mel jacobson on fri 12 aug 05
i think tony is on to something...as usual.
that old bottom line.
i picked up my big chain saw from the dealer
yesterday...tune up/carb work after the last
wood firing at the farm. it took a beating.
$112.62 two new chains/ $35.00
battery for the john deere tractor to get the
front end loader working..
$65.00
snacks and soda/beer for the gang firing.
over $50.00
three trips to the factory that makes trophies.
kurt went...used his trailer.
probably $50.00. gas for his truck/three trips...that is 240 miles
wood free.
wood from the amish guy.
$20.00 three cords.
so, just from the casual observer one might say.
god, you fired 250 pots in a wood kiln for twenty bucks.
oh, and then there was the work by 12 potters to stoke
the kiln for 30 hours...free?
i can make a hundred pots while my old natural gas/flat top
sings along. i figure it costs me about 15 bucks to fire
that kiln. one mug. remember, i fire with less than two inches
of water column. natural venturi burners. about nine hours.
my kiln has three stacks of 12x24 shelves...and i usually place
in 7 shelves per stack. so, say average 75 pots.
bottom line is rather good for natural gas firing.
electric would be far greater price.
i always recommend to folks...don't call the gas company...get
more pressure/bigger meter.
the small meter can only meter so much gas. it has a limit.
the big meter measures every inch. it will cost you twice as
much..and you will pay more for `commercial use` vs home use.
it appears i have a hobby/research kiln. i always tell folks
that i am a teacher/researcher. not a full time commercial
potter. my home sales are just like garage sales. in fact
i do not put up signs around the neighborhood...don't want
those dorks showing up looking for a bargain. i just put up
a large flag on my house...with my big mj logo on it. send out
mailed flyers. to select buyers.
of course, be safe, follow guide lines for plumbing and safety.
but, you do not need a bigger meter and more pressure for a
home sized kiln, let us say up to 30 cubic feet. in fact
it will just defeat you. most potters fire with far to much fuel.
(remember, every city in the u.s. has different pressure going
to a house. warm climates have less gas pressure (usually)
most commercial venues have 10 inches. and, without question,
cone six reduction is here...it works, and is very nice to work with.
take any recipe/cone 6 electric and see how it works with lite
reduction. you will find all kinds of recipes work well. there
are books on the way...`cone 6 reduction`.
i agree with my dear friend john baymore. fire smart, insulate,
use far less fuel with more oxygen. fire cleaner/better/smarter.
and don't make yourself a target for investigation. the more
people in government you call and involve...the more the chances
they are going to say...`you can't have that kiln..no way`.
statute no. 395683.bc21 `man, you are crazy to think that
kiln will even work, it will not get past a thousand degrees`.
that is the quote from the gas company engineer in 1960.
been firing to cone 10 for now 45 years. perfect kiln, perfect
gas use, perfect sized flue and stack. i do not heat the atmosphere,
i heat pots.
mel
from mel/minnetonka.mn.usa
website: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
http://home.comcast.net/~figglywig/clayart.htm
for gail's year book.
Jeff Guin on sat 13 aug 05
Dear Mel,
Is that a metaphorical chainsaw? I told Tony I would help with the wood.
should I leave my chainsaw at home? Thanks for the hammer information. I
actually did drag out about 50 pots and smashed quited a few of them. It
felt pretty invigorating and I even learned a lot. The ones I smashed I took
digital photos of for future reference and of course I had to keep some of
the door stops--Just to keep me humble and remind myself and other where I
started from. Thanks again. Jeff.
http://mudwerks.blogspot.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mudhead99/
>From: mel jacobson
>Reply-To: Clayart
>To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>Subject: wood firing costs/home kilns
>Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 07:40:31 -0500
>
>i think tony is on to something...as usual.
>that old bottom line.
>
>i picked up my big chain saw from the dealer
>yesterday...tune up/carb work after the last
>wood firing at the farm. it took a beating.
>$112.62 two new chains/ $35.00
>battery for the john deere tractor to get the
>front end loader working..
>$65.00
>snacks and soda/beer for the gang firing.
>over $50.00
>three trips to the factory that makes trophies.
>kurt went...used his trailer.
>probably $50.00. gas for his truck/three trips...that is 240 miles
>wood free.
>wood from the amish guy.
>$20.00 three cords.
>
>so, just from the casual observer one might say.
>god, you fired 250 pots in a wood kiln for twenty bucks.
>
>oh, and then there was the work by 12 potters to stoke
>the kiln for 30 hours...free?
>
>i can make a hundred pots while my old natural gas/flat top
>sings along. i figure it costs me about 15 bucks to fire
>that kiln. one mug. remember, i fire with less than two inches
>of water column. natural venturi burners. about nine hours.
>my kiln has three stacks of 12x24 shelves...and i usually place
>in 7 shelves per stack. so, say average 75 pots.
>bottom line is rather good for natural gas firing.
>electric would be far greater price.
>
>i always recommend to folks...don't call the gas company...get
>more pressure/bigger meter.
>the small meter can only meter so much gas. it has a limit.
>the big meter measures every inch. it will cost you twice as
>much..and you will pay more for `commercial use` vs home use.
>it appears i have a hobby/research kiln. i always tell folks
>that i am a teacher/researcher. not a full time commercial
>potter. my home sales are just like garage sales. in fact
>i do not put up signs around the neighborhood...don't want
>those dorks showing up looking for a bargain. i just put up
>a large flag on my house...with my big mj logo on it. send out
>mailed flyers. to select buyers.
>
>of course, be safe, follow guide lines for plumbing and safety.
>but, you do not need a bigger meter and more pressure for a
>home sized kiln, let us say up to 30 cubic feet. in fact
>it will just defeat you. most potters fire with far to much fuel.
>(remember, every city in the u.s. has different pressure going
>to a house. warm climates have less gas pressure (usually)
>most commercial venues have 10 inches. and, without question,
>cone six reduction is here...it works, and is very nice to work with.
>take any recipe/cone 6 electric and see how it works with lite
>reduction. you will find all kinds of recipes work well. there
>are books on the way...`cone 6 reduction`.
>
>i agree with my dear friend john baymore. fire smart, insulate,
>use far less fuel with more oxygen. fire cleaner/better/smarter.
>and don't make yourself a target for investigation. the more
>people in government you call and involve...the more the chances
>they are going to say...`you can't have that kiln..no way`.
>statute no. 395683.bc21 `man, you are crazy to think that
>kiln will even work, it will not get past a thousand degrees`.
>that is the quote from the gas company engineer in 1960.
>been firing to cone 10 for now 45 years. perfect kiln, perfect
>gas use, perfect sized flue and stack. i do not heat the atmosphere,
>i heat pots.
>mel
>
>from mel/minnetonka.mn.usa
>website: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
>http://home.comcast.net/~figglywig/clayart.htm
> for gail's year book.
>
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