Cass Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 i'm just about to build one of these: as per the directions in the book Alternative Kilns and Firing Techniques (lark...james c watkins & paul wandless) got all the pieces and parts, but before i cut into anything i wanted to see if anyone here had done one? if you had any suggested modifications or tips for the construction? thinking of documenting the build and first fires for a Youtube lesson for others, so any input on anything related to the build or firing of these would be greatly appreciated! thanks! cass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayjay Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 i'm just about to build one of these: as per the directions in the book Alternative Kilns and Firing Techniques (lark...james c watkins & paul wandless) i wanted to see if anyone here had done one? if you had any suggested modifications or tips for the construction? cass It's on my "to do" list for the very near future, so I can't help with your query but I hope you'll keep us updated. I have the same book and I have barrels located at a sensible price (£10). The chimney is proving to be possibly prohibitively expensive, (although I may have it worked out), but any suggestions which will translate to this side of the pond will be welcome. I called in to my local woodburner shop yesterday and explained that I was on the scrounge for some flue pipe and would happily buy any bent/damaged/scratched or otherwise unusable pipe that they had, silly foreign woman (French I think) took me out to the shed at the back and showed me the nice stainless steel pipes available @ £70 per metre, maybe the French don't understand scrounge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cass Posted September 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 i scrounged everything, have not spent 1 penny (except for a metal cutting blade for my circular saw, $8)....ask oil change places or waste disposal for the drum, the guy i got it from was happy for me to take it the hell outa there....grating i found at my kid's school behind the metal shop...chimney pipe i got lucky, it was in a friend's barn, but the price you mentioned seems outrageous, i would check a big building center if you have one, for some galvanized, single-walled 5" tube yes! i will repost to this thread as it goes along i notice in the pic above that they added an extra intake hole on the outside opposite the flue, may put that in and plug if/when not needed...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJR Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 Look in scrapyards. All kinds of people are picking up metal from back lanes which they sell to the scrap dealer for pennies. Then you go there and buy it for pennies. I cut out the middle man and just walk along various back lanes in my neighbourhood with my dog. Just found four pieces of sod for my backyard. I have found galvanized venting pipe for my electric kiln for free. This looks like a project for a scrounger. TJR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aperhapshand Posted September 16, 2012 Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 My husband and I built one recently - we only did one firing so far but it turned out pretty well. We used that same book and I scoured the internet for resources. There wasn't too much but then again it wasn't too hard. We made it with whatever we could find for free / cheap - We used a few aluminum foil saggars which turned out pretty nice. I didn't get a ton of color (mostly blacks and grey a little orangish) but it began to rain near the end so I think that caused the temp to drop. I plan on posting more about this form of firing when I have some time I will let you know how my next firing goes. http://aperhapshand.shannonroman.com/?page_id=144 We used animal bedding and I suggest throwing a few briquets in for nice hot spots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cass Posted September 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 great aperhapshand!...was it the contact with the animal bedding that gave the black? could you tell what had done what? got a batch of terra sig #2 from the book settling, and some copper carb to sprinkle i like high contrast mostly, so i will be looking for some black blacks and minimal effects on other parts really wondering how this will be for bigger pieces, like ones i can barely squeeze in there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAY Posted September 16, 2012 Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 I made one out of an electric kiln that "died". Here in the states stovepipe is cheap and available at Lowes/HomeDepot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aperhapshand Posted September 16, 2012 Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 great aperhapshand!...was it the contact with the animal bedding that gave the black? could you tell what had done what? got a batch of terra sig #2 from the book settling, and some copper carb to sprinkle i like high contrast mostly, so i will be looking for some black blacks and minimal effects on other parts really wondering how this will be for bigger pieces, like ones i can barely squeeze in there! I don't think the animal bedding gave the blacks per say. The animal bedding is really all over everything. I have done a few