I am loving this podcast! I am currently on the edge of trying to make my pottery business my sole income, so this podcast is exactly what i need to hear right now. Thank you ao much for sharing your journey so others can learn. I also am in the same kiln situation/dilemma. I currently have an electric kiln to which i fire to cone 6, however i mainly use self mixed glazes based off of recipes ive found over the years online and in books. I love the variation i can get from different applications of the glaze, however i feel similar to you both, there is just something that feels another level higher when you fire in an atmospheric type kiln. My long term goal is to have a medium sized wood kiln thay can be fired in less than 24 hours. There are train kilns that can be fired this quickly and still achieve a very nice reduction as well as deposit good amounts of ash on the pots. We also have used salt/soda with this design with great results. Until i can get there, electric kiln is most likely where i stay. I do have local access to a reduction fired gas kiln that i can rent when i want to give that a try. Love your work! Stuart wakeman StuArt Pottery
Jon, I appreciate your explanation of the real economic costs of choosing soda fire/gas/wood vs electric kiln. It is great that we can find community studios that may have a gas kiln for special creations and still have our own electric kiln for a bulk of our projects.
Regarding carbon trapping, propane is a hydro-carbon (mixture of Hydrogen and Carbon) and when you burn it (combine it with Oxygen) the Oxygen pulls off the Hydrogen and releases the Carbon. If you have enough Oxygen it can also remove the Carbon and converts that to CO2 so the amount of free carbon will depend on the fuel/oxygen mix - like in a car where if the car is running fuel rich you will get more carbon in the tailpipe.
I have an older kiln sitter kiln that I modified so that I don't use a cone to keep it on. I use my notes from past firings to schedule my ramps and cool downs. It's tons of fun to get different results this way. I do miss my college gas kiln, tho for reduction
In reduction you reduce the intake of oxygen, as you keep needing oxygen to burn all the oxygen will be pulled that out of molecules (glazes but also the air). Carbon that was in molecules such as CO2 is now releases as it loses its connection with oxygen, making it available for carbon trapping.
Wow, ya all have turned into pottery snobs. Sooo all those electric fired mugs are trash that you sold for years, Jon. and those of us that fire electric aren't 'real potters'?? Sheez.
@tonalyn I have fired in a gas kiln and yes pots do come out really nice. I plan to eventually get a gas kiln. BUT electric fired pots are not trash. I guess I just fell for the click bait.
@Jonthepotter I did listen to you video to the end. It's just that I am sick of it when artists knock other artists' work. After that comment was thrown out there, I just couldn't get passed that. I guess it didn't matter what you said after that.
@Jonthepotter Also, I regard you as one of my favorite, talented and respected potters out there and have been following you for years. I was just taken back that you would put that out there. You and another guy (on you tube) are the reason I got back into pottery after all these years. You inspired me.
I am loving this podcast! I am currently on the edge of trying to make my pottery business my sole income, so this podcast is exactly what i need to hear right now. Thank you ao much for sharing your journey so others can learn.
I also am in the same kiln situation/dilemma. I currently have an electric kiln to which i fire to cone 6, however i mainly use self mixed glazes based off of recipes ive found over the years online and in books. I love the variation i can get from different applications of the glaze, however i feel similar to you both, there is just something that feels another level higher when you fire in an atmospheric type kiln. My long term goal is to have a medium sized wood kiln thay can be fired in less than 24 hours. There are train kilns that can be fired this quickly and still achieve a very nice reduction as well as deposit good amounts of ash on the pots. We also have used salt/soda with this design with great results. Until i can get there, electric kiln is most likely where i stay. I do have local access to a reduction fired gas kiln that i can rent when i want to give that a try.
Love your work!
Stuart wakeman
StuArt Pottery
Jon, I appreciate your explanation of the real economic costs of choosing soda fire/gas/wood vs electric kiln.
It is great that we can find community studios that may have a gas kiln for special creations and still have our own electric kiln for a bulk of our projects.
Regarding carbon trapping, propane is a hydro-carbon (mixture of Hydrogen and Carbon) and when you burn it (combine it with Oxygen) the Oxygen pulls off the Hydrogen and releases the Carbon. If you have enough Oxygen it can also remove the Carbon and converts that to CO2 so the amount of free carbon will depend on the fuel/oxygen mix - like in a car where if the car is running fuel rich you will get more carbon in the tailpipe.
Loved it BUT, you didn't talk about Raku firing.
I have an older kiln sitter kiln that I modified so that I don't use a cone to keep it on. I use my notes from past firings to schedule my ramps and cool downs. It's tons of fun to get different results this way. I do miss my college gas kiln, tho for reduction
Really enjoyed the part where you shared what you like! ❤ (And despise! Iconic 😅)
In reduction you reduce the intake of oxygen, as you keep needing oxygen to burn all the oxygen will be pulled that out of molecules (glazes but also the air). Carbon that was in molecules such as CO2 is now releases as it loses its connection with oxygen, making it available for carbon trapping.
Can raku firing be functional ?
We had a gas and electric kilns at school.
There are some reduction kilns that work easy like electric! But they come really small :(
pit firing was the earliest pottery…
unburned gas creates carbon.
💜💜💜💜
Wow, ya all have turned into pottery snobs. Sooo all those electric fired mugs are trash that you sold for years, Jon. and those of us that fire electric aren't 'real potters'?? Sheez.
Sorry,but if have ever fired a gas kiln, you would understand. You are as involved with the firing as you are with creating the pot and glazing it…
I still love electric fired pots , that thumbnail is more of a joke and clickbait. If you listen to the podcast I still electric fire many of my pots.
@tonalyn I have fired in a gas kiln and yes pots do come out really nice. I plan to eventually get a gas kiln. BUT electric fired pots are not trash. I guess I just fell for the click bait.
@Jonthepotter I did listen to you video to the end. It's just that I am sick of it when artists knock other artists' work. After that comment was thrown out there, I just couldn't get passed that. I guess it didn't matter what you said after that.
@Jonthepotter Also, I regard you as one of my favorite, talented and respected potters out there and have been following you for years. I was just taken back that you would put that out there. You and another guy (on you tube) are the reason I got back into pottery after all these years. You inspired me.