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whose flues + dr. seuss

updated sat 2 feb 08

 

Duff bogen on fri 1 feb 08


"whose flues" I coudn't resist

Whose Flues?
Sues Flues.
New Flues?
Nils Lou Flues?

So Neu?
How'dya Choose?
Any Clues?
Any News?

DRB

Bill Merrill wrote:
David,



My stoneware kiln is about 65 cubic feet. The flue opening is 5' X 9"
or 45 square inches. I still damper during firing down to an opening
about 1.2" .



Most potters have had it drummed into their head that a huge flue
opening is what it takes. Usually not. I have a couple of floor
systems that make most any stoneware kiln fire better, better reduction
control and better heat distribution. My stoneware kiln is over 5 feet
tall in the firing chamber and the heat is the same top and bottom.



If anyone wants pictures send me an email.



Bill Merrill billm@pcadmin.ctc.edu



-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of David
Hendley
Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 4:23 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: whose flues



Last year I reduced the size of the exit flue in my

fast fire-style wood kiln, and it has improved the

firing.

I am of the school that says 'make the flue larger than

you think it needs to be - it is simple to make it

smaller but almost impossible to make it larger.'



Before the adjustment, it was at 90 square inches.

I inserted a couple of bricks to reduce it to 60. I

also started using a 'trick brick', as Olsen calls it in

his book. At somewhere around 2100 degrees, I put

a steel rod through a hole in the side of the kiln and

move a brick over, to open the flue up a little more.

It adds an extra 12 square inches.

Adding that extra area makes it noticeably easier

to increase the temperature at a faster rate.

Something about wood fire flames increasing in

volume as they get hotter?

It has also helped in my quest for copper reds.



The kiln is about 40 cubic feet total, 24 cu. ft. of

stacking area.

While we're talking costs, a ^10 firing costs me

about $8, at 48 cents a mile, to drive the '79

Ford pick up to the pallet mill and back with a

load of wood.

The thrill of seeing flames roaring out of the fireboxes

at cone 10 - priceless.



David Hendley

Maydelle, Texas

david(at)farmpots(dot)com

http://www.farmpots.com



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______________________________________________________________________________
Clayart members may send postings to: clayart@lsv.ceramics.org

You may look at the archives for the list, post messages, change your
subscription settings or unsubscribe/leave the list here: http://www.acers.org/cic/clayart/

Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots2@visi.com



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