Kilns: Design, Construction, & Operation.

Kilns: Design, Construction, & Operation. by Daniel Rhodes. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9780801953583.

Without a knowledge of the action of fire, the potters craft would not exist, and it is that action which Daniel Rhodes thoroughly explores and explicates in Kilns. In writing this book, Rhodes has drawn upon his own understanding of firing processes, as well as information which he has gathered from sources throughout the world. The first section of the book traces the development of individual kilns, stressing their firing principles and their strengths and weaknesses. Beginning with primitive firing methods, Rhodes moves on to the evolution of kilns in China, Korea, and Japan, and then discusses the history and growth of Europeans kilns. The principles and methods involved in kiln design and construction receive a thorough and authoritative treatment. The information which applies to the structure and size of any kiln, be it gas-fired, oil-fired, wood burning, or electric, up draft or downdraft, is the basis for discussion of methods and procedures required by specific kilns. Thus, all of the aspects of kiln construction and design... masonry construction, fuels, burners, and combustion, refractory materials, heat retention, and transfer... are covered. One section is totally devoted to kiln operation. Firing theory and techniques, temperature measurement and control, and safety precautions are among the areas covered. Many original kiln designs, accompanied by step-by-step instructions and diagrams, enable those who wish to build a kiln to proceed with both knowledge and confidence. The book is illustrated throughout with numerous drawings, diagrams, tables, and photographs.