Friday, March 8, 2013

Firing Solo!

The Treasures of the Earth Show in Shelby, NC ended yesterday and to make the best use of our time Jeff drove up there today to pack up our display while I stayed home and fired the kiln. You may remember that Jeff typically fires the gas kiln. I often make adjustments when he asks me too but basically, he is in charge. Since moving to Seagrove I haven't fired this little kiln from start to finish on my own. I swore I was going to learn this kiln and it is so easy to put off when there is someone else there to do.

Today I had to do it out of necessity!


I didn't have any trouble keeping the temperature rising to 200 degrees per hour, it seems like I struggled with that in my big kiln in NH. It either went too fast or too slow.

 View through the passive damper when I put her into reduction

View through the damper

My test mugs are in this kiln as well one of Jeff's vessels sinks, glazed in shino. It's an order... I guess he trusts me with the firing! We will probably be done about 10:30 tonight, unload late Sunday or Monday morning.
Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me!!!!
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4 comments:

  1. Mr. YoungMarch 8, 2013 at 11:32 PM

    I hope to se a kiln firing in your area while I'm there

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tracey BroomeMarch 8, 2013 at 11:35 PM

    Aren't you glad I'm not firing it? Hope it goes better than my last firing :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Linda StarrMarch 9, 2013 at 2:16 AM

    Good for you, here's hoping for a great firing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Michèle HastingsMarch 9, 2013 at 10:27 AM

    Mr. Young - with all the kilns in Seagrove, I am sure someone will be firing that week!

    Tracey - I think you have a hard kiln to fire and it would probably take a few back to back firings and expecting the loss, to get it right. The first time I fired my 60 cubic foot kiln in NH I had a whole load of skin colored shino... yuck!

    Linda - thanks for good wishes!

    ReplyDelete

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