to Southeast Asia
$35 million to save people
War in Iraq
$1,000,000 million to kill people
Pamela Benson on wed 29 dec 04
Me again. Rank beginner...and evidently very spoiled. My husband wants =
his garage back...and wants to build me a studio. Which makes me happy =
because I am freezing to death in the garage! He wants to build a =
totally separate studio/workshop located on a different part of the =
property....hmm..is he moving me away?? To be honest, I pretty much =
have carte blanc on what I get.=20
I have found only two books on studio designs "Setting Up Your Ceramic =
Studio" by Virginia Scotchie and "Setting Up A Pottery Workshop" by =
Alistar Young. Both of these books have given me ideas and some =
direction. Are there any other books out there? I am a big book =
person....
But what I would really like, is input from you guys...I learn so much =
just by reading and lurking on this list...I am constantly amazed and =
delighted! You all know what works and what doesn't work. I will tell =
you what I currently have in the way of equipment and what I know (or =
think I know) should be incorporated in designing a studio. But what I =
don't know is...what should I really be considering as to =
flow...realistic work space...storage...ventilation etc. etc.=20
As far as basic equipment, I already have a Crucible Electric Kiln, a =
Thomas Stuart wheel and a slab roller and table. I am going to be =
getting a Raku kiln soon. Recommendations? Separate area for the =
Electric Kiln? Or just well vented to the outside? It would be easy to =
incorporate a "kiln room"...would it be logical to use this as a drying =
room as well? The Raku Kiln will be located outside... in a covered (no =
sides) area. It does rain a lot here in Washington ;>)
The studio will be heated with a wood stove, and have cement floors with =
lots of windows. However, it will be in the woods, so there won't be a =
lot of natural light...preferred lighting???
I am planning on a deep double sink, with clay traps. I have no clue =
about a ventilation system...any ideas here? The best kind of shelving =
for drying? As I write this I am a bit over whelmed..yikes! But I guess =
it is a good "problem"... I am really looking forward to your input.
Pamela
Vaughn, WA
Arnold Howard on wed 29 dec 04
Pamela, congratulations on getting a new studio!
You can download a 4-page document on kiln installation at this link:
http://tinyurl.com/4h2uc
Select "Kiln Safety & Installation." I will also be glad to send a paper
copy to anyone who emails a postal address to me.
Sincerely,
Arnold Howard
Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
arnoldhoward@att.net / www.paragonweb.com
From: "Pamela Benson"
Me again. Rank beginner...and evidently very spoiled. My husband wants his
garage back...and wants to build me a studio. Which makes me happy because I
am freezing to death in the garage! He wants to build a totally separate
studio/workshop located on a different part of the property....hmm..is he
moving me away?? To be honest, I pretty much have carte blanc on what I
get.
I have found only two books on studio designs "Setting Up Your Ceramic
Studio" by Virginia Scotchie and "Setting Up A Pottery Workshop" by Alistar
Young. Both of these books have given me ideas and some direction. Are there
any other books out there? I am a big book person....
But what I would really like, is input from you guys
L. P. Skeen on wed 29 dec 04
You need Vince Pitelka's book, but I can't remember the title. It came out
about 3-4 years ago and has a TON O' information. Call or email Steve at
The Potter's Shop in Needham MA and you get a discount (I think 25% but
don't quote me) through the end of January. Steve's email is
thepottersshop@aol.com .
L
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pamela Benson" I have found only two books on studio designs "Setting
Up Your Ceramic Studio" by Virginia Scotchie and "Setting Up A Pottery
Workshop" by Alistar Young. Both of these books have given me ideas and some
direction. Are there any other books out there? I am a big book person....
Jenny Lewis on thu 30 dec 04
Hi Pamela
Congrats on getting your new space - what a nice husband you have!
