Hot summer

My studio is on the top floor (4th floor) of old brick building facing south.  Every summer, the studio got hot after 3PM, baked through the window and the roof.  This year, the summer has been just HOT. I finally got an air conditioner, 80,000BTU.  I wanted 100,000 BTU, but was too heavy to move in out of the window by myself.  I figure I need to remove it during the firing to get outside cooler air.   It has been working better than expected, I got 10 degrees cooler than outside. A day after any firing, bisque or glaze firing though, just a drop in a bucket.



The downtown Syracuse festival is this coming Friday through Sunday.  I have one firing done, and another on Tuesday. I usually do not like unloading the kiln day before the show.  I unload the kiln, pack them, bring home, unpack and rearrange with other inventories, then load the van.  Too much.  Anyway, Monday is expected nineties and gusting up 30mph.

I got the smart phone to use with the square credit card reader.  I like it.  It is easy to use, and the credit card payment on a spot is huge plus.  I can't believe how far we came.  We used to use a knuckle buster, and bring the receipts to the bank on Monday. Only problem I have is my phone drain battery so quickly, and need some back-up battery.  I could use the netbook to juice it up, but not compact.....

Plate setter

I got the plate setters, to save some space in the kiln. I hate to use them in the front row of the kiln, where does not get good pull at some stage of firing and choke up the kiln.  So it leaves me to middle or back of the kiln.  It does save the space great, but it is very hard to set up on my front loading kiln.

It has been a hectik.  My studio has been just hot, above 90°F almost all the time.   I need to get an air conditioner. I don't like the air conditioner, but.... I might have no choice.



Half of show done. This is very dry summer, and somehow it managed to rain last two shows, at least each of one day of two.  Sales are good, but the impulse buying of small items are not happening.  Is this reflection of the economy?  I start seeing this last year.