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wood firing/salt.

updated mon 27 sep 04

 

mel jacobson on thu 23 sep 04


those are all noble ideas tony.
i agree on all of them.

but, and here is the BUT.

what happens when you have people that fire
kilns that know almost nothing.
?
what happens when it is midnight, you have
goofs at the helm, beer flowing.
nine foot flame from the kiln stack.
??
i know.
i have been there.
karen has been there.
merrie has been there.
you cannot be with a kiln like that for the entire firing.
a public kiln.
that is when wally decides he knows a lot more than you.
`hey, let's stoke this god damn thing...get some heat goin.`
a group kiln.
they are trouble waiting to happen,.
not if.
but, it will happen.
time and again. under perfect conditions these are
great kilns. if you have a strong captain, in charge....with
a big stick...it gets done. you just gave the lecture.
none of those folks around right now. it is group dynamic.
a disaster waiting to happen. berkenstocker shoes, `save the whales` stickers
on their brand new vw bug, diamond rings the size of your wally.
yes, that big.

and, these folks next door do not just drop in.
they are not mixers. you are not even close with
those folks.
they do not deem to talk to workers or common folks.
this is wayzata/long lake. elite.

but, i have left the art center.
too much political bs.
it is up to them.
i have washed my hands...in ammonia.
mel
From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
new/ http://www.rid-a-tick.com

Jon Brinley on fri 24 sep 04


Mel

We as potters/craftsmen need to understand every avenue of our trade.=20
Avenues that have been trod many times before, by those craftsmen
whom have a better understanding of what the craft really is. We/I need =
that=20
leader to guide me as I discover new techniques that are only new to me. =
=20

Though this is the opinion of a relative newbie whom thinks woodies =
rule!!

Jon in Midland =20
----- Original Message ----=20
From: mel jacobson=20
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG=20
Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2004 9:56 PM
Subject: wood firing/salt.


those are all noble ideas tony.
i agree on all of them.

but, and here is the BUT.

what happens when you have people that fire
kilns that know almost nothing.
?
what happens when it is midnight, you have
goofs at the helm, beer flowing.
nine foot flame from the kiln stack.
??
i know.
i have been there.
karen has been there.
merrie has been there.
you cannot be with a kiln like that for the entire firing.
a public kiln.
that is when wally decides he knows a lot more than you.
`hey, let's stoke this god damn thing...get some heat goin.`
a group kiln.
they are trouble waiting to happen,.
not if.
but, it will happen.
time and again. under perfect conditions these are
great kilns. if you have a strong captain, in charge....with
a big stick...it gets done. you just gave the lecture.
none of those folks around right now. it is group dynamic.
a disaster waiting to happen. berkenstocker shoes, `save the whales` =
stickers
on their brand new vw bug, diamond rings the size of your wally.
yes, that big.

and, these folks next door do not just drop in.
they are not mixers. you are not even close with
those folks.
they do not deem to talk to workers or common folks.
this is wayzata/long lake. elite.

but, i have left the art center.
too much political bs.
it is up to them.
i have washed my hands...in ammonia.
mel
From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
new/ http://www.rid-a-tick.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.

kterpstra on fri 24 sep 04


Mel,
That's excactly why Tony C. Judith Duff, Mark Terry (wood firer with
Nils Lou) and myself presented the panel, "Playing With Fire: Who's the
Boss?" We all gave examples of experiences with idiots around the kiln.
Tony and Judith shared horror stories about early firing experiences
which ultimately led them to build wood kilns they could manage
themselves. Mark and I shared growing pain stories about a community
kiln and institutional kiln. Plain and simple fact: if you skrew up
with someone else's kiln, you are NOT invited back. Period. If you own a
kiln and need help, know and educate them, be able to trust
them--especially the crew leader; if not, find someone else. This is
just as important as spending the time researching the design of the
kiln and your wood.

There are so many things that people do not think about when they build
a wood kiln and "people help" is one of them. If you can't manage
people around YOUR kiln, (took me a long time to learn, I have to admit)
build a "fast fredie" or small train and fire yourself.

Karen Terpstra
La Crosse, WI


-----Original Message-----
From: mel jacobson [mailto:melpots@PCLINK.COM]
Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2004 8:57 PM
Subject: wood firing/salt.

those are all noble ideas tony.
i agree on all of them.

but, and here is the BUT.

what happens when you have people that fire
kilns that know almost nothing.
?
what happens when it is midnight, you have
goofs at the helm, beer flowing.
nine foot flame from the kiln stack.
??
i know.
i have been there.
karen has been there.
merrie has been there.
you cannot be with a kiln like that for the entire firing.
a public kiln.
that is when wally decides he knows a lot more than you.
`hey, let's stoke this god damn thing...get some heat goin.`
a group kiln.
they are trouble waiting to happen,.
not if.
but, it will happen.
time and again. under perfect conditions these are
great kilns. if you have a strong captain, in charge....with
a big stick...it gets done. you just gave the lecture.
none of those folks around right now. it is group dynamic.
a disaster waiting to happen. berkenstocker shoes, `save the whales`
stickers
on their brand new vw bug, diamond rings the size of your wally.
yes, that big.

and, these folks next door do not just drop in.
they are not mixers. you are not even close with
those folks.
they do not deem to talk to workers or common folks.
this is wayzata/long lake. elite.

but, i have left the art center.
too much political bs.
it is up to them.
i have washed my hands...in ammonia.
mel
From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
new/ http://www.rid-a-tick.com

Lee Love on sat 25 sep 04


kterpstra wrote:

>There are so many things that people do not think about when they build
>a wood kiln and "people help" is one of them. If you can't manage
>people around YOUR kiln, (took me a long time to learn, I have to admit)
>build a "fast fredie" or small train and fire yourself.
>

The Euan Craig design is another alternative. One of the advantages
over the Olsen are the stoke holes both facing front and also the flame
is easily controllable. I bisque fire in it and have had not loss
from heat shock. It is my only kiln. Very few people around who
only fire a woodkiln.

--
in Mashiko, Japan http://mashiko.org
http://www.livejournal.com/users/togeika/ WEB LOG
http://public.fotki.com/togeika/ Photos!

kterpstra on sun 26 sep 04


Hi Lee,
That sounds like a good design. I saw a modified Fred Olson Fast Fire
in Australia two years ago with both stoke holes facing the
front...worked like a charm. If I were to build a wood kiln solely for
myself I would strongly consider that type.
Karen Terpstra
La Crosse, WI

Lee Love wrote:

The Euan Craig design is another alternative. One of the advantages
over the Olsen are the stoke holes both facing front and also the flame
is easily controllable. I bisque fire in it and have had not loss
from heat shock. It is my only kiln. Very few people around who
only fire a woodkiln.

--
in Mashiko, Japan http://mashiko.org
http://www.livejournal.com/users/togeika/ WEB LOG
http://public.fotki.com/togeika/ Photos!

kterpstra wrote:

>There are so many things that people do not think about when they build
>a wood kiln and "people help" is one of them. If you can't manage
>people around YOUR kiln, (took me a long time to learn, I have to
admit)
>build a "fast fredie" or small train and fire yourself.
>