I am enjoying my new space which is small (12 ft by 6 ft) but works ok for
me. There are a few things I would have liked to have done, but didn't have
enough space or money, so alternative arrangements were made. If you can have
your kiln in a separate area, it's worth doing. I am biscuit firing today, so
can't work in there! The venting system I have is keeping the door and both
windows wide open. That works fine, but it means that I have to check the
weather forecast when I plan to fire.
One of the Clayarters (can't for the moment remember who, my apologies)
stressed the need for shelves. Lots of shelves. LOTS. You can never have enough
shelves.
I keep bags of clay and all the glaze materials in a small wooden garden
shed, which is a bit crowded because it's a storage space at the moment for pieces
of wood that may be useful for something, cardboard boxes that ditto, BUT it
has a worktop so I can do the measuring and mixing and sieving in there,
separate from the studio. Shelves in there as well, for the containers of white
powder that all look pretty much the same....
One of the best pieces of advice - apart from shelves of course - was to draw
a scale plan of the space you have/want/will have eventually, on graph paper.
Then I did cardboard cut-out shapes for the large items - wheel, kiln,
worktop - and tried different layouts. The "final" version changed from day to
day, but eventually something clicked, and it looked exactly right.
You will find masses of information in Clayart's archives. I am eternally
grateful to everyone for all the advice over the years, which really helped me
enormously. Check http://www.potters.org, which is where messages are sorted
by subject. You can do a search, or browse through the various sections.
Good luck, and enjoy the planning (and don't forget the shelves!)
Jenny Lewis
in Eastleigh, Hampshire, UK
Jennifer Boyer on thu 30 dec 04
I've had 3 studio spaces so here's my advice based on what folks have
already suggested:
If you have the choice, put your kiln in a separate room w/ tight door
and install a 1000 cfm(cubic feet per minute) or more in-wall fan that
vents the whole room to the outside. Mine has 3 settings ranging from
1000 cfm to 2000 cfm, but the lowest setting is fine. You'll need a
window to open in that room when the fan is on. I've had most of the
commercial kiln vents over the years, and although the kiln companies
want to throttle me when I say it, the fan system I mention works best.
Also it's nice to trap kiln heat in one room. You can have plaster bats
in there for kiln reclaiming and space to put pots to pre-warm/dry them
before firing. Even though you are keeping the heat down by venting
during firings the room stays toasty during the cool down.
Here's a shuttered exhaust fan similar to the one I have:
http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PMAKA=07489917
You can also mix glazes and do other dusty jobs next to it to suck dust
out of the studio. I have plans to make a removable glaze spraying
booth that I can set up over it.
Our builder made a homemade insulated shutter for it since we live in
the cold north. It's basically a door make out of siding with rigid
insulation nailed to it. It's hinged at the top. I have a system of
ropes that lets me open and close it from the inside. I can show pix of
all that if anyone is interested.
DO put in a trap in your sink. A very simple one can be made by your
plumber:
Have him/her run the exit pipe from the sink drain straight down,
stopping with space to put a 5 gallon paint bucket under it. You will
need to be able to pull the bucket out fro cleaning so the pipe
shouldn't extend into the bucket. Then have him/her insert an exit pipe
through the side of the bucket(located the hole about 2 inches from
the top edge) that hooks back into the standard exit pipe that goes to
the outside. A square bucket makes this easier re cutting a hole and
creating the exit. I've used a large size horse watering bucket in the
past: it had one flat side. So when water pours into the bucket clay,
etc sinks to the bottom and the only water that goes out is the
cleanest at the very top of the bucket. I also have a smaller bucket IN
my sink and I wash things in that as well as dumping clayey/glazey
water into it. Same deal: it over flows into the sink and gunk settles
to the bottom. So I have 2 filtering systems.
Take Care
Jennifer
On Dec 30, 2004, at 6:48 AM, Jenny Lewis wrote:
> Hi Pamela
>
> Congrats on getting your new space - what a nice husband you have!
