Sincultura 13 on tue 1 feb 05
Where I live red bricks are not readily used and cost about the same as cinder blocks... I want to do some experiments low firing with wood. Would the cinder blocks be up to the task? Or maybe buy some soft brick for the chamber and use cinder block to biuld the rest of the structure? I don't want to build a big kiln, but something similar to those small ones done with just red bricks...
thanks in advance,
Sincultura
---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - Find what you need with new enhanced search. Learn more.
Gary Navarre on thu 3 feb 05
On Tue, 1 Feb 2005 22:59:29 -0800, Sincultura 13
wrote:
>Where I live red bricks are not readily used and cost about the same as
cinder blocks... I want to do some experiments low firing with wood. Would
the cinder blocks be up to the task? Or maybe buy some soft brick for the
chamber and use cinder block to biuld the rest of the structure? I don't
want to build a big kiln, but something similar to those small ones done
with just red bricks...
>
>
>thanks in advance,
>
>
>Sincultura
Hay Pal & Crew,
Basicly the answer is no. Kilns developed because early humans
discovered clay to be refractory after heating past red heat. The type of
clay determined how much heat it could take without falling apart. Some red
(soft) brick can be used for low fire kilns but they can crack in half
after repeated use. I started out making a beehive kiln in downtown
Kalamazoo, Michigan in the '70's and used red brick. I too had nowhere near
enough materials or experience but got that over the years. Slow down a
little!
I forgot where you lived but if you can afford it order some medium duty
fire brick, (2000F.) for a liner and some red brick for a cover. After some
test fires if you are ready to go higher temp. the bricks you have can be
used in the outer layer of a high heat duty fire brick chamber. Other than
that you might try pit or burning barrel firing for the time being. I found
that gave me a good feel for how slow to heat clay so it wouldn't blow up.
Good luck and keep going!
G in da UP
Navarre Pottery
Norway, Michigan, USA
http://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/
| |
|
