BFA Show

I am finally documenting my BFA show pieces... now that I have my photo booth set up permanently, it will be easier to tweak the setup and at last get good shots of my work. Now I just have to eliminate user error from the shooting process.

These are far from perfect shots, but I am starting to understand the process. For whatever reason, even after custom setting the white-balance, the shots seem to have a pink hue... working on that issue.

Lectures on Ceramics and Craft

I have added a new page to my blog, "Podcasts and Conversations." As you may guess, I have begun collecting the links of websites which host lectures, podcasts, articles, etc... which contribute to the field of ceramics, clay, and craft.

As my second and newest addition, I added a link to the Museum of Contemporary Craft. It has a great collection of podcasts which span 2007-present. They are diverse and engaging and include such lecturer's/writers as Garth Clark and Glenn Adamson... well known in the ceramics community, but also so many more.  Anyway, most are worth a listen. Enjoy:

http://www.museumofcontemporarycraft.org/programs_podcasts.php

Kiln Plans Revised

So after taking into consideration comments from the ClayArt community, I have begun to make changes on my design. As you will see, the step-grate portion of the firebox has been extended further, and dropped lower. Now there is a clearly defined step up where the pottery can be stacked.

Still a work in progress... but it feels like I am getting closer to a sound kiln design. I will be adding mouse holes below the noborigama's side stoke grates, and reconsidering the height of each of the two steps up inside the kiln. Although it is smaller than most kilns of similar characteristics and design, I don't think that translates into short steps. I will see what I find out through more digging...

Kiln Plan: Noborigama with Extended Firebox and Step-grate

So here are the plans for my Noborigama which features an extended firebox and step-grate system. I am expecting the extended firebox to act similar to a train kiln, depositing a lot of ash on the pottery and other clay work, while the chamber behind the firebox should have minimal ash. It will be constructed out of large, industrial, rotary kiln brick and standard high duty firebrick.

After reading Dick Lehman's article "An Approach To Long Woodfire" I was sure that I wanted to build in the "step-grate" system he mentioned. The nearly four feet of stepping grate (which has mouse holes coming underneath it... maybe gopher holes would be more appropriate in this case) should allow me the option of stuffing the firebox with wood and very slowly firing accumulating ash for a few days before really kicking off the firing. 


The last picture shows the kiln with its side cut off to better show the step grate... I may even add one more row of brick to the length of the firebox, extending the top step. This would add another 8" roughly to the firebox.


The design needs a little bit of tweeking and dimension checking, but is nearly ready to go.