Anybody have experience with making Anagama/wood fired bonsai pots?

[Woocash]

I am not not a potter, nor have any experience since school in doing any pottery, but I have a massive urge to make my own clay pots using a wood fired kiln in the future and I am exploring the possibilities so I can start to plan. Does any one have any experience of using a wood fired kiln for bonsai pot making? I am particularly enamoured with the pottery that comes from an Anagama kiln and the natural glazes you can attain just in the firing process.

Does anybody know of any good resources for kiln design of this nature, but on a really small scale, for small firings of a couple or three pots (up to 18“, say)?

 

[ABCarve]

Here’s my thread for wood firing, some anagama and some train kiln. I think the size you’re looking for might be a difficult project. You probably won’t find plans for something that small. I think you’re better off trying to find a kiln in your area. These kilns are usually pretty large and need more than a few potters to fill them up. They also need a crew to do the multiple days of firing. There is also a very large learning to control how you want your finished pots to look, ie firing cycle and position in the kiln.

Ashes to ashes....Pots to pots

The image below is a trident maple I had for about 19 years and decided to turn up its toes about 4 years ago. The carcass has been put in the wood kiln (Anagama kiln) to help fire the pots within. The poetic part of this is that the flying ashes created from the burning lands on the pots and...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[Woocash]

Here’s my thread for wood firing, some anagama and some train kiln. I think the size you’re looking for might be a difficult project. You probably won’t find plans for something that small. I think you’re better off trying to find a kiln in your area. These kilns are usually pretty large and need more than a few potters to fill them up. They also need a crew to do the multiple days of firing. There is also a very large learning to control how you want your finished pots to look, ie firing cycle and position in the kiln.

Ashes to ashes....Pots to pots

The image below is a trident maple I had for about 19 years and decided to turn up its toes about 4 years ago. The carcass has been put in the wood kiln (Anagama kiln) to help fire the pots within. The poetic part of this is that the flying ashes created from the burning lands on the pots and...

www.bonsainut.com

Hey, cheers for that. There‘s some awesome stuff you’ve produced there. I do actually have a place literally 2 miles from me with 3 anagama kilns ranging from 3m to 18m in length which I was going to contact about going to watch/assist with a firing and to find out more about the process, but as this place has several bonsai potters here i thought I’d ask to see if anyone has used wood firing on a small scale.

What I’d like to do doesnt necessarily have to be in the anagama style, but really I was wondering if the sort of temperatures required for stoneware can be achieved in a small scale wood fired kiln of any sort, or does it require the size of a much larger kiln to allow the temperature to grow sufficiently?

 

[ABCarve]

Hey, cheers for that. There‘s some awesome stuff you’ve produced there. I do actually have a place literally 2 miles from me with 3 anagama kilns ranging from 3m to 18m in length which I was going to contact about going to watch/assist with a firing and to find out more about the process, but as this place has several bonsai potters here i thought I’d ask to see if anyone has used wood firing on a small scale.

What I’d like to do doesnt necessarily have to be in the anagama style, but really I was wondering if the sort of temperatures required for stoneware can be achieved in a small scale wood fired kiln of any sort, or does it require the size of a much larger kiln to allow the temperature to grow sufficiently?

Honestly I couldn’t say. I know there are not published designs of wood kilns the size you’re looking for. I never say never, but you may have to read up and experiment on your own. @HorseloverFat has done a bit of what you’re asking. He may want to comment.

 

[penumbra]

I agree that using another kiln and contributing to the joint effort of firing one is the way to go. You are very lucky to have places near you that it could be a reality. It is a potters dream and one I will probably;y not have the opportunity to participate in myself.
I have talked to several people who have made small gas kilns and a couple who have made small wood burning kilns, but these do not operate like larger kilns as mass provides stability. The people I have talked to have had less than stellar results. Still, if you're young enough and have the piss and vinegar to try it, it could be a great experience.
Best luck.
BTW, you should have "The Kiln Book" by Frederick Olsen. Any serious potter should read this book. Also consider the book "Building Your Own Kiln, Three Japanese Potters Give Advice and Instructions." It is written in Japanese but translated into English.
My dream is to build a small gas kiln using a large kiln carcass. I plan to do this this summer.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Honestly I couldn’t say. I know there are not published designs of wood kilns the size you’re looking for. I never say never, but you may have to read up and experiment on your own. @HorseloverFat has done a bit of what you’re asking. He may want to comment.

From my vast experimentation..

I've discovered that for SMALL, wood-fired... Making a pit has been the most effective..

