Whistle Creek: Hillbilly Hotbox

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Hillbilly Hotbox

Spring has retreated and winter has reared it's ugly head again.I can heat the studio a couple of times a week when I am working out there but I can't afford to keep it warm 24/7 with $4.00 a gallon kerosene.This creates a problem of freshly thrown ware freezing overnight. Not a good thing.What's a poor boy to do? Improvise! I insulated one of the shelves in the studio and installed a lamp for heat.Close it up with foam from Lowes and it keeps the ware from freezing and keeps a day's supply of fresh clay warm at the same time.If it gets too warm I can pull back a corner to vent it a little or put the lamp on a timer.

3 comments:

Linda StarrFebruary 22, 2011 at 2:04 PM
Is that a monitor heater you are using? I heard those were fairly inexpensive to heat with? love the hillbilly hot box idea we used to use this same technique to keep our well pump from freezing in Arkansas - with a light bulb, not even a heat lamp./
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Dennis AllenFebruary 22, 2011 at 9:27 PM
Currently using an old Kerosun style heater. I have an LP heater ready to go if it ever dries out enough to run propane lines and set tank.It's not that bad if I'm producing pots but on the off days it just doesn't make sense to heat the whole place.
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gzMarch 12, 2011 at 2:56 AM
That looks a good idea.
I've just been bringing wareboards of pots into the house! Not that the house has been that warm, but at least they didn't freeze! (with no extra expense , but some inconvenience)
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Why Whistle Creek

Whistle Creek is near the area where my ancestors settled in East Tennessee. It is about 6 miles west of I-75 and 8 miles south of Jellico.At various times the land was claimed by England, France, Spain, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky,Tennessee, the Union,the Confederacy, and the Cherokee.My family was there around 1800 and possibly before.My brothers and I still own the top of the mountain and it is still very rough country. I named my studio Whistle Creek in memory of the Allens who scraped their living from the earth and managed to keep it for two hundred years.

Bricks,Bricks, Bricks

I have two loads of kiln brick at home and one more to go. Weather permitting I will get some help from my newly retired brother and haul the rest home next week. I'm still early in the planning stages for the kiln. I haven't decided yet whether to make the firebox perpendicular to the arch a la John Theis managama and groundhog kilns or to place it parallel to the axis of the arch. I do know that with #2 three inch arch brick It will be a 3"6" sprung arch on top of low walls with a sunken firebox. If i can find a saw that will cut 41/2" I can rip some of the arch brick to fill in the ends of the courses and use the arch brick on edge to make 9" thick walls. Any input appreciated.

The Pitcher and the Nun

Yesterday a couple of sweet elderly ladies came into my booth and fell in love with the pitcher from the last woodfiring. (See last Blog entry) They said they wanted to give it as a wedding gift, then they said the fatal words-" Do you take Mastercard? " I replied-" No, but I want this piece to go to a good home and I believe that if I send it home with you, you will send me a check." They agreed and we exchanged info. It turned out they were nuns.Instead of mailing me a check, they brought back a check and some homemade candy a couple of hours later.It was nice to make the sale, but even nicer to send out a little faith in mankind and have a good deed returned.

Ohio Slip

More Spring Fair Prep....

Today was spent loading a bisque kiln with pots I have been throwing the last few weeks.They are made with a really nice red clay that a friend sold me when I couldn't get earthen red at Highwater. I should be able to glaze Monday and fire the whole load again next week. This is the only clay that I fire in the electric kilns but it gives a look that a lot of people like and I can fire economically. This plus pots on hand and pots I have been glazing for the gas kiln should be plenty for spring fair so now I can concentrate on the booth.

Spring Fair

The main project of the week was to try to finish throwing a batch of red clay that I have been working on so I can get the pots fired and glazed for the big Spring Fair sale that the Clay Alliance is holding on May 2. This is the big annual sales event for the club and I am very happly to be included this year but I do feel a little pressure to up my game and have a booth that doesn't look like a yard sale. Once I get the pots fired, I will have to spend some time focusing on display space and building some nice shelving. The sale is 11 to 4 at the corner of Madison and Woodburn ( DeSales Corner) Just take 71 to Edwards rd., Edwards to Madison, Right on Madison and you will be there in a few minutes. You will have a great time and get to meet 40 of the best potters and ceramicists in the region. More info at http://www.clayalliance.org/.

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