>
************************
Jennifer Boyer
Thistle Hill Pottery
Montpelier, VT
http://thistlehillpottery.com
LaurieJean gombar on thu 30 dec 04
Covered walking path. (shoveling snow to get to the studio can be a
bummer and a reason to procrastinate)
Phone hookup.
House to studio to garage intercom.
Hot water via plumbing.
Grounded outlets every 6 ft.... You never know when and where you woulda
wanted "juice."
Light the door outside maybe with a motion sensor.... Lighted path
depending how far away.
Skylight?(s)
Definitely a separate cemented bricked off wall/firedoor for kiln...
Hey and why not make the kiln room area bigger and put your glaze studio
in there/ would be plush to have a separate sink for that....?
Plan yer wheel to be near your wedging table think the peverbial
kitchen "triangle
Built in or out of the way sterio system with auto cd changer... And a
couch and area to have coffee contemplate your work... Maybe a hammock
chair or swing.. I'd put one in if there was room.
I have track lighting... Make it all separate so you can have different
lights on at different times and save on electricity.
LJ
Keep in mind where you store your freshly thrown pots vs... Where your
heat source is..
Shelves... 2x4 frames... Think basic bunk beds, no mattresses... And
wareboards. Make any size to suit.
Jennifer Boyer on thu 30 dec 04
AHHHH I meant CLAY reclaiming!
Jeez
Jennifer
> Also it's nice to trap kiln heat in one room. You can have plaster bats
> in there for kiln reclaiming and space to put pots to pre-warm/dry them
> before firing. Even though you are keeping the heat down by venting
> during firings the room stays toasty during the cool down.
>
> Here's a shuttered exhaust fan similar to the one I have:
>
************************
Jennifer Boyer
Thistle Hill Pottery
Montpelier, VT
http://thistlehillpottery.com
Eleanora Eden on thu 30 dec 04
My dream studio has been a work in progress for almost 20 years here
in southern Vermont. After doing my potting in every possible
garage, basement, teepee, and urban industrial space, I mainly just
wanted it to be MINE.
We finally really finished the last partially finished wall, so my
space is truly well-insulated for the first time this winter, no
chilly drafts. But the newer part of the space has heating in the
floor, and I found myself moving in there during the coldest months
so we will see this year. For those in cold climates a heated floor
if possible is really wonderful.
We also just made a deep and divided shelf on top of the kneewall
adjacent to the kiln and I finally have all my kilnshelves off the
floor. I highly recommend this. I can keep the studio alot cleaner.
This space was designed with drains to be hose-able but until
recently was too crowded with stuff to actually do that. Now it
really can be hosed down.
I have been thinking for the last few days..was it subliminally
because of this thread?...about how I don't yet have a couch or
relaxing corner. The idea of a hanging chair might work better for
me than a couch so I appreciate that thought.
Eleanora
>I am very interested in this thread, as I am also planning my dream studio.
>I'll share my thoughts, but would welcome corrections and amendments from
>some of the more experienced potters.
>
>1. My current studio has a cement slab floor. Hard to clean. Dusty. My son
>says a Dura Poxy coating is indestructible and easy to maintain.
>2. Not only do I want a snack area, I want a shower and a bed. Firings
>sometimes run into the night, and I like to be close to the kiln. I set an
>alarm and check it at least hourly. I want a shower because my wife has a
>thermal meltdown when I powder the house with clay dust.
>3. I plan on placing my kilns outside under a shed roof. I should add that I
>live in South Carolina; no problem with snow here.
>4. I plan to incorporate passive solar heating/cooling elements into the
>design so that I can be comfortable without guilt. I can even use bagged
>clay for thermal mass.
>5. Waterproof walls, at least for the bottom three feet, so that I can hose
>the place down. I am investigating "reticulated" concrete block, which
>provides reasonable insulation value.
>6. I love carts, and want lots of them. One for greenware. One for bisque.
>One for glaze chemicals. I can move them wherever I want.