My recent pit I made fired to about cone 4... It WOULD have gone all the way, but I ran out of wood at like 5.5 hours... And I anticipated 8-10 hours...

The thing is... For wood-fired, med-high firing clay bodies will ALWAYS need the 'time'... So you will be amassing quite a bit a "fuel" anyways....

For me, smaller, wood-fired kilns are A LOT more time and work than they are worth.

I'd try full blown-pit firing.. like IN the ground... And some cone 4-5 clay, if you really want to get a feel for it.

 

[HamburgerTrain]

I am not not a potter, nor have any experience since school in doing any pottery, but I have a massive urge to make my own clay pots using a wood fired kiln in the future and I am exploring the possibilities so I can start to plan. Does any one have any experience of using a wood fired kiln for bonsai pot making? I am particularly enamoured with the pottery that comes from an Anagama kiln and the natural glazes you can attain just in the firing process.

Does anybody know of any good resources for kiln design of this nature, but on a really small scale, for small firings of a couple or three pots (up to 18“, say)?

Why don’t you start by taking a pottery class?
I’m a beginner potter. I would really like to do some cool firing techniques as well.
Seems like it would be a waste to do it now. I haven’t made a pot worthy of the effort.
I haven’t created a form that’s worthy in shape or in basic structure; correct wall thickness, feet that look good but don’t fall off, etc.
I’m still learning how to apply glazes.
I’ve made some cute pots that are suitable for accent plants or undeveloped bonsai.
Before I ask to participate in a raku firing I want to have a pot that I wouldn’t be embarrassed to put a decent tree in, and I especially don’t want to have something explode and damage other peoples work.
I love making pottery and am excited that you’re interested in it too. I look forward to seeing what you make!

 

[HorseloverFat]

Everyone learns differently...

I was "nature boy" for a year, diggin' around in my local mud (gruelling learning clay body chemistry and processing) and lighting little contained fires (gruelling learning to tame the heat/flame)...

It was... difficult. Failure after intense failure....

But instilled my passion and laid down a HEAVY organic knowledge "foundation".



(That being said, I do not RECOMMEND this path! )

 

[Woocash]

Honestly I couldn’t say. I know there are not published designs of wood kilns the size you’re looking for. I never say never, but you may have to read up and experiment on your own. @HorseloverFat has done a bit of what you’re asking. He may want to comment.

I suspected this to be the case, so with the thousands of years of development and me being a total beginner, i suspect i wouldn’t likely crack the code anytime soon. What has become apparent in trying to do a little research to ask the right questions is that I am in possession of such a lack of basic knowledge. Silly ignorant me thought i could just get some clay and make like a pizza oven and just keep feeding it until reached temperature.

 

[Woocash]

I agree that using another kiln and contributing to the joint effort of firing one is the way to go. You are very lucky to have places near you that it could be a reality. It is a potters dream and one I will probably;y not have the opportunity to participate in myself.
I have talked to several people who have made small gas kilns and a couple who have made small wood burning kilns, but these do not operate like larger kilns as mass provides stability. The people I have talked to have had less than stellar results. Still, if you're young enough and have the piss and vinegar to try it, it could be a great experience.
Best luck.
BTW, you should have "The Kiln Book" by Frederick Olsen. Any serious potter should read this book. Also consider the book "Building Your Own Kiln, Three Japanese Potters Give Advice and Instructions." It is written in Japanese but translated into English.
My dream is to build a small gas kiln using a large kiln carcass. I plan to do this this summer.

Yes I am aware of the massive serendipity in having it on the doorstep, but as with all things I (naively) tend to think, “I could do that”, and just do a small scale firing anytime I like. I will get over there though, I’m just a bit of a nervous person when it comes to exposing myself to new people in a planned setting, particularly when I know nothing... Just got to get over it I guess.

Nice one for those book titles though, thanks. That‘s what I need really because googling is only so good for proper research.

 

[Woocash]

From my vast experimentation..

I've discovered that for SMALL, wood-fired... Making a pit has been the most effective..

My recent pit I made fired to about cone 4... It WOULD have gone all the way, but I ran out of wood at like 5.5 hours... And I anticipated 8-10 hours...

The thing is... For wood-fired, med-high firing clay bodies will ALWAYS need the 'time'... So you will be amassing quite a bit a "fuel" anyways....

For me, smaller, wood-fired kilns are A LOT more time and work than they are worth.

I'd try full blown-pit firing.. like IN the ground... And some cone 4-5 clay, if you really want to get a feel for it.

