dianamp@COMCAST.NET on wed 3 nov 10
Hi Clayart:
We are going to fire our first load in the new soda kiln.
It is our first soda kiln.
It is a soft brick kiln coated with ITC.
I know that might be iffy, but we decided to try.
My question is: Does everyone who fire soda use sprayers
to deliver the Soda Ash/Backing Soda liquid combo??
I would rather not spray, considering that the entry port bricks might get =
soaked
with the solution and deteriorate rapidly. I always fired salt with
"tortillas" and thought we might do the same with soda.
Does anyone who fires soda, fire with just paper wrapped tortillas.
Or must one absolutely use the sprayer?
I suppose we could line the soda entry ports
with tiles or something ceramic to try to
keep the bricks from getting over wetted.
What do you think?
Thanks for any help you can offer.
(We may fire it Sunday).
Thanks again.
Diana Pancioli
E.M.U.
jonathan byler on wed 3 nov 10
from what I can tell spraying is best. you just have to be careful
about where and how you spray. the "taco" method leaves much to be
desired, since the material is introduced as a lump that will puddle
on the floor of the kiln. not good.
we made our prayer from a cheap garden sprayer. I removed the wand
and fitted a piece of copper pipe. the "tip" (if you can call it
that) that I made by flattening the pipe was less than idea, but I am
about to fix it and make it more evenly crimped. it did work last
time, but will work better when refined. you need to stick the thing
in and start spraying immediately. otherwise your wand will get too
hot and do bad things, like crust up with crystaline soda and clog, or
worst case, it will melt. the flow through the wand keeps it the wand
cool. remove quickly after spraying. hopefully your good judgement
will tell you when to stop for a minute (clouds of steam and soda will
be coming out of every hole).
good luck!
p.s. we did about 1-1/2 lbs. to a gallon of hot water IIRC. and put
in that about twice. it wasn't enough, but it was also our first
firing. once again we have forgotten our draw rings and are in the
process of firing, but are going to put in about 4 lbs. of soda into
our roughly 49 cu ft. kiln. (hardbrick). and of course say a little
prayer, hope for the best, and remember to do draw rings next time.
On Nov 3, 2010, at 1:25 PM, dianamp@comcast.net wrote:
> Hi Clayart:
>
> We are going to fire our first load in the new soda kiln.
> It is our first soda kiln.
> It is a soft brick kiln coated with ITC.
> I know that might be iffy, but we decided to try.
>
> My question is: Does everyone who fire soda use sprayers
> to deliver the Soda Ash/Backing Soda liquid combo??
>
> I would rather not spray, considering that the entry port bricks
> might get soaked
> with the solution and deteriorate rapidly. I always fired salt with
> "tortillas" and thought we might do the same with soda.
> Does anyone who fires soda, fire with just paper wrapped tortillas.
> Or must one absolutely use the sprayer?
>
> I suppose we could line the soda entry ports
> with tiles or something ceramic to try to
> keep the bricks from getting over wetted.
>
> What do you think?
> Thanks for any help you can offer.
> (We may fire it Sunday).
>
> Thanks again.
>
> Diana Pancioli
> E.M.U.
Dannon Rhudy on wed 3 nov 10
Diana said: =3D20
..........We are going to fire our first load in the new soda kiln.
It is our first soda kiln.
It is a soft brick kiln coated with ITC.
I know that might be iffy, but we decided to try.
My question is: Does everyone who fire soda use sprayers
to deliver the Soda Ash/Backing Soda liquid combo??.........
Diana, I think that you would do best
to line your spray ports with hard brick
and ITC, and go ahead and spray. If you
do not, the likelihood is that where you
drop the packets of soda, your kiln is
going to melt in short order. I don't
think that your soft brick will last a
long time with soda firings, even with ITC.
But it will last a while, and you should
get some good firings from it.
My experience is that ITC is good stuff,
and will protect the brick for a while, but
there's always a place for the salt or soda
to reach the brick, and deterioration begins.
Use a sprayer. That's my advice, and I'm
sticking to it.......
Incidentally, you need a lot less soda when
it is in solution; little is wasted. And
that also is to the good of the kiln.
regards
Dannon Rhudy
I would rather not spray, considering that the entry port bricks might =3D
get soaked
with the solution and deteriorate rapidly. I always fired salt with
"tortillas" and thought we might do the same with soda.
Does anyone who fires soda, fire with just paper wrapped tortillas.
Or must one absolutely use the sprayer?
I suppose we could line the soda entry ports
with tiles or something ceramic to try to
keep the bricks from getting over wetted.
What do you think?
Thanks for any help you can offer.
(We may fire it Sunday).
Thanks again.
Diana Pancioli
E.M.U.
Dan Hill on wed 3 nov 10
Hi Diana
I agree with the others that spraying is your best bet, especially in the
IFB kiln. Lining the soda ports with kiln shelf would probably be a good
idea. I have fired my IFB soda kiln 15 times since last summer and am
starting to see some deterioration in the ports. That said I don't see that
it will be that difficult to repair when necessary.
I use 900 gm. of soda bicarb. 500 gm. soda ash and 100gm. of borax mixed
into 8 ltr. of hot water. This is sprayed from a garden sprayer with a meta=
l
wand in 2 sessions in 10 to 20 second bursts. My kiln is about 45 cu. ft. o=
f
interior space.
Like Jonathon said just be carefull not to insert the wand into the kiln t=
o
far or for to long without spraying. It is the flow of liquid that keeps th=
e
tip from overheating.
Diana, I know you did all that development of ^6 reduction glazes, are you
firing the soda kiln to ^6 or ^10. I fire to ^6 and I am sure that the wear
and tear on the kiln refractories is much less at that temp.
Dan Hill
Hill Pottery
www.wilnogardengallery.com
Soda fired Porc. and Stoneware
^6 Soda Firing Workshops
Wilno, Ont. Canada
----- Original Message -----
> My question is: Does everyone who fire soda use sprayers
> to deliver the Soda Ash/Backing Soda liquid combo??
>
> I would rather not spray, considering that the entry port bricks might ge=
t
> soaked
> with the solution and deteriorate rapidly.
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