which chimney is better?

[jrgpots]

About 3 years ago I bought and dismantled a 60 cubic foot minnesota flat top.  Univ of California at Fresno built it and fired it only about 3 times.  I had to tear down my ugly kiln to make room for my wife's new swimming pool.  Anyway I have to rebuild my kiln.  I will be using the bricks from the minnesota flat top to make a smaller 20 cubic foot kiln.

So my qustion is this:  Is it better to have a free standing chimney or have the chimney share the back wall of the kiln?  Does it matter?

Jed

[Magnolia Mud Research]

I think this will help you with your decision:

21st Century Kilns, by Mel Jacobson and Friends
https://www.paragonweb.com/manualinfo.cfm?cid=212 
Download 21stCenturyKilnsemailsize.pdf
https://www.paragonweb.com/files/manuals/21stCenturyKilnsemailsize.pdf  

LT
 

[neilestrick]

If the chimney is freestanding, then when the kiln needs to be rebuilt, you can leave the chimney and just do the kiln. If it shares the back wall, it will use fewer bricks. Functionally, it doesn't really matter. I've built kilns both ways and they both fired fine and lasted just fine.

I don't know what your plan is, but I think that building an arch is a lot less work than a flat top.

[jrgpots]

I will be making an arch kiln with 9 inch walls and a free standing chimney. The outside demensions will be 54 wide, 45 deep, and 45 high.  Two power burners at the back on each side of the exit flue.   Inlet ports 4.5 x 4.5 each.  exit flue 4.5 x 9. The inside chamber will be 27 x 36  allowing me to use  11 x 22 shelfs side  by side.   

I have a rail car that I will not be using.  Does anyone need a rail car?  You can have it

Jed