MATTHEW O'REILLY
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Aphrodite's First Firing (electric to gas kiln conversion)

7/26/2017

3 Comments

 

Hey Folks!
This post documents my first go at converting  an electric kiln to gas/wood kiln. The Kiln load included a variety  simple variously sized 'green' cups and bowls. It was a cone 6 firing using reliable liner glaze and a earthenware clay body. The conversion was not all to difficult, just ripping out the electrical components and cutting a few strategic holes for the tiger torch and chimney. Following the these initial stages, I salvaged bricks from another broken kiln to build some height on the chimney and to create airflow channels for the flame at the base of the kiln.

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Debrief
After 10-11 hours the kiln hit its final temperature and after 12 hours of cooling I popped the lid to check the results. My cones indicated to me that the top layer was slightly over fired and I notice the top shelf was a little off. After removing the top shelf I found a semi-collapsed bottom shelf (luckily a lot of the work was still intact). After further investigation I realised that I used soft brick instead of hard brick to control the flame flow which mangled the soft brick, resulting in the semi-collapse. This gradual collapse explains the rather lengthy firing considering the size of the kiln.

Overall, the firing was a great learning experience. One 7.8 pound propane tank (BBQ Tank) got me to 1950'F, which is quiet reasonable. Thank you ​Aphrodite ( The Kiln's Name) for laying the ground work for future awesomeness.

3 Comments
ATOP
7/26/2017 02:13:00 pm

Excellent write up. Cant wait to see the next firing.

Reply
resume planet reviews link
2/9/2019 05:33:08 am

This blog makes me become curious about the firing system. I have never seen one in person. I just got informed by blows and other's personal experience. I guess that this activity is good and exciting one. I hope that I will be able to see more of your posts regarding this system. It was a good thing too to know the difference of every other brick. The outcome is so cool and I guess that you really had a great skill when it comes to that activity.

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weberspirite210.info link
9/8/2018 05:58:57 am

There are certainly a lot of details like that to take into consideration. That is a great point to bring up. I offer the thoughts above as general inspiration but clearly there are questions like the one you bring up where the most important thing will be working in honest good faith. I don?t know if best practices have emerged around things like that, but I am sure that your job is clearly identified as a fair game. Both boys and girls feel the impact of just a moment?s pleasure, for the rest of their lives

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  • Home
  • Exhibitions
    • Procession of the Self (2022)
    • We In Me (2022)
    • Humbly Heroic (2022)
    • Piles of Barbarism (2022)
    • Navel Glazing (2021)
    • Unsettled Self (2020)
  • Artist Talks
  • Instagram
  • Press
  • CV/Bio/Contact
  • Education