Jared Webster on tue 6 dec 05
I've been digging through the archives lately looking at different
threads on kilns. One in particular that got by brain going involves
rammed earth kilns. After some thought I've decided I'd like to invest
some time in researching the potential of this.
At university I ran across my first refrence to this use of local
materials and since then I've always perked up when a new tidbit about
it comes my way.
The problem with the thread in the archives about this is it stops.
Let me give you some bits from it:
"Wayne Matthews on tue 22 may
Anyone out there build a high fired rammed earth kiln? I built an 80
cu ft Catenary arch about 20 years ago. I worked well for the three
years in use. It fired a bit more uneven than a comparable brick kiln.
The biggest hassle was breaking it apart when we moved the studio!
I'm interested in your experience with:
-Formula used -Material used to separate refractory from form -Kiln
Type (Sprung Arch? Catenary?, -Updraft/Downdraft,etc.) -Kiln Size
-Estimated total cost -Drying-Curing Time before first fire -How long
since building -Deterioration noticed -What you'd do different next
time -Type of fuel -What cone you fire to -Anything else relevant that
I've forgotten
Thanks.
mudlark on wed 23 may 01
Built 3, 1st one I used porland cement. Not good. Fluxes with everything el=
se.
Jack Troy's book.Not good. Next, use an Aluminum Cement, Lasted forever.
Formula:
Fire clay 50+
Aluminum Cement 15 (Alumini Cement)
grog 25+
sawdust Fine , (off a table saw) 1/4 by volume
Lowell Baker probably has this dialed in.
Down Draft, 35 - 65 ft. ,Straight walls-Flat fiber roof, catenary cone 10,
salt, cone 10, salt bisque ------propane, wood"
There are other comments but they are about alternatives not rammed earth.
The thread just ends. Most of my questions are right there.
Unfortunately there are no answers. Can anyone add to this? I can't
find any more answers in the archives so I'm assuming there wasn't
just a thread switch. Has anyone actually tried this and would you be
willing to share with me your insights?
I am thinking of making a small kiln using something like this
technique. Small being <15 cuft interior.
Jared
Andy Ward on wed 7 dec 05
I don't know a lot about traditional kilns, I fire outdoors in the tradition
of the Southwest Indians, but I know something about rammed earth since I
looked into it as a building material for my house. Rammed earth is massive
and porous, I would think that you would have trouble with it robbing heat
from your firing, at least until it became saturated with heat, which could
take awhile.
Not exactly what you are talking about but I did build an adobe firing pit.
http://palatkwapi.com/southwest/?postid=15
Andy Ward
www.palatkwapi.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Jared Webster [mailto:jared.outofsand@GMAIL.COM]
Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2005 4:53 PM
Subject: Rammed Earth Kiln
I've been digging through the archives lately looking at different
threads on kilns. One in particular that got by brain going involves
rammed earth kilns. After some thought I've decided I'd like to invest
some time in researching the potential of this.
At university I ran across my first refrence to this use of local
materials and since then I've always perked up when a new tidbit about
it comes my way.
The problem with the thread in the archives about this is it stops.
Let me give you some bits from it:
"Wayne Matthews on tue 22 may
Anyone out there build a high fired rammed earth kiln? I built an 80
cu ft Catenary arch about 20 years ago. I worked well for the three
years in use. It fired a bit more uneven than a comparable brick kiln.
The biggest hassle was breaking it apart when we moved the studio!
I'm interested in your experience with:
-Formula used -Material used to separate refractory from form -Kiln
Type (Sprung Arch? Catenary?, -Updraft/Downdraft,etc.) -Kiln Size
-Estimated total cost -Drying-Curing Time before first fire -How long
since building -Deterioration noticed -What you'd do different next
time -Type of fuel -What cone you fire to -Anything else relevant that
I've forgotten
Thanks.
mudlark on wed 23 may 01
Built 3, 1st one I used porland cement. Not good. Fluxes with everything
else.
Jack Troy's book.Not good. Next, use an Aluminum Cement, Lasted forever.
Formula:
Fire clay 50+
Aluminum Cement 15 (Alumini Cement)
grog 25+
sawdust Fine , (off a table saw) 1/4 by volume
Lowell Baker probably has this dialed in.
Down Draft, 35 - 65 ft. ,Straight walls-Flat fiber roof, catenary cone 10,
salt, cone 10, salt bisque ------propane, wood"
There are other comments but they are about alternatives not rammed earth.
The thread just ends. Most of my questions are right there.
Unfortunately there are no answers. Can anyone add to this? I can't
find any more answers in the archives so I'm assuming there wasn't
just a thread switch. Has anyone actually tried this and would you be
willing to share with me your insights?
