Firing perfect

Kiln fired perfectly.  It acted different as expected.  Actually it worked my favor.  I needed to push in the damper more, that better for reduction.  I am not 100 % sure this is due to the kiln repair or the frigid temperature outside, or plate setters inside. Most bricks seem one piece now. One odd thing is a bottom part of the kiln door turned brown.  I guess small particle from the mortar was chipped away from near the target brick where I used the mortar.  It did not collect on the wares.

This is new plate design.  Forbes Emulsion Wax from Highwater Clay is easier to resist the glaze.  My new piece of 2013.

Frigid

We are in frigid weather this week.  I think today's high was like 12°F.  Just cold outside.   But not my studio.  It hit 85°F.  I can tell you these old steam furnace works too well. Sun was very strong, and felt so good today.



 

 

 

 

 

 

I finished repairing the kiln. Patching split bricks were not easy.  I am afraid I did not wet bricks enough.  I probably need to go back to repair or replace these bricks later.  Now, I am wondering how these repairs would affect a firing.  Will find out by early next week.

Kiln maintenance

The first firing of 2013 is in the book.  It was overall good firing, though I am noticing a small piece fused on the edge of the pot recently.  I vacuumed the kiln before the firing, and had lost couple pieces this way.  I checked the inside the kiln, and found the firebrick near the target brick looked chunky.

 

I decided to repair. Bricks are not mortared, but was not easy to pull out.  I wound up using the drill and chisel to chip away.  Many bricks are split into two sideways, so the front face came off, but the rest of the brick were still there.  As if the interior of the brick were burned, and the outer side of the brick looked new.   I finished putting in new bricks today.  I will fill the gap with fiberglass and mortar some loose pieces tomorrow.

New year.

January 8th, already. As my mother-in-law passed last summer,  I am skipping New Year's greetings. This is more like Japanese thing, I think.

I am back to the studio since January 2nd. I have not come up new items for this year yet, maybe dinner plates.  I do not usually bring the dinner plates to shows, but maybe.  I bought the plate setter last year, and can use them.  Do you have any idea what I should make?