Cob: Ceramic houses, cob saunas and kilns

Thu Feb 22 14:07:34 PST 2001

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<P>I have done some research and experimenting on this subject.&nbsp; Basic kiln design books are useful as well as Khalili's Ceramic Arch book.</P>
<P>Cob as a construction method does not go well with kiln making because they are typically constructed as vaults or domes.&nbsp; The brick is the logical building block and shrinkage is always an issue.&nbsp; The other big issue is the composition of the brick.&nbsp; The specific clay and other ingredients become a lot more&nbsp;important than building your house.&nbsp; There is a great article in Ceramic Monthly Dec 1989 on how to make a simple updraft kiln.&nbsp; There is a scuptor named Wali Hawes who has been making these kilns(site fired kilns constructed of unfired clay brick) since 1987 and there is a description and some pictures in a book called Kiln Building by Ian Gregory isbn # 1-889250-02-3.</P>
<P>Making one of these structures is not at all impossible with some understanding of masonry and firing.&nbsp; It all depends how useful of a kiln you want to create and how high you want to fire.&nbsp; Under1000 deg. you can use common brick type clay.(there's lot of old used brick around) Over this and you get into refractory materials.&nbsp; The high insultion kiln bricks are a mixture of kaolin, fireclay and alumina with air or organic matter mixed into a slip and cast to give almost a sponge like brick.</P>
<P>Does anyone into this idea live near VT?</P>
<P>Best</P>
<P>Ben Graham</P></DIV>
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<DIV></DIV>&gt;From: DWells2530 at aol.com 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Reply-To: DWells2530 at aol.com 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;To: jlsmeed at yahoo.com, coblist at deatech.com 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Subject: Re: Cob: Ceramic houses, cob saunas and kilns 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2001 11:07:36 EST 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Hi Jeff and all, 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
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<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; I'm also an avid potter and enjoy throwing and firing. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; I'd like to know if it'd be possible to build a wood 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; fired kiln out of cob? 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; &gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;I am also interested in any information regarding a cobmade kiln that 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;actually would work.I saw one in Mexico yesterday that was constructed of 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;adobelike bricks and mud plastering and thought that it could be adapted to a 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;potters needs possibly. These big kilns dont seem to reach the cone temps 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;however that make good hard claymade objects.The Mexican pottery is porous 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;and soft. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Don Wells 
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<DIV></DIV>&gt;There are three kinds of men. The ones that learn by reading. The 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; electric fence for themselves. 
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