jrgpots Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 Is there a book/article on the details of loading a kiln? I need to learn more about it. I'm just about finished with my gas kiln. The burners enter horizontally on the back wall and the exit flue is also on the back wall. The width of the chamber is 32 inches and the depth is 25 inches. The stacking area is 24 x 24 giving 4 inches on either side of the stack for the flames. Do I need to use a bag wall as part of the stack along side the flame channels? Jed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 experience is the best because kilns are different: altitude, size of pots, fuel, desired effects, weather conditions, type of kiln, natural or forced draft for gas kiln, etc. Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 Bag walls are usually used to avoid hot spots-they are not always needed. Bailey kilns do not use them In my kilns I build I use them. You can fire a few times and see if you need them.since your burners enter the same wall as the flue exits I think they would help to keep the flame /heat from going straight out the flue. I suggest using them in your setup. You want the flame going up into the load before exiting the flue. Loading kilns is a learning curve. Think about how the flame /heat wants to get out and slow that down with the stack(meaning the pottery load) No books come to mind only school of hard knocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrgpots Posted April 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 always looking for shortcuts........................I really don't like that "The book of Hard Knocks" is written in the first person singular voice. It hits too close to home. I will place bag walls as part of my furniture on the fire side of the stack. I think I can use hard brick splits to do so. I am getting ready to order more shelves. This week I will cure the kiln with a slow and low fire. Jed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 Every kiln I have built has used bag walls. Even if they aren't needed to maintain evenness top to bottom, they keep the direct flame off the pots at the bottom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perkolator Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 ^This. Even when there is "no bagwall" (example: Bailey downdraft) there is usually some sort of "target brick" in place to help direct flame Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrgpots Posted April 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 Yes, I will have a target brick in the middle of the flame trough to deflect the flame upward. I was going to make special furniture that would allow me to glaze fire the flutes vertically. If I do this and the kiln is packed full with vertical flutes 20 to 24 inches tall, how do I in the name of heaven direct the flame when there would be no shelves....Make bag walls all the way up except at the top and front of the kiln? Jed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted April 26, 2017 Report Share Posted April 26, 2017 You will only need bag walls on the two sides where your burners are on . Those are called flame troughs The target brick splits the flame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted April 27, 2017 Report Share Posted April 27, 2017 I have always used bag walls on all the kilns I have built. I have fired a bag wall-less Baileys downdraft and Olsens updraft. All fired evenly. Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted April 27, 2017 Report Share Posted April 27, 2017 My friends Geil downdraft and my updraft both have no bag walls and on both those kilns the burners face straight up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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