Tammy martinez train kiln build. 96c.f.
Tammy Martinez is a potter based in Boonsboro, Md. Before moving to Boonsboro and outfitting a studio there, Tammy founded and ran The Little Pottery Shop and Frederick Clay Studio in Frederick, Md. Tammy was the first shop owner to carry my work and I was her first wheel instructor when she opened the Frederick Clay Studio in 2012. Tammy has experience firing many wood kilns across the county of all shapes, sizes and firing schedules.
In the winter between 2019 and 2020 she decided to build a kiln of her own. When figuring out what to build we talked about all of the things someone who is about to undertake a project like this needs to consider, including what kind of surfaces she wanted to achieve, how many times a year would she need to fire, the fuel source and availability, and how big of a crew she wanted to host, along with many other things. We decided a train kiln with the option to add soda would best fit all of her needs. We based all of the measurements and proportions on 12"x24" kiln shelves. The floor is spaced to have 3 stacks from right to left and 4 shelves deep.
Initially, we planned to build a new shed to house the kiln, however, during our talks and survey of the property we decided it would be more cost and time effective to retrofit an existing outbuilding that the previous owner use to board ponies. After the shed was gutted, cleaned, and the necessary rafter supports were added we spread stone and built forms for the concrete slab that would support the kiln. The inner wall of this kiln is super-duty fire brick. The outer walls and floor are hi-heat brick, and the chimney is medium-duty brick. Every step this build, with the exception of the finishing of the concrete slab, was performed by Tammy, Dave and Gloria Grove, and me.
Please don't hesitate to reach out for questions and don't forget to check out Tammy's website and Instagram. tameriamartinezclay.com IG: @tameriamartinezclay
In the winter between 2019 and 2020 she decided to build a kiln of her own. When figuring out what to build we talked about all of the things someone who is about to undertake a project like this needs to consider, including what kind of surfaces she wanted to achieve, how many times a year would she need to fire, the fuel source and availability, and how big of a crew she wanted to host, along with many other things. We decided a train kiln with the option to add soda would best fit all of her needs. We based all of the measurements and proportions on 12"x24" kiln shelves. The floor is spaced to have 3 stacks from right to left and 4 shelves deep.
Initially, we planned to build a new shed to house the kiln, however, during our talks and survey of the property we decided it would be more cost and time effective to retrofit an existing outbuilding that the previous owner use to board ponies. After the shed was gutted, cleaned, and the necessary rafter supports were added we spread stone and built forms for the concrete slab that would support the kiln. The inner wall of this kiln is super-duty fire brick. The outer walls and floor are hi-heat brick, and the chimney is medium-duty brick. Every step this build, with the exception of the finishing of the concrete slab, was performed by Tammy, Dave and Gloria Grove, and me.
Please don't hesitate to reach out for questions and don't forget to check out Tammy's website and Instagram. tameriamartinezclay.com IG: @tameriamartinezclay
Shed expansion and modification
We decided that the existing shed structure was not big enough to house the kiln and still have room to safely keep wood out of the weather. We added a 16'x24' extension off of the "front" of the shed to keep materials and wood dry. The open sides also allow Tammy to drive bins of fire wood under cover with her tractor. We also added a sliding door to the shed to make it easier to stoke from both sides of the main firebox. Built-in shelving for staging work during loading was the final addition to the project.