raw firings in my outdoor fireplace (behind the barrel kiln – it is cast iron and get pretty hot when it gets going.) I have never had an issue getting blacks – and it has never been an all-over black – totally smoked in some areas while white in others. I was hoping to get more color – I am planning on trying the miracle grow in the next go round. I do think having the pieces nestled really close to each other helped vary the patterns from the smoke. - the pieces that were a bit looser “on their own†were mostly black/grey with little white This is how we loaded it. a layer of the animal bedding over the grate – a layer of pieces – the newspaper “wicks†crisscrossed – sprinkled iron oxides and epsom salts – (think the salts helped with some speckling of whites) - more bedding more pieces – oxides / salts – bedding – thin(ish) fire wood and scrap wood that was soaked in lighter fluid – (very carefully) pushed vertically down to nestle into the work/bedding and a pile on top that was lit. We let it burn for about 45 min before putting the lid on – in the future I think I would let it burn without the lid on for a little bit longer - the lid was off of the top held up by some rocks –don't do this by yourself – it was a little cumbersome with 2 people but it would have been straight up dangerous on my own. I hadn't really planned for this firing so nothing had terra sig on it. the lidded vessel was burnished in some areas. the jar was in a tin foil saggar with chemically dyed human hair Oh and I had several different clay bodies – there was stoneware, low fire - white, terra cotta and a raku body I like the result of the low fire white the best – that gave me the biggest contrast and the most pattern. The groggy raku body I used was really grey and blah the terra cotta was nice but wasn't as stunning as the white I didn't loose any work – no cracking or breaking Please let me know how you do yours and the results you get! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aperhapshand Posted September 16, 2012 Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 great aperhapshand!...was it the contact with the animal bedding that gave the black? could you tell what had done what? got a batch of terra sig #2 from the book settling, and some copper carb to sprinkle i like high contrast mostly, so i will be looking for some black blacks and minimal effects on other parts really wondering how this will be for bigger pieces, like ones i can barely squeeze in there! I don't think the animal bedding gave the blacks per say. The animal bedding is really all over everything. I have done a few raw firings in my outdoor fireplace (behind the barrel kiln – it is cast iron and get pretty hot when it gets going.) I have never had an issue getting blacks – and it has never been an all-over black – totally smoked in some areas while white in others. I was hoping to get more color – I am planning on trying the miracle grow in the next go round. I do think having the pieces nestled really close to each other helped vary the patterns from the smoke. - the pieces that were a bit looser “on their own†were mostly black/grey with little white This is how we loaded it. a layer of the animal bedding over the grate – a layer of pieces – the newspaper “wicks†crisscrossed – sprinkled iron oxides and epsom salts – (think the salts helped with some speckling of whites) - more bedding more pieces – oxides / salts – bedding – thin(ish) fire wood and scrap wood that was soaked in lighter fluid – (very carefully) pushed vertically down to nestle into the work/bedding and a pile on top that was lit. We let it burn for about 45 min before putting the lid on – in the future I think I would let it burn without the lid on for a little bit longer - the lid was off of the top held up by some rocks –don't do this by yourself – it was a little cumbersome with 2 people but it would have been straight up dangerous on my own. I hadn't really planned for this firing so nothing had terra sig on it. the lidded vessel was burnished in some areas. the jar was in a tin foil saggar with chemically dyed human hair Oh and I had several different clay bodies – there was stoneware, low fire - white, terra cotta and a raku body I like the result of the low fire white the best – that gave me the biggest contrast and the most pattern. The groggy raku body I used was really grey and blah the terra cotta was nice but wasn't as stunning as the white I didn't loose any work – no cracking or breaking Please let me know how you do yours and the results you get! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayjay Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 Look in scrapyards. All kinds of people are picking up metal from back lanes which they sell to the scrap dealer for pennies. Then you go there and buy it for pennies. They're all called reclamation yards around my area now, they no longer sell scrap they sell *shabby chic* or *retro* for arm and leg prices, pennies just won't do it any more unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cass Posted September 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 nice post aperhapshand...thanks for the insight been busy forming this week, as soon as my drying shelves are full i'm going to start the build...! woop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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