John
Thies, Potter
(301) 898-3128
monocacypottery@comcast.net
Schedule and Guidelines for Loading, Firing and Unloading the Manabigama
Wood Kiln at
Schedule:
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Day 1: |
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9:00 am
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Arrive
at Monocacy Pottery with your pots bisqued and glazed and
ready to load. Glazes can be provided for an additional cost
(please inquire before arrival about this).
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9:00 am
– 9:30 am
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John to
provide short introduction on wood firing prior to loading.
After introduction, students will begin making wads
for kiln.
Wadding materials will be provided by John. |
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9:30 am
– 3:00 pm
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Students begin loading with John providing guidance for
first rack of pots. Students then take over and share in
loading until loading is complete.
John will be there to monitor and answer questions. |
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3:00 pm
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After
loading is complete, students will brick up kiln door with
John as a monitor.
Door will be sealed with mud dug by students from
bank of stream near kiln.
Clean up kiln area after loading and prepare for
lighting of kiln. |
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Day 2: |
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4:00 –
6:00 am
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The
kiln will be started with propane. This is the preheating of kiln.
See attached
Firing Schedule. |
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6:00 am
– until 3 pm
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Begin
stoking with wood (John will monitor) and continue until top
temperature is reached.
Kiln is fired predominately by students with John
providing guidance.
Wood will be prepared throughout the firing using an
automatic wood splitter by students.
See attached
Firing Schedule. |
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After
firing is complete, kiln will be monitored by at least l
person until kiln is safely cooled and it is ok to leave
kiln area.
Students will be required to clean up kiln area at end of
firing. |
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Day 3: |
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At time
of unloading- 9:00 am
– to approximately 4:00 pm
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Doors
are un-bricked and unloading begins.
After unloading is complete – John is available for
open discussion, question and answer period. Students will
be required to clean out kiln, fire box, kiln wash kiln
floor, scrape, clean, wash kiln shelves, clean and dip
stilts. All this
is done to prepare kiln for next group. |
Guidelines for Manabigama Wood Firing
Amount of work to bring:
The kiln is
approximately 24 cubic feet.
Based on the number of students, assuming there are 6 to 8,
each student can bring up to 12 pieces each. The group will make
every effort to load work on a “fair” basis, and not necessarily by
equal volume. Every effort will be made to accommodate all pieces in
the firing, however if individuals bring large pieces we will only
be able to accommodate what fits, in fairness to all participants.
Please bring kiln
friendly pieces avoiding plates, platters or any other type of
flatware that cannot be wadded on top of each other or on top of
other pots to save space in the kiln.
Safety Concerns:
Please wear protective shoes and
bring leather gloves, and also a hat if your hair is long.
Please do not bring children under the age of 16 at anytime
to the workshop. Please
use caution when working around the kiln.
Remember this
is a wood firing with a chance that things may not work out to your
expectations and accidents can happen.
No guarantees for the perfect wood-fired pot.
Monocacy
Pottery cannot be held responsible for kiln accidents.
Suggestions on Clay Bodies, Forms, Glazes, Decorating Techniques for
the Wood Firing
Clay bodies:
A “light
burning” clay body usually works best.
This means lower iron content in the clay.
It “flashes” well and doesn’t turn brown completely.
Stay away from high iron clay bodies unless you use a white
slip over which will lighten up the surface and pick-up the wood
flashing. ALL CLAY
BODIES MUST BE ABLE TO TAKE CONE 10.
PLEASE, KNOW YOUR CLAY
– If you’re not sure what the capabilities of the clay are, do not
bring to the firing. This
will prevent major accidents with other peoples work and expensive
kiln shelves.
These clays are
all available commercially through your local clay dealer.
All deliver to your door.
Ask for a wood-fired body and they might have some
suggestions. Some are
courser than others, so specify what you prefer.
Having the proper clay makes a big difference in the finished
results.
Glazes:
If you are just
starting out with wood firing we recommend
no glaze on your work.
This gives you an opportunity to see your work “glazed”
naturally just by the wood fuel only.