I am thinking of making a small kiln using something like this
technique. Small being <15 cuft interior.
Jared
Michael Wendt on wed 7 dec 05
I missed the beginning of this thread, but I think it would be fairly easy
to construct most of a kiln with the rammed earth method.
I would not use actual soil but a mixture of sawdust and kaolin or fireclay.
Dry mixed in a wheel barrow, the uniform mixture could then be sprayed and
tossed, sprayed and tossed... until a rammable mixture was reached that
would hold its shape. Placed between forms and rammed, the walls would in
essence be a monolithic form of soft firebrick.
Too much sawdust makes for very crumbly brick. Too little sawdust makes
something closer to hard brick.
One way to lower drying shrinkage is with the addition of 50% or more grog
in place of the clay. I would cover the outside with a couple layers of
6#/cu ft kaowool and cover that with a layer of fiberglass bat. The result
would be the kiln core would all get hot enough to burn out all the sawdust
and fire the shell to a rigid and stable form.
Sounds like fun.
Regards,
Michael Wendt
Wendt Pottery
2729 Clearwater Ave
Lewiston, Idaho 83501
USA
wendtpot@lewiston.com
www.wendtpottery.com
Marcia Selsor on wed 7 dec 05
> Dear Jared,
I built a rammed earth studio in the 70s. survived a flood. Below
there are recipes from the archives that you found. My method of
mixing was in a mortar mixer.
It took several batches to fill a rammed section 4' x 16" x 2' . I
used a pogo tamper that I rented from a rental shop. We had two: 6"
square and 8" square.I used a clay bas with an additve of lime. This
would not be good for a kiln. Use some of the recipes mentioned
below. Mix until it binds together when you squeeze it in your hand.
Don't add too much water.Tamp down about 2 inch layer at a time.
That is 6 into 2. If it is to be outdoors, add the fiber and then the
fiber glass and then a thin layer of concrete to protect it.
Best wishes,
Marcia Selsor
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jared Webster [mailto:jared.outofsand@GMAIL.COM]
> Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2005 4:53 PM
> Subject: Rammed Earth Kiln
>
> I've been digging through the archives lately looking at different
> threads on kilns. One in particular that got by brain going involves
> rammed earth kilns. After some thought I've decided I'd like to invest
> some time in researching the potential of this.
>
> At university I ran across my first refrence to this use of local
> materials and since then I've always perked up when a new tidbit about
> it comes my way.
>
> The problem with the thread in the archives about this is it stops.
> Let me give you some bits from it:
>
>
>
> "Wayne Matthews on tue 22 may
>
>
>
> Anyone out there build a high fired rammed earth kiln? I built an 80
> cu ft Catenary arch about 20 years ago. I worked well for the three
> years in use. It fired a bit more uneven than a comparable brick kiln.
> The biggest hassle was breaking it apart when we moved the studio!
>
>
>
> I'm interested in your experience with:
>
> -Formula used -Material used to separate refractory from form -Kiln
> Type (Sprung Arch? Catenary?, -Updraft/Downdraft,etc.) -Kiln Size
> -Estimated total cost -Drying-Curing Time before first fire -How long
> since building -Deterioration noticed -What you'd do different next
> time
>
> Built 3, 1st one I used porland cement. Not good. Fluxes with
> everything
> else.
>
> Jack Troy's book.Not good. Next, use an Aluminum Cement, Lasted
> forever.
>
> Formula:
>
> Fire clay 50+
>
> Aluminum Cement 15 (Alumini Cement)
>
> grog 25+
>
> sawdust Fine , (off a table saw) 1/4 by volume
>
> Lowell Baker probably has this dialed in.
>
>
>
>
>
> Down Draft, 35 - 65 ft. ,Straight walls-Flat fiber roof, catenary
> cone 10,
>
> salt, cone 10, salt bisque ------propane, wood"
>
>
>
> There are other comments but they are about alternatives not rammed
> earth.
>
>
>
> The thread just ends. Most of my questions are right there.
> Unfortunately there are no answers. Can anyone add to this? I can't
> find any more answers in the archives so I'm assuming there wasn't
> just a thread switch. Has anyone actually tried this and would you be
> willing to share with me your insights?
>
>
>
> I am thinking of making a small kiln using something like this
> technique. Small being <15 cuft interior.
>
>
>
> Jared
>
> ______________________________________________________________________
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>
Jared Webster on wed 7 dec 05
Actually I think you caught all of it. In reality I'm mearly trying to
resurrect an old discussion. So far I've been getting great comments.
I'm sure more are formulating responses as well since this seems to be
one of those Pandora's box subjects.
Jared
On 12/7/05, Michael Wendt wrote:
> I missed the beginning of this thread,
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