2017-10-26 - Thursday - Firing kiln

Thursday we fired the gas kiln. It was kept in reduction all day starting at cone 012 (~1582F), all the way up to cone 10 (~2345F). At the very end of the firing we do a "final soak" when we put the kiln into heavy reduction by starving it of oxygen. When that happens a beautiful green flame (copper) goes all the way up the flue and out the top to access oxygen.

After the final soak we shut it down and wait for it to cool for two days before opening it.

I've said it before: People who don't fire kilns only get one Christmas per year.

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2017-02-14 - Tuesday - Kiln firing

I helped Kimberly fire the gas kiln at Clayworks on Tuesday. It takes most of the day, and I arrived in the afternoon.

In the early evening we did the "final soak" where we push the damper in a bit and really reduce the oxygen in the kiln for about 20-30 minutes.

Firing the gas kiln in reduction is quite a balancing act: getting the temperature to rise while keeping the oxygen levels low. Kimberly is very good at it and I am trying to learn the process by shadowing her.

During the final soak the flames
come out of the flue trying to find oxygen.

Pulling the peep shows a lot of "back pressure".
Once again, the flame is escaping the kiln to find oxygen.
Vince looks on.

By the time I left, the temperature had fallen
from 2299 F to 1729 F with a long way to go.

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2016-09-06 - Tuesday - Kiln and Oreos

Tuesday night I witnessed the final soak at the end of the gas kiln firing. The kiln is in such heavy reduction that flame goes up the flume a ways in search of oxygen.

After I left Clayworks I went to Harris Teeter and saw these new Oreos. Whose horrible idea was this?! These people must be stopped.

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2015-08-08 - Saturday - Fire kiln

Saturday we fired the kiln all day. Since it's a matter of checking it every hour or so, it left us free to do other things while it fired. We worked on repairing a wheel, measuring out some glaze materials, and I threw some pots. (I know, go figure.)

Kim and I started off with some Bojangle's biscuits and a cup of tea. Later, Becky and I had a nice lunch of falafel wraps from La Shish Kabob.

It was a good day.

Always good luck to drink from a Doug Blythe mug on firing day.

9:00 am.

10:15 am

6:00 pm

8:15 pm
Final soak.

Butter dishes and platters.

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