>7. Windows and plenty of light. My daughter, an artist, likes northern
>light. Not me. I need some direct, unfiltered light at the
>wheel/handbuilding table. Highlights and shadows help me appreciate the
>three dimensional qualities of the pot. These are to be opening windows; I
>don't like air conditioning and I do like a breeze. I shall install a high
>volume exhaust fan to help out when the wind dies.
>8. Large door. A big apeture will allow me to move large items in and out
>easily.
>9. I shall arrange the layout to minimize travel time in the studio. Clay
>storage next to pugmill next to wedging table next to wheel. Kiln furniture
>stored in the kiln shed.
>
>I look forward to hearing from others.
>
>Ian in Florence, SC
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
>melpots@pclink.com.
Gail Bennett on thu 30 dec 04
Jennifer,
Thanks for the great advice. I am going to get one and have it installed. If you could send a picture or dimensions of the cold weather cover - I would appreciate it. I live in Kansas. Thank you so much!
Gail
-----Original Message-----
From: Jennifer Boyer
Sent: Dec 30, 2004 7:41 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: Dream Studio?
I've had 3 studio spaces so here's my advice based on what folks have
already suggested:
If you have the choice, put your kiln in a separate room w/ tight door
and install a 1000 cfm(cubic feet per minute) or more in-wall fan that
vents the whole room to the outside. Mine has 3 settings ranging from
1000 cfm to 2000 cfm, but the lowest setting is fine. You'll need a
window to open in that room when the fan is on. I've had most of the
commercial kiln vents over the years, and although the kiln companies
want to throttle me when I say it, the fan system I mention works best.
Also it's nice to trap kiln heat in one room. You can have plaster bats
in there for kiln reclaiming and space to put pots to pre-warm/dry them
before firing. Even though you are keeping the heat down by venting
during firings the room stays toasty during the cool down.
Here's a shuttered exhaust fan similar to the one I have:
http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PMAKA=07489917
You can also mix glazes and do other dusty jobs next to it to suck dust
out of the studio. I have plans to make a removable glaze spraying
booth that I can set up over it.
Our builder made a homemade insulated shutter for it since we live in
the cold north. It's basically a door make out of siding with rigid
insulation nailed to it. It's hinged at the top. I have a system of
ropes that lets me open and close it from the inside. I can show pix of
all that if anyone is interested.
DO put in a trap in your sink. A very simple one can be made by your
plumber:
Have him/her run the exit pipe from the sink drain straight down,
stopping with space to put a 5 gallon paint bucket under it. You will
need to be able to pull the bucket out fro cleaning so the pipe
shouldn't extend into the bucket. Then have him/her insert an exit pipe
through the side of the bucket(located the hole about 2 inches from
the top edge) that hooks back into the standard exit pipe that goes to
the outside. A square bucket makes this easier re cutting a hole and
creating the exit. I've used a large size horse watering bucket in the
past: it had one flat side. So when water pours into the bucket clay,
etc sinks to the bottom and the only water that goes out is the
cleanest at the very top of the bucket. I also have a smaller bucket IN
my sink and I wash things in that as well as dumping clayey/glazey
water into it. Same deal: it over flows into the sink and gunk settles
to the bottom. So I have 2 filtering systems.
Take Care
Jennifer
On Dec 30, 2004, at 6:48 AM, Jenny Lewis wrote:
> Hi Pamela
>
> Congrats on getting your new space - what a nice husband you have!
>
************************
Jennifer Boyer
Thistle Hill Pottery
Montpelier, VT
http://thistlehillpottery.com
______________________________________________________________________________
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
Linda Ferzoco on thu 30 dec 04
I'm wondering if the whole studio shouldn't be on GFI circuits. Is that ok
with the kilns, etc.?
Linda,
gathering info for her own studio space
On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 10:19:36 -0500, LaurieJean gombar
wrote:
>Grounded outlets every 6 ft.... You never know when and where you woulda
>wanted "juice."