When choosing a
glaze or glaze’s make sure it is one you know melts at a range of
cone 8 to cone 12. If a
glaze melts at cone 8 it generally will take cone 12.
Stable glazes are best as opposed to fluid glazes.
If using a very fluid
glaze, please be cautious not to glaze more than 1/3 of the way down
on your work. This
will prevent the glaze from running onto the kiln shelves.
REMEMBER in a wood firing there is a great variation in
temperature. Some glazes
that you’re used to will react totally different in the wood-fired
atmosphere – so keep glazing simple.
Keep in mind the kiln will do a lot for your work naturally, so be
conservative. Leave a lot of clay exposed otherwise “why
fire with wood?”
Decorating:
Same guidelines
apply. Keep it simple,
and use things you know work otherwise you may be disappointed with
your slips, stains, or over glazes.
Remember that you can take all the time in the world
decorating a pot for the wood kiln, just to have it all wiped away
by the fly ash and intense wood flame.
Forms:
As a group you
may practice stacking a lot of work “rim to rim”, “boxing” or what
some call “tumble stacking” with clay wadding.
This allows for total flame contact in all parts of the kiln.
This method maximizes the use of stacking space and cuts down
on the use of kiln furniture.
Maybe make some things with this stacking method in mind.
Example: bowls made same
diameter with unglazed rims can be stacked rim to rim conveniently.
While loading we will mix and match different people’s work
for this stacking method.
Please do not bring plates, platters or any other flatware that
cannot be wadded on top of one and other, or on top of other pots to
save space in the kiln. They consume a lot of room and cut down
on the maximum amount of work you will be able to load per
participant on a fair basis.
Manabigama Kiln at Monocacy Pottery Firing Schedule
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4:00 am – 6:00 am |
Propane
gas to preheat kiln |
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6:00 am |
(Chimney damper closed) Light candle fire in center air hole
only using small kindling wood.
Left/right air holes remain closed.
Begin firing inside firebox floor, underneath grate
bars – increasing fuel to build up coal bed.
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7:00 am
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Open
chimney damper. |
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8:00 am |
Begin
stoking logs through main stoke hole.
Work towards an 8-10 minute stoking cycle filling
firebox up full.
Check fire box after 8 minutes and prepare for next full
stoke. Each
stoke should start with smaller, very dry logs first; larger
wetter logs on top. |
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9:00 am
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Open
left and right air holes. Start looking for black smoke from
chimney. Try to
achieve black smoke with each full stoke.
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9:00 am to completion
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Black
smoke and flame should grow with each stoke.
Smoke should clear within a half-cycle.
If not then take steps to increase combustion (e.g.
drier wood, less wood, more air, etc). |
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1:00 pm
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Kiln
should be around stoneware temperature at this time.
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3:00 pm |
Cones
11 and 12 should be down at this point.
Important to reach cone 12 in front of kiln, so back
of kiln will reach at least cone 10.
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30 minutes after firing is
complete – |
Put
fiber strips around peep hole, stoke door, and secondary air
hold plugs.
Close primary air holes with bricks and mud.
Put damper back on chimney. |
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Stay
with kiln until semi-cool – approximately 2 hours, for fire
safety check. |
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Check
area for any external fire danger before leaving kiln. |
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Please
clean up kiln area (e.g. personal trash, raking of debris by
kiln area, organize left over kiln wood). |
Pricing for 2008:
This kiln was
designed to accommodate the needs of students who wish to be
introduced to wood firing. It is an educational tool and not to be
used by those who are looking to just get their pieces fired for the
retail market.
- Maximum
students per group:
8
- Total
Price (Includes all fuel, wadding material and propane):
- Manabigama I -
$800.00
- M
- Group
needs to be responsible for full payment regardless of final
number participating.
- Group
needs to be responsible for full payment regardless of final
number participating.
- Manabigama I -
$800.00
John Thies
along with Bill Van Gilder (
For additional information contact:
Monocacy Pottery
John Thies
11801 Hunt Club Rd
Thurmont MD, 21788
(301) 898-3128
For additional information contact:
monocacypottery@comcast.net
John Thies
11801 Hunt Club Rd
Thurmont MD, 21788
(301) 898-3128