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outdoor kilns and cold weather?

updated thu 16 jan 03

 

Bill Karaffa on sun 12 jan 03


Hi Doug,
I regularly fire my outdoor kiln in northern Wisconsin during the winter.
The difference between
-10 degrees and cone 10 or say 85 degrees and cone 10 is really only
minutes. The real bite comes because I don't like to load a kiln load of
glazed pots with gloves on..........boy do the hands get cold.

Bill Karaffa
Firemouth Pottery and Gallery
http://fp1.centurytel.net/karaffa

I have a question on whether a say 10 cu.ft. kiln can be used outdoors in
Minnesota winter weather- 10 degrees F or even cooler.

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Doug Johnson on sun 12 jan 03


Hello,

I have a question on whether a say 10 cu.ft. kiln can be used outdoors in
Minnesota winter weather- 10 degrees F or even cooler. I would like to
build an outdoor kiln to avoid the higher cost of purchasing and
installation.
Thanks,
Doug J.

Earl Brunner on mon 13 jan 03


I used to light the pilots up on my gas kiln outside in my open shed
when the snow was a foot deep and i was loading. I just never wanted to
move away from the door of the kiln........

Bill Karaffa wrote:
> Hi Doug,
> I regularly fire my outdoor kiln in northern Wisconsin during the winter.
> The difference between
> -10 degrees and cone 10 or say 85 degrees and cone 10 is really only
> minutes. The real bite comes because I don't like to load a kiln load of
> glazed pots with gloves on..........boy do the hands get cold.
>
> Bill Karaffa
> Firemouth Pottery and Gallery
> http://fp1.centurytel.net/karaffa
>
> I have a question on whether a say 10 cu.ft. kiln can be used outdoors in
> Minnesota winter weather- 10 degrees F or even cooler.
>
> ____________________________________________________________________________
> __
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>

G.M. Schauer on tue 14 jan 03


We loaded and did the maiden firing of an anagama in Rochester MN about a
month ago, of which Marta has written to the list. A gas burner was turned
on inside the kiln for several hours prior to loading, so it was not
freezing inside. The worst part was preparing the wads and putting them on
the pots outside. The exposed wadding material started to freeze. We
started having one person roll up little balls of wadding in the heated
building and bring them out in batches. My job was to press these onto the
pots of the size and shape request. Of course the pots being outside, were
the below freeaing temperature of the air. My exposed wet fingers were soon
numb, then painful. Any pots wadded a few minutes before needed, if placed
on freezing concrete would stick there and the wadding would tend to crack
off the pot when it was lifted. Wadded pots on wood boards would usually
come off and could then be loaded in the kiln on little frozen balls of
wadding. So, if loading a wood kiln in a freezing outdoor location, plan
ahead for this task. Good luck.
Galen Schauer
Minnesota with scant snow but abundant cold just now

Michael Wendt on tue 14 jan 03


My kilns are outside.
They seem to like the cold... perhaps the air is denser? Updrafts.
We installed radiant heat in the loading area. Radiant heaters don't try
to heat the air but are more like warm sun shining on you. To add to the
speed and ease of loading, we also have six work carts with the shape of
the kiln shelves and posts traced onto them in sharpie marker. Before we
begin the loading, the stacking pattern is configured in the warm studio and
the carts are rolled one by one into the kiln room where they take only a
few minutes to transfer into the kiln.
Stay warm out there!
Michael Wendt wendtpot@lewiston.com
http://users.lewiston.com/wendtpot/mine.htm
Wendt Pottery
2729 Clearwater Avenue
Lewiston, Idaho 83501
1-208-746-3724
wendtpottery.com

Tony Ferguson on wed 15 jan 03


Hi,

Tell Phil Fergy said he needs to buy some wax resist for Y'all. Dip your
wads in the wax resist and they will not pluck any bottoms of your green
pots or your bisque. They will not come off nor do they slide around on
boards. You will not have the problems you described if you do this.

Thank you.

Tony Ferguson
On Lake Superior, where the sky meets the Lake

Stoneware, Porcelain, Raku
www.aquariusartgallery.com
218-727-6339
315 N. Lake Ave
Apt 312
Duluth, MN 55806


----- Original Message -----
From: "G.M. Schauer"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2003 2:38 PM
Subject: Re: Outdoor kilns and cold weather?


> We loaded and did the maiden firing of an anagama in Rochester MN about a
> month ago, of which Marta has written to the list. A gas burner was
turned
> on inside the kiln for several hours prior to loading, so it was not
> freezing inside. The worst part was preparing the wads and putting them
on
> the pots outside. The exposed wadding material started to freeze. We
> started having one person roll up little balls of wadding in the heated
> building and bring them out in batches. My job was to press these onto
the
> pots of the size and shape request. Of course the pots being outside,
were
> the below freeaing temperature of the air. My exposed wet fingers were
soon
> numb, then painful. Any pots wadded a few minutes before needed, if
placed
> on freezing concrete would stick there and the wadding would tend to crack
> off the pot when it was lifted. Wadded pots on wood boards would usually
> come off and could then be loaded in the kiln on little frozen balls of
> wadding. So, if loading a wood kiln in a freezing outdoor location, plan
> ahead for this task. Good luck.
> Galen Schauer
> Minnesota with scant snow but abundant cold just now
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>