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manabigama ii wood kiln question

updated sun 31 oct 10

 

Bruce Bowers on sun 24 oct 10


Hi All,

Has anyone out there had success in firing a Manabigama II wood kiln to
C/10 front and about C/8 rear?
My clays flash best in this range and I have tried everything I can think
of, except blocking off the upper flue, to get the back up to temp.

It seems as if the only way to even out the kiln is to go to C/12+ in the
front.....white hot firebox, in order to get about C/10/11 in the rear.

One would think that the whole relationship of heat convection and radiance
would translate into a similar effect in a little cooler range. Is is
possible that a certain temp. simply needs to be reached in order to get he=
at
back there? At 10 down in the front, I am getting about cone 1 in the
back.

I have adjusted my clays to suit the "zones" of the kiln, but would like to
be able to use one body throughout.

I am sending this on the off chance that someone may have some insight.

Thanks,

Bruce Bowers
_www.bowerswoodfireandpics.com_ (http://www.bowerswoodfireandpics.com)

Lee Love on mon 25 oct 10


Bruce, my kiln in Mashiko was cone 13 at the flame entry and cone 9
at the bottom of the door. I made use of this range, putting
unglazed ko-shigaraki at the fireface, shinos in the middle,
traditional Mashiko glazes at the bottom of the door and low temp
bizen clay in the flue channel. It gave me a variety of looks out
of one kiln. I often fired the unglazed ware more than once.
cone 13 was not onerous. I usually fired about 20 hours.

My friend Euan fired the same kiln design, but with a
single look (unglazed Aussie porcelain outside with inside glazing.)
He adjusted the liner glazes to work at a wide range.

--
=3DA0Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/

=3D93Observe the wonders as they occur around you. Don't claim them. Feel
the artistry moving through and be silent.=3D94 --Rumi

gary navarre on tue 26 oct 10


Hay Bruce,=3D0A=3D0A How long is your loading area? I'm also having a simil=
ar b=3D
ut vary wide gap in temperature, ^13-^4, front to tail but this model of my=
=3D
design is about twice as long (9') as my '86-'90 version. In that kiln I w=
=3D
as eventually able to even things out to get a good tail melt with secondar=
=3D
y stoking ...=3D0A=3D0Ahttp://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/ca/kpap/hobagama_198=
6-90=3D
/ss.html=3D0A=3D0A Someone told me to cover this new kiln with 8"-10" of st=
raw,=3D
clay, and dirt. If I add insulation I'm more inclined to use another blank=
=3D
et and new IFB. However I don't think this is so much lack of insulation as=
=3D
it is firing technique in getting that white hot ball from up front to tai=
=3D
l with proper timing in starting the side stoking. I'm thinking I might hav=
=3D
e missed that spot in both test firings and started too soon or too late af=
=3D
ter a re-lighting. I'm hoping my third firing will be smoother and I'll tim=
=3D
e my naps so I can catch and hold that hot ball long enough to roll it from=
=3D
the throat arch 9" to the exit flue.=3D0A=3D0A I've also made adjustments =
to t=3D
he Bourry box dimensions...=3D0A=3D0Ahttp://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/ca/kpa=
p/up=3D
hwfkl3/bourry-box-mousehol.html=3D0A=3D0A... expanded the mouse holes...=3D=
0A=3D0Ah=3D
ttp://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/ca/kpap/uphwfkl3/mousehole-change-jpg.html=
=3D
=3D0A=3D0A... and think I could use another foot or two of stack. I've also=
dis=3D
cussed changing the shelf arrangements up front ...=3D0A=3D0Ahttp://public.=
fotk=3D
i.com/GindaUP/ca/kpap/uphwfkl3/front-setting-1-jpg.html=3D0A=3D0A... so I c=
an f=3D
orce more heat into the crown and along the top of the chamber.=3D0A=3D0A T=
here=3D
were other ideas I've had too but this is enough for now so stay in there =
=3D
and don't let them fool ye eh.=3D0A=3D0AGary Navarre=3D0ANavarre Pottery=3D=
0ANavarr=3D
e Enterprises=3D0ANorway, Michigan, USA=3D0Ahttp://www.youtube.com/GindaUP=
=3D0Aht=3D
tp://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A--- On Sun, 10/24/10, Bruce Bo=
wers <=3D
Sailoor47@AOL.COM> wrote:=3D0A=3D0A> From: Bruce Bowers =
=3D0A>=3D
Subject: [Clayart] Manabigama II Wood Kiln Question=3D0A> To: Clayart@LSV.=
CE=3D
RAMICS.ORG=3D0A> Date: Sunday, October 24, 2010, 4:20 PM=3D0A> Hi All,=3D0A=
> =3D0A>=3D
Has anyone out there had success in firing a Manabigama II=3D0A> wood kiln=
=3D
=3DA0 to=3D0A> C/10 front and about C/8 rear?=3D0A> My clays flash best in =
this r=3D
ange and I have tried=3D0A> everything I can think=3D0A> of, except blockin=
g of=3D
f the upper flue, to get the back up=3D0A> to temp.=3D0A> =3D0A> It seems a=
s if t=3D
he only way to even out the kiln is to go=3D0A> to C/12+ in the=3D0A> front=
....=3D
.white hot firebox, in order to get about C/10/11=3D0A> in the rear.=3D0A> =
=3D0A>=3D
One would think that the whole relationship of heat=3D0A> convection and r=
ad=3D
iance=3D0A> would translate into a similar effect in a little cooler=3D0A>=
ran=3D
ge.=3DA0 Is is=3D0A> possible that a certain temp. simply needs to be reach=
ed i=3D
n=3D0A> order to get heat=3D0A> back there?=3DA0 At 10 down in the front, I=
am ge=3D
tting=3D0A> about cone 1 in the=3D0A> back.=3D0A> =3D0A> I have adjusted my=
clays t=3D
o suit the "zones" of the kiln,=3D0A> but would like to=3D0A> be able to u=
se o=3D
ne body throughout.=3D0A> =3D0A> I am sending this on the off chance that s=
omeo=3D
ne may have=3D0A> some=3DA0 insight.=3D0A> =3D0A> Thanks,=3D0A> =3D0A> Bruc=
e Bowers=3D0A>=3D
_www.bowerswoodfireandpics.com_ (http://www.bowerswoodfireandpics.com)=3D0=
A>=3D
=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A

