search  current discussion  categories  kilns & firing - misc 

car kilnn???

updated wed 27 sep 06

 

Mud Duck Pottery on mon 25 sep 06


The pad is poured, the cart is built and now it's time to start laying =
the bricks on my MFT kiln.

What I need to know before I start to lay bricks is how much space do =
you allow between the bricks on the cart and the bricks on the wall of =
the kiln?? I assume there will be some expansion of the brick as the =
kiln is heated and I would think you would need to leave some space to =
compensate for this. I have Nils Lou's book and plans but I didn't see =
anything in either that addressed this.=20

Also how important to the operation of this kiln is the K-wool liner in =
the stack pipe??? Or will it work just as well without it??? Does the =
stack pipe need a rain cap on top???

Thanks!!!!
Gene=20
mudduck@mudduckpottery.net
www.mudduckpottery.net

gsomdahl on mon 25 sep 06


If the bricks on the cart and the bricks in the wall are of the same
material they will expand at the same rate and the gap between them will
just get larger as they heat up.

Mud Duck Pottery wrote:

>What I need to know before I start to lay bricks is how much space do you allow between the bricks on the cart and the bricks on the wall of the kiln?? I assume there will be some expansion of the brick as the kiln is heated and I would think you would need to leave some space to compensate for this. I have Nils Lou's book and plans but I didn't see anything in either that addressed this.
>
>

--
This is a post only account. Send replies to "gene" at my ".com" domain named "somdahl".

Frank Colson on mon 25 sep 06


Mud- Normally, 1/2" gap between flanged car bed which overhangs the side
wall slot is sufficient for expansion and contraction without losing heat.
With that in place, not to worry for all future firings.

Frank Colson
www.R2D2u.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "gsomdahl"
To:
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2006 4:57 PM
Subject: Re: car kilnn???


> If the bricks on the cart and the bricks in the wall are of the same
> material they will expand at the same rate and the gap between them will
> just get larger as they heat up.
>
> Mud Duck Pottery wrote:
>
>>What I need to know before I start to lay bricks is how much space do you
>>allow between the bricks on the cart and the bricks on the wall of the
>>kiln?? I assume there will be some expansion of the brick as the kiln is
>>heated and I would think you would need to leave some space to compensate
>>for this. I have Nils Lou's book and plans but I didn't see anything in
>>either that addressed this.
>>
>>
>
> --
> This is a post only account. Send replies to "gene" at my ".com" domain
> named "somdahl".
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> 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.
>

Vince Pitelka on tue 26 sep 06


Mud Duck Pottery wrote:
What I need to know before I start to lay bricks is how much space do you
allow between the bricks on the cart and the bricks on the wall of the
kiln?? I assume there will be some expansion of the brick as the kiln is
heated and I would think you would need to leave some space to compensate
for this.

Mud -
You don't need any clearance at all. Be sure to design the contact surface
inside the kiln with about a half-inch taper in width (the space for the
car) from front to back, and then when you are ready to lay the car brick,
roll the car frame into the kiln, and lay the brick right up against the
mating surface on the kiln, with only a few thicknesses of newspaper
between. The very first time you pull the car out it will come out hard
initially, but the minute it moves even an inch, there is clearance, because
of the taper. I hope this is clear. Once the car bricks are laid, the outer
edge of the car and the mating surface inside the kiln will have exactly the
same taper from front to back, giving a perfect fit. There is no better
system that I know of for a car kiln.

The first time you fire the kiln the bricks will expand in heating and then
contract in cooling, and that will increase the clearance very slightly,
making it easy to remove the car in every subsequent firing, but the seal
will still be very tight when the car is closed. I've done a number of car
kilns like this, and have recommended this system for many other designs,
and they have all worked out very well.
Good luck -
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/