Cindy on thu 30 dec 04
Dear Pamela,
Congratulations! I'm building a studio that sounds a lot like your
situation. When my husband and I got married, I moved out to his place,
which is in the deep piney woods. Very nice, but no space I could use for
clay. We've done everything except the slab and the major earthwork
ourselves.
I recommend Vince Pitelka's book, "Clay: A Studio Handbook" available from
Steve Branfman and elsewhere. I have referred to it often in building my
30x40 studio--for the past almost 3 years--I am ready for it to be done!!!
Actually, I have trim in the kiln/glazing room, some plumbing repairs
(different hook-ups for the water heater--Use liquid teflon, not that &%#$@
tape) and a few pieces of sheetrock (to finish covering the pipes once I'm
sure there are no leaks) and I'm pretty much done.
Some of the unexpected things I was inspired to include as a result of
Vince's advice: A damp closet/room and a drying closet. He has instructions
for box units, but I had enough space, so I made them into closets . . . a
separate glaze lab with a door and an exhaust fan. This keeps the dustiest
operations separate from the rest of the space.
I used a pole barn foundation, but you might not want to do that there in
WA. It wouldn't last as long, for one thing. We're very arid here, and my
studio is on top of a gravelly hill. For another thing, a bell footing
wouldn't be as much trouble/expense for you as it would have been for me, as
your frost line is probably shallower than ours. We bought a kit from Lester
Buildings. It was confusing to me, but we figured it out. Like a truly
challenging puzzle, but with more motivation to find the solution. ;)
I installed plumbing--bathroom, shower, hot water, and all. We were allowed
to use a half-size septic system as we had excellent drainage and only one
bathroom. You will definitely want the clay traps, and no floor drains.
Otherwise, bye-bye drain field. I got Black and Decker's guide to home
plumbing and found it very helpful.
Electric--you'll want at least a 200 amp service. Put it near where your
kiln(s) will be. You don't want to have to move the power very far from the
service entrance to the kilns. Use copper wire for your service line. For a
home, aluminum is okay for the service line, but with the kilns, you'll feel
better about the copper. For interior wiring, you'll of course want copper.
I'm not sure aluminum is even available or allowed. I used #12 throughout.
For lights and common outlets, #14 is allowable, but why skimp? The #12
isn't that much harder to work with or that much more expensive.
Even if you aren't doing the wiring yourself, it's good to know a little bit
about what's going on so you feel certain it's been done well. I liked the
Black & Decker "Complete Guide to Home Wiring". It doesn't show you how to
set up the service entrance, but our electrical inspector was a godsend. It
was so scary, but turned out to be so easy. The
thing I was really worried about was handling hot wires. Turns out the power
can be turned off at the pole (duh!), so you never touch a hot wire.
Framing--there are a lot of books available on this subject. If you're
having this done, you can probably feel confident it's being done adequately
so long as you hire someone with a good reputation. For a one-story studio
on a slab foundation, it's pretty simple. It was simpler still for my
studio, since none of the walls are loadbearing in a small pole building.
You will want to have a to-scale plan all drawn out. Otherwise you'll end up
with all sorts of interesting niches--absolutely guaranteed. I used
Broderbund's "Home Architect", which is relatively easy and cost me $7.00 at
an on-line software site. You want the next to last edition if you can get
it. I understand the newer one has lots of bugs. Otherwise, you can spend in
the thousands for a program that takes a college degree to operate. Cheaper
to hire a draftsman or architect. This program doesn't print out truly to
scale, but it's close enough if you print off all the numerical dimensions
and go by them rather than using a scale to read the plan. Or you can get by
with a few drafting tools. I've done that and enjoy it, but making changes
is so much easier on the computer.
Well, that's probably more than you really wanted to know. This isn't a
hundredth of what you'll end up learning if you're building or contracting
the studio yourself. It's a lot of work, but also fun to learn all the new
stuff.
