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kiln doors

updated mon 9 dec 02

 

Pat Sherwood on fri 17 jan 97

Margaret Arial wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Donald, Thank you. How did you allow for the chimney?Heard of any car kilns
> where the cart and tracks are adequately protected?It has been my
> understanding that a lot of the published plans were defective in this
> respect.Also has anyone actually continually used a good 1 piece rollawaw or
> swing out door design that is low teck enough for a welder to do it for me I
> am building acar kiln when I can resolve that problem plus another downdraft
> blower burner sprung arch stoneware firing kiln but this time with a door
> that I do not have to unbrick each time. Margaret T. Arial former Chouinard
> (Cal Arts) grad who misses calif.
##############

The best doors I've ever seen (and used) were at Utah State University
at Logan, Utah. They were designed and built by the the ceramics
department people themselves, as I understand. When I build my wood
kiln, you can be sure I'll spend the extra time and money to put on
doors such as these. Some time this spring I'll be driving back over
there to take photos of the construction for my own use; I'd be glad to
share the info I get if it won't be too late for your use. Let me know.

Pat Sherwood
patsher@trib.com

don hunt on sat 7 dec 02


Jennifer,

I think when you build a fiber kiln, you design it figuring how you're
going to patch it. I think the fiber modules are excellent and would
make a solid door. You would want the shell to be metal though, so you
could attach the modules with a heavy self tapping sheet metal screw.
The modules I used came with some attachment designed for a high tech
weld on operation. When you remove that stuff, there's a perfect screw
mount left. My local dealer got all that stuff for me and gave me a lot
of great design advice too. Call Richard at Freeform Clay 619 477-1004
You might try putting the gasket behind the existing fiber, to simply
push out the current hotface.

Don Hunt

Marcia Selsor on sun 8 dec 02


Jennifer,
I built fiber doors with thick fiber, home made clay buttons and
nichrome wire. The buttons hel the wire to an expanded metal/angle iron
frame with 1 inch insblok insulation between the fiber and the metal.
The nichrome wire went through the whole thickness to the expanded
metal. I used this sustem on several kilns running the fiber vertically
and overlapping to allow for shrinkage. Spray with ITC inside and
rigidizer on the outside.
Marcia in Montana