gary navarre on fri 29 oct 10


Ya DRB,=3D0A=3D0A There are some rough drawings ...=3D0A=3D0Ahttp://public.=
fotki.co=3D
m/GindaUP/ca/kpap/nvhga/pp.html=3D0A=3D0A... and numerous brick by brick co=
nstr=3D
uction photos ...=3D0A =3D0Ahttp://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/ca/kpap/=3D0A=
=3D0A I'v=3D
e not made any blueprints yet due to the ongoing adjustments to a couple el=
=3D
ements noted in ...=3D0A=3D0Ahttp://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/ca/kpap/uphwfk=
l3/=3D
=3D0A=3D0A I expect the next firing should turn out better. =3D0A=3D0AGary =
Navarre=3D
=3D0ANavarre Pottery=3D0ANavarre Enterprises=3D0ANorway, Michigan, USA=3D0A=
http://w=3D
ww.youtube.com/GindaUP=3D0Ahttp://public.fotki.com/GindaUP/=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A-=
-- On Fr=3D
i, 10/29/10, douglas fur <23drb50@GMAIL.COM> wrote:=3D0A=3D0A> From: dougla=
s fu=3D
r <23drb50@GMAIL.COM>=3D0A> Subject: Re: [Clayart] Manabigama II Wood Kiln =
Qu=3D
estion=3D0A> To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG=3D0A> Date: Friday, October 29, 2=
010,=3D
1:14 PM=3D0A> gary navarre navarreenterprises@yahoo.com=3D0A> Can you put =
up s=3D
ome pictures of drawings or something that=3D0A> would give us an=3D0A> ove=
r vi=3D
ew of your kiln.=3DA0 I'd like to put in my two=3D0A> bits worth (adjusted =
for=3D
=3D0A> inflation{of ego?} =3D3D not much)=3D0A> =3D0A> DRB=3D0A> Seola Cree=
k=3D0A> =3D0A=3D
=3D0A=3D0A

douglas fur on fri 29 oct 10


gary navarre navarreenterprises@yahoo.com
Can you put up some pictures of drawings or something that would give us an
over view of your kiln. I'd like to put in my two bits worth (adjusted for
inflation{of ego?} =3D not much)

DRB
Seola Creek