Best wishes,
Cindy in SD
Cindy on thu 30 dec 04
The electrical inspector here said it's all right to have the service
entrance in the kiln room, but not right next to or behind/above the kilns.
I suppose it depends on how big your kilns and your kiln room are. He
recommended having the kilns not more than 10-15 feet away.
> Oh, year,
>
> 16. I would NOT put the electric panel in the kiln room. I
> would put it as close as I could to the kilns to keep the
> wiring short but I would put it in a different room. That
> way if something goes wrong you don't have to be near the
> kiln, or even possibly lean over it, to shut the breaker
> off. Also heat from the kilns wont affect the breakers if
> they are in a different room.
Jennifer Boyer on thu 30 dec 04
http://www.thistlehillpottery.com/ventsystem.html
In these pix you'll see that there are ropes that go from the flap up
through the wall (to open it) and down underneath(to close it) via
plastic pipes as conduits. I's use copper pipe next time since the
plastic has a bit too much flex. Every once in a while things freeze up
a bit in cold weather but I usually can push on the flap with a stick
from the inside to get things unstuck.
Jennifer
On Dec 30, 2004, at 11:45 AM, Gail Bennett wrote:
> Jennifer,
>
> Thanks for the great advice. I am going to get one and have it
> installed. If you could send a picture or dimensions of the cold
> weather cover - I would appreciate it. I live in Kansas. Thank you
> so much!
>
> Gail
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jennifer Boyer
> Sent: Dec 30, 2004 7:41 AM
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: Re: Dream Studio?
>
> I've had 3 studio spaces so here's my advice based on what folks have
> already suggested:
>
>
> Here's a shuttered exhaust fan similar to the one I have:
>
> http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PMAKA=07489917
>
> You can also mix glazes and do other dusty jobs next to it to suck dust
> out of the studio. I have plans to make a removable glaze spraying
> booth that I can set up over it.
>
> Our builder made a homemade insulated shutter for it since we live in
> the cold north. It's basically a door make out of siding with rigid
> insulation nailed to it. It's hinged at the top. I have a system of
> ropes that lets me open and close it from the inside. I can show pix of
> all that if anyone is interested.
>
>
>
************************
Jennifer Boyer
Thistle Hill Pottery
Montpelier, VT
http://thistlehillpottery.com
ian on thu 30 dec 04
I am very interested in this thread, as I am also planning my dream studio.
I'll share my thoughts, but would welcome corrections and amendments from
some of the more experienced potters.
1. My current studio has a cement slab floor. Hard to clean. Dusty. My son
says a Dura Poxy coating is indestructible and easy to maintain.
2. Not only do I want a snack area, I want a shower and a bed. Firings
sometimes run into the night, and I like to be close to the kiln. I set an
alarm and check it at least hourly. I want a shower because my wife has a
thermal meltdown when I powder the house with clay dust.
3. I plan on placing my kilns outside under a shed roof. I should add that I
live in South Carolina; no problem with snow here.
4. I plan to incorporate passive solar heating/cooling elements into the
design so that I can be comfortable without guilt. I can even use bagged
clay for thermal mass.
5. Waterproof walls, at least for the bottom three feet, so that I can hose
the place down. I am investigating "reticulated" concrete block, which
provides reasonable insulation value.
6. I love carts, and want lots of them. One for greenware. One for bisque.
One for glaze chemicals. I can move them wherever I want.
7. Windows and plenty of light. My daughter, an artist, likes northern
light. Not me. I need some direct, unfiltered light at the
wheel/handbuilding table. Highlights and shadows help me appreciate the
three dimensional qualities of the pot. These are to be opening windows; I
don't like air conditioning and I do like a breeze. I shall install a high
volume exhaust fan to help out when the wind dies.
8. Large door. A big apeture will allow me to move large items in and out
easily.
9. I shall arrange the layout to minimize travel time in the studio. Clay
storage next to pugmill next to wedging table next to wheel. Kiln furniture
stored in the kiln shed.
