mel jacobson on sat 24 mar 07
we have a test system that is very simple and easy
to observe. kurt, bob anderson and i have used it
for years.
we call it:
sawdust/venturi test.
this is how we do it.
we take a handful of dry sawdust and throw it into each burner
ports of our kilns. we watch through the spy/ports to see what it is doing.
also, we time the sawdust to see how long it takes to come flying
out of the stack. sparks just pop out the stack.
we can observe the energy of the kiln, how fast things are moving
and we know if the kiln is working well. this is not science, it is
observation. it is just the potter seeing visually what the kiln is doing.
when the kiln is working just right, a venturi/as nils calls it/
effect can be seen,
as the red shards of sawdust come out of the stack in a swirling effect.
in other words, they spin.
it goes very fast...but one can see it happening.
anyone that fires with wood can just watch it happening through
the stoke hole, as it is big enough to see the kiln from front to back.
a few handfuls of sawdust thrown into the kiln will let you see clearly
what is going on. and, in the wood fired kiln it undulates back....you
can see it.
we potters that are not trained in scientific protocol will often have to
create systems to let us observe certain phenomena that make our work
and systems complete. potters have been doing that for a thousand years.
engineers, industrial chemists, university geologists and heat engineers do the
same thing, only they have fine tools to measure and complete the testing.
their record keeping is far superior to ours.
but, in many ways, it is the same sort of observation and change that
makes our work so rewarding.
only a fool would not change to make things better, more efficient, and of
course, cost effective. therefore, we as artists, potters, crafts-people
must turn to our friends in science and industry to help us. they are not
the enemy.....they are colleagues. potters are not stupid about fire.
it is our life. we love fire, it is our best ally.
those that only know how to turn on the `program` for an electric kiln
and go to bed while the kiln fires are missing a great deal if they
do not build fires. one can
never fully invest your life in pottery without knowing about fire.
(i know, there will be whinning up the ass about....`mel, don't call me
un/pure just because i have an electric kiln....) you all know what i am
talking about. at some point you have to go someplace and just build
a fire with sticks and put your pot in the center of that fire and see what
happens. do it on a camping trip/in your back yard....just raw clay and
fire. primitive, but smart. the feeling that you will have is wonderful.
it takes you back to your roots. sometimes, you just have to pee in the woods.
hook back to nature.
many cannot have fuel kilns because of where you live, how you live...and that
is just fine. everyone understands that. but, there are times in your life
when you must `breakout`. take the challenge. it is like my funny story of
me calling the propane delivery guy, and asking him to stop at the farm
when we have 20 potters in camp/firing four kilns at once. let him look into
the kiln and see it at 2400F. he gets a new view of fire. and his respect
for what we do increases about 2000 times. `holy @^$^, is that thing hot...
man, i never have seen anything like that...wowowow. gotta tell my wife`.
see, he is excited. so are we.
in most cases, the world at large has no idea what we are doing. they think
of our work as `baking`. we have all experienced that event.
clayart is such a valuable source. our debates and information passing is so
very rich. and, we are blessed with very bright and versatile
potters, scientists
and engineers. the list is too long...but `smarty pants` hardly comes close.
and, without question we are blessed with gender and age equality.
as i said when i introduced snail last friday at nceca. `one of the
most knowledgeable
and able posters in the history of clayart.` the richness of her
information is
astounding...
it was such a joy to watch bruce girrell with his tests of cooling on electric
fired pots...sharing that information as an engineer...and his pride as he
showed that wonderful rutile blue pot. the artist and the engineer...all mixed
together. if he is not careful, he will forget engineering. art is
very powerful,
especially when it comes from within...it just sneaks out. the engineering
was important, but nothing stumped that great pot. he loved talking about the
tests, but he glowed when he showed us the pot.
yes, we are a mixed up lot. artists, potters, crafts-people,
scientists, engineers.
we mix it together and what comes out is `awesome`...and it is.
clay/silica has always been the cutting edge of every society. it
has not changed
in 2007. think of the first clay brick, the first pot that held
water, the first pot
you could store seeds in...or the words of your `god`. and now think
of super conductivity,
materials science, and of course....the silica chip. clay. so
common, so magical.
it is our destiny. and i thank god, the stars and all gods that i
found it. 1956. jones
hall, university of minnesota. i saw those leach kick wheels. i was
gone forever.
mel
from: minnetonka, mn
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
Lynne and Bruce Girrell on sat 24 mar 07
mel wrote:
>we take a handful of dry sawdust and throw it into each burner
>ports of our kilns. we watch through the spy/ports to see what it is
>doing.
>also, we time the sawdust to see how long it takes to come flying
>out of the stack. sparks just pop out the stack.
>we can observe the energy of the kiln, how fast things are moving
>and we know if the kiln is working well. this is not science, it is
>observation. it is just the potter seeing visually what the kiln is doing.
Mel - A most excellent technique. And I assure you that it is definitely
good science. Science is about observing, making a change and observing the
effects of that change.
Fluid dymanics and chaotic systems are extremely difficult things to model
and understand. Launching a few tracer bullets into the system is an
excellent way of observing what is going on in such a complex environment.
Got some sawdust handy here. I've got to try this in our next firing.
Thanks
Bruce Girrell
_________________________________________________________________
Live Search Maps - find all the local information you need, right when you
need it. http://maps.live.com/?icid=hmtag2&FORM=MGAC01
Pamela Regentin on sat 24 mar 07
mel jacobson wrote:<<me calling the propane delivery guy, and asking him to stop at the farm
when we have 20 potters in camp/firing four kilns at once. let him look into
the kiln and see it at 2400F. he gets a new view of fire. and his respect
for what we do increases about 2000 times. `holy @^$^, is that thing hot...
man, i never have seen anything like that...wowowow. gotta tell my wife`.
see, he is excited. so are we.>>>
I had this experience also. When I fired my kiln for the first time I invited everyone to come and see it in mid-fire. My propane guy had been very helpful in the initial set-up of the kiln, drilling out the blank on the new burner, installing the safety shut-off and answering gas questions. He told me about the several potters he has on his route. I invited him to come and see the kiln during the firing. He came when the kiln was only mid-way. Not that hot. I invited him to look in the peep hole and he nearly lit his eye lashes and singed his corneas! He thought he could put his eyeball right on the hole! He had never seen a kiln fire before and also got very excited. It was neat. He suddenly had lots of questions for ME. Hopefully he'll get back sometime when it's really roaring at ^10.
Pam
---------------------------------
Get your own web address.
Have a HUGE year through Yahoo! Small Business.
| |
|
