Kiln procedures

Ceramics
#68

I have a dog in this hunt.

I don’t have firm numbers because it has all been very conversational but I have spoken to several people who are interested in learning how to operate a kiln. They range from those who have no desire to do it themselves but want to have a better understanding of how everything works to some that want to ccasionally do interesting specialty firings. Now this isn’t a huge volume that would fill a weekly class, but there is interest in kiln operation. Whether they actually show up to a class is a whole different issue, heh.

That said, I don’t think someone that has taken three classes on kiln operation should be handling everyone’s work. Learning how to operate a digital controller kiln is dead easy. It’s all the attendant stuff others have mentioned in this thread that is tricky. A great swath of users are served by the current system, with consistent results and a minimum of damage. The big Paragon sees a lot of use and there are many happy faces collecting their wares. The kiln is a delightful workhorse.

Which is awesome, but there is room for other users to learn more, do more, make more. The firing schedule above is for one of three kilns. The other two are currently non-operational/accessible, the smaller Paragon and the Cress. With the Paragon especially, if we could get that kiln up and running, it could be made available (with whatever training, approval, scheduling and safeguards are deemed appropriate). It is of a size that’s more easily filled with your own work or rustle up fellow potters for a group firing. It could also be used for a class on loading/unloading and firing a digital kiln. All without disrupting the current flow of bisque and cone 6 glaze runs. The Cress is another matter altogether, it is a very simple, non-flexible kiln but if it works and we could get more information along with an ability to run it, it could possibly be useful. The Cress website seems to deny its existence, grin.

7 Likes
#69

Well if the kilns are that special and need to be put so high up on a pedestal maybe we should get rid of them until we have an employee who can be paid to take care of other peoples work.

The argument here is that the tools we have at the space should be usable by everyone via some route of training. It definitely sounds like that’s not the plan for the kilns.

3 Likes
#70

I really don’t understand the reluctance to have classes on the kiln.

From my point of view three classes can be taught on the kiln:
Level 1: How to prepare your pottery for the kiln. This would satisfy 80% of member needs.
Level 2: How to run the kiln under supervision. If offered monthly this would satisfy the requirement under proposed rules change.
Level 3: Independent kiln use. For individuals that have shown an interest in using the kiln independently.

Offering classes satisfies the federal 501c3 purpose but it does not satisfy the reason the DMS was created. The DMS’s fundamental educational mission is to enable people to learn by doing/making. Erecting unnecessary barriers to doing/making undermines that educational mission.

Why We Do It
At Dallas Makerspace we believe that collaboration is a truly effective form of learning. To that end, our members and volunteers teach classes, hold unique educational events and collaborate on cool projects.
https://dallasmakerspace.org/

8 Likes
#71

These are the basic pottery classes we already teach. Probably satisfies 99% of member needs. Given the stuff I probably should’ve recycled instead of firing, 99% is probably it.

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#72

Ok, so the level 2 and 3 classes are all that would need to be added. With the level 2 class offered monthly and level 3 as needed.

#73

In most colleges, using the kiln is something taught
in the senior years of a ceramics concentration
It is not taught after only a couple of semesters of ceramics

Our classes are not semester long classes with lecture and labe work

I would love to see us introduce mixing our own glazes, but that would
require more room

We have a limited ceramics program, limited mostly by space and location
We cant do reduction firing because of no gas kiln, or raku or pit firing either
We really don t get into slip casting either

Makerspace is a place for an intro to a lot of tools and skills, You can learn
some welding in metal shop, but you can t become a certified welder

Getting the smaller kilns working would be nice and that might lend itself to some filn classes

When I have work to be fired, I don t want it to be loaded by someone that is stil llearnign
I am on some clay lists and it is amazing how many potters will ruin a kiln load of their own work
when they start firing their own new kilns

We are not an university, I would love to see us get the funding that would allow us to offer more classes in many area

1 Like
#75

Why dont you watch when Beth says she is going to laod and show up and learn

Ignoring what is done in colleges is foolishness

YT can be helpful but I see far too much nonsense from froms folks
that think that they have a Google or YT Phd,

The huge backlog in folks needing training is in the wooshop, Why dont they just
tell folks to watch some YT s instead>

Should machine shop just rely on YTs for taining?>

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#76

This is not true. A single piece in a huge kiln will get even temp if placed centrally. The real reason is a crass one. It is cheaper per unit for the kiln operator.

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#77

To be fair, it used to be somewhat more true than it is now. Before we let computers do the job, firing a low-density kiln was trickier - not impossible, but riskier.

Digital kiln controllers have changed a lot of things about traditional wisdom regarding kiln firings.

I agree with you about modern tech, but there is more than simple pragmatism involved in where these bits of advice came from.

There’s no technical reason for us to have a full-kiln requirement for the Paragon kilns at DMS. But a firing does cost some amount of money, and if someone wants to do an independent firing, I believe there should be a fee for that. I can understand why some other people are less comfortable with that, but I disagree with them.

#78

So… What do you think this thread is about?

Also, please stop assuming that none of us have ever lost anything in a bad firing, or that we don’t know ceramics. Really just please stop assuming that you know more than we do.

7 Likes
#79

We do need to get the smaller kiln on line
there is still the problem of tying up a kiln, a tool
for 24 to 36 hours for one person

Could someone leave a car on the lift on in a bay for that long?

#80

Scheduling is definitely an issue with independent firings.

Having more than one kiln available would definitely go a long way toward alleviating that issue.

Honestly, I don’t think there are going to be a whole lot of people doing it, and even those that do, it won’t be very often.

But having the liberty to do it occasionally is a marked contrast to what we have right now.

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#81

You’re new to this fight. Most of the folks commenting on the kiln have been completely clueless about the process of creating pottery. Sure, there are some folks who know how it works, but those have not been the primary discussers.

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#82

That doesn’t excuse the tone.

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#83

Beth has been attacked by folks that have NO feaking interest in fired arts

She is being used a punching bag by a bunch of folks that have no iteren
in the ceramic arts

This whole thread is an example of not only not being excellent to
each other it is showing the worst in some of our folks

And I have seen similar attacks on other committers that are
not 'favored by some; and yes I am MAD, I see actions that
will hurt DMS from folks that don t seem to care about that,

1 Like
#84

Hey! This is Talk. (And hoo-boy, WHAT a lot of talk!!!). As fire-fights go, this ain’t nothing. Cool your jets. What’s that quote? Sound and air, signifying nothing?

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#85

I’ll be happy to share my pound of salt with you…

#86

I guess I ought to go sit down witn my new book and my magnifier

Got a neat book on using colored pencei on coppern and it incluses
a couple of chapters on using the hydrylic press to make jewley

New skills to learn and then share

1 Like
#87

We already have people tying up 3d printers for those times. And the polyprinters seem slightly more costly then the smaller kilns

#88

Ah, but the kiln I quoted was inadequate for the normal firing. Plus, I’d have to ask for more room to accommodate it. That ought to go over like the proverbial lead balloon. I’m still uncertain about the alleged timing for heat-up and cool. Ceramics are prone to thermal shock, and that just seems too fast. Not that I’m sure what would constitute “just right”, mind you. The bigger kilns are naturally slower since they’ve got more space to heat and cool.

1 Like