mel jacobson on wed 29 jun 05
are things of engineering perfection.
i don't think anyone has to consider that our
kiln has engineering flaws, especially from one
sentence in a post..and of course not ever having
seen it or used it.
when your crew is exhausted in 95 degree heat and having
worked to prepare the wood and fire the same day...well,
a bit of gas is a good thing for an hour. we know how
to fire all forms of kilns. we had much experience in the camp.
in fact the health and safety of the crew is far more important
than anything else. propane on hand with any wood fired kiln
is a good thing. weather problems, accidents, or exhaustion
can drop a wood kiln 500 degrees in minutes. add the gas,
take care of business, and back to wood. the kiln can be
held very easily at temp, or have a slight rise. it is just
prudent.
and without question, our strategy is to find many
forms of fuel to use in this kiln. it may be sawdust, or
it may be waste oil or perhaps old diapers, who knows? and, many of our
pots will be
glazed. that is our choice...no one else's.
as with all things we do at hay creek...research is the
key to everything. we expand ideas with quality potters
and artists. and we have 15 quality potters as witness
to everything we post on clayart.
donovan has built to date....174 kilns for other people.
(universities and colleges plus art centers and private individuals.)
he just finished the mesa center's new kilns. (cm this month)
he is building his first kiln at home, for colleen. a new
home, a new wife, a new studio and a kiln. we are so
pleased for them.
i have seen with my own eyes several donovan kilns that have
been blown up by...`quality potters`. no,fools.
one had placed c clamps on the red buttons of the baso valves because
he said `the pilots keep blowing out`. a flame out and a fast re/lite
and whoooomp. arch is gone. ( all the kiln needed was a four dollar
thermocouple) and the art center paid 5 grand to
have it repaired...by donovan. the quality potter blamed engineering
flaws...thank god i saw the c clamps the week before. they were also using
barium and
manganese in their temmoku glaze...and stirring the buckets with
their hands and arms. i did put a stop to that....i know...
..cause trouble...well, i am proud of that.
i gave them ron roy's `black magic` recipe....but they did not like it
as well as the barium/manganese. dorks.
it would have been very easy to not report that we used gas. we could
have sounded `pure as snow` as wood fire experts. but to tell the
truth as to how things work is my aim as a teacher on clayart.
i will continue to do that.
mel
vince's article on tools was very good this month in clay times.
timely.
and thanks to tony c. for encouraging us to build bigger.
we did, and it will pay huge dividends. firing a small wood kiln
is as much work as a big one. and we get more pots.
but to expand makes our statement at hay creek real..`who in the
hell is going to pay for that now?` we all did. every brick, post and shelf
at hay creek was in that kiln.
from mel/minnetonka.mn.usa
website: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
Marvpots@AOL.COM on wed 29 jun 05
Hi Mel:
Donavan Palmquist built a gas car kiln for me about 3 1/2 years ago. He did
I great job; I love the kiln, and keep learning new ways to overcome small
problems when they occur.
I'm glad he's on your Hay Creek team.
I admire your energy and activity. Keep it up!
All the best.
Marvin Flowerman
marvpots@aol.com
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