mel jacobson on tue 14 feb 06
in order: (my opinion)
get an electric kiln first.
you will use it your entire life as
a bisque kiln if you then move to gas.
two:
gas kiln. safe, easy to learn, and you can
always use the bricks to build a wood kiln
later. go here and see
plans: http://www.potterymaking.org/FlattopKiln_Complete.pdf
last.
salt kiln.
wood kiln.
and, if you do not live in a rural area...forget it.
location is everything with fuel kilns.
and, if you do not have fuel ready to go, a
large selection at a modest cost...forget it.
(like an amish sawmill three miles away.)
think wood kiln.
truck, chain saw, storage of wood, time and energy
to fire, divorce court, child support costs, and then
the fire that comes and destroys your barn.
wood firing is very daunting.
and, it takes years a planning and thought.
and, they are not always easy to make perfect
firings...lots of lost pots on the way to good firings.
but, we love our wood fired kiln at the farm. and, we
have 15 really good potters working in unison to fire it.
mel
and, to build a really fine wood fired kiln may cost you
15,000 or more bucks. if you have a great builder do
it for you...$40,000.
from mel/minnetonka.mn.usa
website: http://my.pclink.com/~melpots3
David Hendley on tue 14 feb 06
Ho Mel,
Any potter who spends $40,000 to have wood kiln built
is either a hobbyist (serious of course, but not trying to make
a living as a potter with a wood kiln) or independently wealthy.
Ditto for having 15 people to fire it.
It is entirely reasonable and doable for a single solitary potter
to build a good kiln for a few grand. With salvaged bricks, my
kiln cost about $2000 and it has provided a living as my
only kiln for many years.
It fired almost perfectly the first time.
It has fired perfectly since the second firing. No more lost
pots than from a gas kiln.
So far (30 years), no divorce court.
Have your firing costs increased in the last year?
Mine haven't.
David Hendley
Old Farmhouse Pottery
david@farmpots.com
http://www.farmpots.com
----- Original Message -----
> think wood kiln.
> truck, chain saw, storage of wood, time and energy
> to fire, divorce court, child support costs, and then
> the fire that comes and destroys your barn.
> wood firing is very daunting.
> and, it takes years a planning and thought.
> and, they are not always easy to make perfect
> firings...lots of lost pots on the way to good firings.
>
> but, we love our wood fired kiln at the farm. and, we
> have 15 really good potters working in unison to fire it.
> mel
> and, to build a really fine wood fired kiln may cost you
> 15,000 or more bucks. if you have a great builder do
> it for you...$40,000.
> from mel/minnetonka.mn.usa
> website: http://my.pclink.com/~melpots3
>
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