Hey, so my (limited) understanding of pit firing is that you build the fire and burn it hot and fast without adding extra fuel. Did you just prep a standard pit kiln and then keep adding wood while it burns?

Also, can you even achieve vitrification at cone 4 or 5? My knowledge is so lacking in that regard…

 

[Woocash]

Why don’t you start by taking a pottery class?
I’m a beginner potter. I would really like to do some cool firing techniques as well.
Seems like it would be a waste to do it now. I haven’t made a pot worthy of the effort.
I haven’t created a form that’s worthy in shape or in basic structure; correct wall thickness, feet that look good but don’t fall off, etc.
I’m still learning how to apply glazes.
I’ve made some cute pots that are suitable for accent plants or undeveloped bonsai.
Before I ask to participate in a raku firing I want to have a pot that I wouldn’t be embarrassed to put a decent tree in, and I especially don’t want to have something explode and damage other peoples work.
I love making pottery and am excited that you’re interested in it too. I look forward to seeing what you make!

I suspect that I may well take a class one day, but I have never been one to go down that route when I want to learn how to do something. Pig headed I know, but I’m kind of a jack of all trades type person who can seem to grasp anything by just playing around around or teaching myself. One day I’ll learn how to take instruction and get to the “master of something” stage.

I‘m sure you’ll come good if you’ve got the drive to succeed with your pottery, though. I totally get the attitude in regards to embarrassment and particularly not wanting to damage other people’s work. That would be my main concern of trying to get in on a communal firing and one reason why I wanted to experiment myself first, to learn how to manipulate clay, without the risk to others.

I’d love to start making stuff, but at the moment I wouldn't even have a clue which clay to buy!

 

[penumbra]

I suspect that I may well take a class one day, but I have never been one to go down that route when I want to learn how to do something. Pig headed I know, but I’m kind of a jack of all trades type person who can seem to grasp anything by just playing around around or teaching myself. One day I’ll learn how to take instruction and get to the “master of something” stage.

I‘m sure you’ll come good if you’ve got the drive to succeed with your pottery, though. I totally get the attitude in regards to embarrassment and particularly not wanting to damage other people’s work. That would be my main concern of trying to get in on a communal firing and one reason why I wanted to experiment myself first, to learn how to manipulate clay, without the risk to others.

I’d love to start making stuff, but at the moment I wouldn't even have a clue which clay to buy!

You have the cart before the horse my friend.
Taking a class and hanging with other potters is exactly what you should be doing. You will learn more in an hour than you can teach yourself in a week. Once you have some basics down you will have plenty of time for experimenting on your own. Every mistake and every success has already been done, each potter just puts his or her own spin on it. Taking classes was the best thing I ever did for myself.

Do we have any lady potters here? In real time, real life, I know 2 or 3 lady potters for every gentleman potter.

 

[rockm]

Yes I am aware of the massive serendipity in having it on the doorstep, but as with all things I (naively) tend to think, “I could do that”, and just do a small scale firing anytime I like. I will get over there though, I’m just a bit of a nervous person when it comes to exposing myself to new people in a planned setting, particularly when I know nothing... Just got to get over it I guess.

Nice one for those book titles though, thanks. That‘s what I need really because googling is only so good for proper research.

FWIW, Ron Lang here in the U.S. did extremely good wood-fired bonsai pots for quite a while. He has retired, but he constructed a huge wood fired kiln after years of working on a smaller scale. He said the smaller kilns weren't very effective. Here are some photos of his kiln I took a long time ago.

 

[penumbra]

FWIW, Ron Lang here in the U.S. did extremely good wood-fired bonsai pots for quite a while. He has retired, but he constructed a huge wood fired kiln after years of working on a smaller scale. He said the smaller kilns weren't very effective. Here are some photos of his kiln I took a long time ago.

Pretty sure I delivered some kiln shelves to him some years back.
Did not know he retired.

 

[rockm]

Pretty sure I delivered some kiln shelves to him some years back.
Did not know he retired.

He moved to the Carolina shore a few years back. Worked with a gas fired kiln down there. Retired in 2021, If I remember right.

 

[meushi]

What I’d like to do doesnt necessarily have to be in the anagama style, but really I was wondering if the sort of temperatures required for stoneware can be achieved in a small scale wood fired kiln of any sort, or does it require the size of a much larger kiln to allow the temperature to grow sufficiently?

You could scale up a minigama... that design uses a forced air feed to reach stoneware temperatures. It runs on a mix of charcoal and wood.