Seahorse studio Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 I would like to build a "pit" to fire in but I have a few issues with the site. It is on iron rock so I can't dig down. The water table is a little high so the ground can be wet. Can I build an above ground pit that will be usable? I have fire bricks, regular bricks, dirt and cement. I would like to be able to vent it from the bottom, there is always a nice breeze. I could design it to have tunnels through the bottom that I could regulate with a brick if needed. Does anyone have suggestions! Thanks so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bciskepottery Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 He is a link about firing in a Weber BBQ grill -- which could be applied to firing in other types of containers above ground: http://ceramicartsdaily.org/firing-techniques/grilling-season/ A full article is in Pottery Making Illustrated magazine’s July/August 2010 issue. Sumi von Dassow also has several books and a DVD about pit firing that could be helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 I have had students use bricks and also chimney flue tiles as pits for firing. Sometimes the flue tiles cracked but we wired back together with baling wire. I have used weber bbq but my favorite is a barrel with 1.5" holes drilled around and plugged or unplugged as the draft is needed. I have used pits in the ground with a ledge on the side walls to hold the grates. And piled the pieces with dried cow dung. Usually took 2-3 hours for the fire to work through to the surface. There are lots of ways to get the job done. Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Username Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Here's a couple of above ground ideas,using bricks or a can. Pages 10 - 14 might be helpful. http://www.fcps.edu/...NG%20MANUAL.pdf If you use a new galvanised trash can, don't breathe the fumes from the burning can. The galvanising contains zinc, and you might get "galvie Flu." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Dear Username, I looked at the pit firing guide in that manual. I have done it differently for my classes. We dug a pit about 30-36 inches deep and 6-8 ft. long and about 24-30" wide. About 12-18" up up the side, we niched out a support for grates to be supported. We start a fire and get a good bed of coals in the bottom. Then put the grates in place. The pots get preheated long the edge while we build up the coal bed. Pots are placed upside down on top of the grates (refrigerator racks work well or bbq grates). Then the whole thing is covered with sawdust and dried cow pies...well above ground level. It takes 2-3 hours for the fire to burn through. Sometimes we'd use sheet metal to cover the pile for more solid blacks. My students experimented. Some preferred flashing and more color. It has been a long time since I started doing this. I think my information came from a book on Maria Martinez, San Ildefonso Pottter. Not the Susan Peterson book but a very early edition that a student gave me. The manual you posted did not use a grate. Just a different approach. Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 The use of a grate I have found that using a grate whether in a trash can or a pit will help create better heat and keep the fire/heat penetration or smoking going. Without the grate, I have noticed that sometimes the fire /heat will choke and go out..leaving unburnt materials. Just a consideration. Marcia Selsor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahorse studio Posted October 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Oh my, thanks everyone for such great responces! the forum is a wonderful place for those of us that are fairly new to ceramics and brand new to this forum! Thanks so much. I do have Sumi's book and DVD. Very helpful also. Sharon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Username Posted October 13, 2010 Report Share Posted October 13, 2010 I agree a grate can be very good for helping draft and/or the smashing of pots on the bottom of the "Pit." In fact, I threw out an old, unused barbeque last week, and the only part I saved was the grate, for just the reasons you mentioned. In the brick kiln I linked to, you could set one course of bricks in by about 1/4", and that would hold the grate. Seahorse, two more books that will give you ideas as to methods and materials are "Smoke Firing" by Jane Perryman, and "Sawdust Firing" by Karin Hessenberg : http://books.google....epage&q&f=false These aren't really "how-to" books as much as they show you how some established smoke/pit veterans do it, and then you fill in the blanks and add and adapt as you see fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahorse studio Posted October 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 Again, thanks so much for info. Don't feel like I need to reinvent the wheel here! Now needs to stop raining for a few days to start to build. Flowers and cisterns love it though. Always Sharon @ Seahorse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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