I look forward to hearing from others.
Ian in Florence, SC
Susan Fox-Hirschmann on thu 30 dec 04
Also be sure the heater thermostat is not near the kiln rooms!
and lots of outlets on separate circuits.
and LEVEL>>>>ALL on one LEVEL...ramps for clay delivery, UPS pickups,
etc. with some device to catch clay in sink like the Gleco trap...works
GREAT!
and yes, skylights wherever you can put them...
Susan
Annandale, VA
Carl Finch on thu 30 dec 04
At 12:22 PM 12/30/2004 -0500, Linda Ferzoco wrote:
>I'm wondering if the whole studio shouldn't be on GFI circuits. Is that ok
>with the kilns, etc.?
GFI components are sensitive to even tiny current leakages, and sometimes
cause the circuit to 'drop out' at inconvenient times. So they are
normally NOT used for appliances that really want constant power. Thus
refrigerators and freezers can (and should) be fed by non-GFI
circuits. I'd want the same for an electric kiln vent--wouldn't want the
vent fan to shut down prematurely.
Most electrical codes will allow a non-GFI receptacle exception if it is
not readily accessible (e.g., behind a fridge or freezer). I installed a
SINGLE-outlet receptacle for the exclusive use of my kiln vent, and the
inspector accepted that, even though all other receptacles in that first
floor room were required to be GFI.
The kiln itself would be on a non-GFI 240 volt circuit.
Ground floor lighting and ceiling receptacles need not be GFI-protected.
Of course differing municipalities have their OWN code requirements. I'd
urge you to pick up a DIY wiring book at Home Depot, or other, and then
call your planning department and talk to an electrical inspector about
your plans. Since I didn't install the panel in my workshop (and glad I
didn't), I queried my electrical contractor and got loads of good info from
him on what was required locally. That and the book (Complete Home Wiring,
published by Sunset) made the work easy and the inspection a breeze.
--Carl
in Medford, Oregon
ASHPOTS@AOL.COM on fri 31 dec 04
Happy New Year to all !!!!
When i built my studio i had a electrician do the electricity,, im a potter,,
i was a Firefighter , saw electric fires,, did NOT want one
Rodny my electrician is also the Fire Chief up here on the Mtn,, He put in
GFI,s in my shop.. I have lots of outlets,, lots of GFI's also.. I have outlets
outside also,, also more GFI's,, I have outlets and lights in my kiln room.. I
have a extension cord with a water heater to a bird bath , all on GFI's
There are rules about GFI's and outlets , called code,, Up here there is NO
code except where your septic tank is and also something about the electric
tempory pole and new service,, did that while building new house..
No code means that you can park your trailer any where you want,, if you have
the $35 for the inspector of electricty and septic tank you are good to go,
come and see what im talking about,, also , if you have some property its a
great place to store cars that you have no use for. Its also a great place to
store semi's also,, NO CODE
great place to live,, i can build kiln sheds any where , and i do
Again ,, Happy New Year !!!!
Mark
www.lookoutmountainpottery.com
also,, have any of you tried my recipe for bean soup thats listed under
recipes on my website?
Valice Raffi on fri 31 dec 04
I'm finally getting my dream studio and I think it's going to be pretty
fabulous! I owe a big thanks to Clayart for all the suggestions that I've
gleaned over the years.
My first working area was a small section of the table in the dining room
many years ago. I then carved out a space in the garage by nailing heavy
plastic over the garage door (which had huge gaps) and covered that with
carpet pad that I got by dumpster diving. It had one small window that
didn't open and a turbine vent that I could close off with a trap door on a
piano hinge. Some years later, I emptied the space, tore out the garage
door and installed windows that opened. I insulated and sheetrocked, built
shelves, layed linoleum and thought I was in heaven. But... the space was
still too small.
