Building Mini Raku Kiln

[scottiebie]

Years ago, I saw a  mini raku kiln made from soft bricks and fired with a Mapp gas torch.  A top loader, only space for loading one pot at a time, using  a half brick as a damper.  The raku pots were small, about 2" x  3" and would only take about 10 minutes to fire,  The post reduction container was a tin coffee can.   I can't remember how it was built.  Anyone have an idea of how to build one?  It reminds me of a small rocket stove.  

[Mark C.]

 A small pile of  soft brick and a map gas torch-whats to know? make it up as you go. Something that small will get hot fast so bisque the small pots 1st.

[Stephen]

 

On 3/8/2020 at 8:35 PM, scottiebie said:

Anyone have an idea of how to build one?  It reminds me of a small rocket stove.  

if ya want some instructions:

https://makezine.com/2012/06/28/how-to-trashcan-raku-kiln/

[Benzine]

My raku kiln is similar to the one in the link.  I fire several small, to medium-sized objects at a time.  I've tried some larger bowls, but they overhung the shelf, causing the rims to crack, as they were in the path of the flame 

But it's a good little kiln, and it does what I need it to do.

[neilestrick]

You can build a tiny kiln with a dozen bricks just stacked together into a cube. Leave a small hole for the torch to go in, and a small hole in the opposite upper corner as a flue opening.

[JohnnyK]

Here are a few shots of a portable unit I made. I've just used it for firing my Horsehair Raku stuff and will be trying it out for regular Raku soon. I made it portable so I can fire it anywhere on my property but the driveway works out just fine. If you're interested in details, PM me and we can work it out...

[Hulk]

hot go cart!

[Stephen]

16 minutes ago, JohnnyK said:

Here are a few shots of a portable unit I made

that is a slick setup. This thread has me motivated. Bought burner, trashcan and some other parts years ago and just keep moving them around. Did you build that cart?

[JohnnyK]

I got the cart from a friend who said he got it from Harbor Freight. I modified it with handmade spindles and HF wheels. I welded up the brick frame from box tubing. The wire for the housing was purchased at Home Depot; the blanket was bought at Alpha Fired Arts (my local ceramic supplier); I made the ceramic buttons to hold the blanket in place and used some nichrome wire to hold the buttons in place. The 22" diameter kiln shelf sits on a couple of bricks inside the cage. The burner is a weed torch, also from HF. 

For the HH Raku It takes about 20 minutes to heat it to 1400 degrees, gradually increasing the torch output over that 20 minutes. I can get it up to temp in a shorter time, but in doing so I found hairline cracks in some of the jars...

[liambesaw]

I have a flat pack style one ala Ian Gregory, this inspires me to do some driveway raku this summer

[Stephen]

 

20 hours ago, JohnnyK said:

I got the cart from a friend who said he got it from Harbor Freight. I modified it with handmade spindles and HF wheels. I welded up the brick frame from box tubing. The wire for the housing was purchased at Home Depot; the blanket was bought at Alpha Fired Arts (my local ceramic supplier); I made the ceramic buttons to hold the blanket in place and used some nichrome wire to hold the buttons in place. The 22" diameter kiln shelf sits on a couple of bricks inside the cage. The burner is a weed torch, also from HF. 

Are the bottom layer of bricks fire bricks or just pavers?

[JohnnyK]

Full size firebricks...