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new question, firebox grate

updated fri 3 may 02

 

john horner on wed 1 may 02


I have a question for any metal, iron, and steel gurus
that may be out there in Clayart land. My friend David
has a firebox grate made from metal rods in his pseudo
fast-fire wood burning kiln. Being in a high traffic
tourist area, when the firing is over, he pulls out
the grate, and hoses it down. He is worried that a
child or curious adult will get burned on the hot
grate. The question, is he damaging the grate by
spraying water on the sometimes glowing red grate? Any
comments or suggestions are welcome. Thank you. John
Horner, newbie clayarter as well as new to ceramics.

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Karen on thu 2 may 02


John,

If this is the David I think it is (which by the look of the cc: it is :) I
know he has blacksmith friends who could easily answer that..... having
watched some of these same friends & other metallurgists work & have indeed
seen them cool work in tubs of water..... I imagine it might depend upon
the particular metal & such..... just my 'edge-E-kated' guess.... :)

Karen
(from near Raleigh, NC .....who says "Hey!", to David & wife Deborah!
...... part of my 'family' in pottery..... GBU!)

*****************************************************************
From: john horner
Subject: new question, firebox grate
Comments: cc: dgarner@asheboro.com

I have a question for any metal, iron, and steel gurus
that may be out there in Clayart land. My friend David
has a firebox grate made from metal rods in his pseudo
fast-fire wood burning kiln. Being in a high traffic
tourist area, when the firing is over, he pulls out
the grate, and hoses it down. He is worried that a
child or curious adult will get burned on the hot
grate. The question, is he damaging the grate by
spraying water on the sometimes glowing red grate? Any
comments or suggestions are welcome. Thank you. John
Horner, newbie clayarter as well as new to ceramics.

David Hendley on thu 2 may 02


There is no reason to pull out the grates at all. Just
slide a steel cover over the firebox openings and let
the grates cool slowly with the kiln. I think this slow
cooling makes them last longer.
Plus, if you pull out the grates you will unavoidably
drag some hot coals out with the grates, which
could be blown into a pile of wood or leaves and start
a fire hours later. (Been there, done that, got the T-shirt).

David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas
hendley@tyler.net
http://www.farmpots.com





----- Original Message -----
From: "john horner"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, May 01, 2002 8:45 PM
Subject: new question, firebox grate


> I have a question for any metal, iron, and steel gurus
> that may be out there in Clayart land. My friend David
> has a firebox grate made from metal rods in his pseudo
> fast-fire wood burning kiln. Being in a high traffic
> tourist area, when the firing is over, he pulls out
> the grate, and hoses it down. He is worried that a
> child or curious adult will get burned on the hot
> grate. The question, is he damaging the grate by
> spraying water on the sometimes glowing red grate? Any
> comments or suggestions are welcome. Thank you. John
> Horner, newbie clayarter as well as new to ceramics.