Last year, I sold my house and moved to New Mexico. The new house had an
additional 4 car garage out back (760 sq ft - 20'x38'). I ripped down the
drywall from the ceiling and exposed the trusses; insulated the walls (R13)
and ceiling (R30). It's been staying at about 50 degrees F even though
it's an almost empty building. I did get an oil filled heater, tried it
out & it seems to work pretty good.
I took out the garage doors on the north side and on one side installed 2
sets of doublepaned sliding doors with a doublepaned glass window in
between, the other side (it had two 16' garage doors) now has 2 - 3'x3'
windows and an insulated 8' garage door with glass panels, I can roll clay
in and the raku kiln out. The east side had a decrepit "human" door which
I replaced with a window and there's another window on the west side. We
took out the screened attic vents and replaced them with glass block.
The south side has 1 window and 2 glass doors (all insulated glass). One
door goes to a covered cement pad that has electricity and soon will have a
laundry sink that's plumbed with hot & cold water, I went ahead with the
hot water because it shares piping with another sink that's just inside
that door. The laundry sink will drain to a french drain (a gravel lined
ditch with perforated pipe in it and covered with landscape cloth and
gravel). I work pretty "clean" (handbuilding), but I'll still use buckets
and syphons so I don't clog the french drain system. The covered porch
area will be for glaze making and other dusty duties. At the other end of
the patio area is an added on bathroom, toilet, sink, shower.
The interior sink area will have a 10' counter, small fridge underneath and
shelves above (with a microwave). I've put back-to-back bookshelves
perpendicular to the wall, separating the sink area from my "muse" area.
Books, magazines, and artwork for sale will be on one side of the shelves;
a comfortable chair for staring out the window and reading, a small rug and
a floor lamp - I can hardly wait! My desk will face that area, butting up
against the end of the bookcases. The kitchen side bookshelves will hold
the plethora of small containers and other junk type stuff. Ware shelving
is on wheels.
The original concrete floor had grease and paint on it. Klyf Brown's
company "Creative Stone" washed it several times with TSP, acid stained
washed it & then gave it two coats of industrial epoxy. It looks great!
There are designs left on the floor where the previous owner had spray
painted auto parts and pegboard - really cool looking. Because the floor
was 5-10 years old it wasn't perfectly smooth, the epoxy made it cleanable
but not slick, even when wet. I got a restaurant style mop & bucket for
clean up.
There was enough electricity, the former owner did welding, but I brought
in an extra panel from the main for the kiln (NEW kiln- whoohoo!). I added
a few plugs on the new north walls, raised some plugs to table height, and
added two that are on the trusses so I can drop a line down to tables in
the middle of the room. A friend uses small desk lamps that she got from
IKEA on tables for extra light when she gives classes, I'll probably do the
same.
I'm installing two ceiling fans (no airconditioner) and ten 100 watt
industrial type pendant lights set up on 2 different circuits so I won't
have to have all of them on when I don't need them. My detail work area
will be in front of the two 3'x3' windows with track pendant lights
overhead.
A problem in my old studio was trying to do photography, so I'll have an
area that will be almost ready (with a teeny bit of moving stuff around) -
photo paper on a roll ready to pull down, nail in the stud for wall pieces,
and foamcore at an angle on the trusses.
There's a 20'x40' concrete pad in the front. I've been building a planting
bed with stucco covered concrete block to create an outside work
area/patio. I staggered the height of the wall next to the pad to provide
extra seating and the bed directs people to the door I want them to use.
Off the other end of the concrete pad will be a pit/primitive firing area.
I still need to install a gutter across the front, it DOES rain here, plus
it (yikes!) snowed. The snow wasn't a problem (it wasn't very much) but it
melted off the roof and formed ice right in front of the door - oops!
Getting settled has taken longer than I expected, allow LOT'S of time!
Also, don't pack all your tools in with the studio stuff (duh!). Well it's
almost done, I should be able to move in in the next couple of weeks, I
can't wait to get back to work! Oh well, at least I had time to get the
new house in order.
Valice
in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where the pace is slower indeed
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