Friday, March 21, 2014

I see sunshine


 There is hope people, there is hope.
We are enjoying some rare warm spring days even though I hear that next week we will return to some of the winter mix we have been having for what seems like forever.

This weather makes us all want to run out, dance, plant flowers, wear flip-flops, pack up the blankets and get out the sun glasses.

Mark and I were out yesterday, it was his birthday, I took him out for good food and a couple of drinks, and we were blinded by the light.
It was as if we had emerged from a deep hole in the ground.
What is that warm ball of light in the sky?
Where did it come from....

We're such tourist.

Birthday dinner was taken in at the new place in town Bias Hardware in Asheboro .
We had an amazing dinner of many wonderful things.
This business of new and wonderful places has been recent in our small town of Asheboro, but, oh, so welcome.
We then stopped in at The Table and I went in to pick up some cake for the birthday boy. We love having new and better just 20 minutes up the road.
It has occurred to me that if you are coming to Seagrove for a jaunt around to see the potteries then you should know there are new and great places to have dinner or breakfast .
I would suggest that you go to the Table for breakfast and then finish your day off with dinner at Bias.

What are we doing?
The other day I thought we were on a roll. I had glazed a kiln load of tiles, loaded the kiln, turned it on and I was working on more tiles that were ready to carve.
Mark was busy glazing his pots for the firing in Ms. B we were just working along. Then I checked the kiln. No heat... error1. Okay. I reset everything, just in case it was me and not the kiln and went away for an hour.
The kiln stayed at 138 degrees.
Not me.
It was time to get out the book and read the trouble shooting.
I read and thought that maybe I had a plate setter too close to the thermocouple.
I pulled out pots and looked at both thermocouples with a flashlight, then I thought I should just take a look at the box. I shined the light down in the box and all the top components looked good.
I looked further down in the box and then had a what's that momnet.
There it was, a small fire, flare up of some sort had happened and the wire had burn and separated from the connector. Bingo!
Parts are ordered and should be here next week.
I fully expected to be posting some pictures of newly fired tiles here so instead we move to Mark's pots for the firing in Ms. B.
He has put a lot of work into making, glazing and adding some new test glazes to the mix in order to get a load in.
He would really like to get this kiln going.
    

Even though this kiln does not hold the amount of pottery that the large gas kiln holds it is still weeks of work.
It's time to load her up and give her a go.
We would really like to work this baby out and if we could it would give us the opportunity to work on a smaller scale.

I would like to make more tiles, he would like to make some heavy reduction pots.
We'll see where this takes us.

Happy Sun.
M



9 comments:

Anna M. Branner said...

Despite my one foray into the electronics of my kiln I sincerely dread my first error message. Good for you for finding the problem! Greg and I both are looking forward to these next couple of warmer and sunny days. I will not think about Wednesday.

Brenda Neall said...

After error codes and uneven firings I am awaiting the arrival of new elements and thermocouplers for my first attempt at a solo refit of my kiln. May the kiln gods shine on us all AND Mrs B ;)

Dennis Allen said...

Imagine both my arms gesticulating to give both kilns some sort of mystical blessing.You might want to see if Tracey can get her Monks to do some intervention too ! Best of luck.

Gail said...

We have sun, too. Thanks be to God!
Enjoy yours. And happy firing.

smalltownme said...

Enjoy your spring!

Gary's third pottery blog said...

oh DANG, ugh, KILN repairs....bleh!

Tracey Broome said...

Buudha be with your kiln :-)
You guys put me to shame with all that hard work, I need to get on with the getting on! Yes, your restaurant chooses are wonderful' thanks for introducing me to both of them!
We need a trip there soon.
Happy Birthday, Mark!

Trish said...

Happy Spring to you both, Meredith.. thanks for posting the pics of flowers lately.. so nice to see. Sorry, but I think we will be sending you some more chilly weather.. -11C here again this morning. It just does not want to vacate and let the sunshine in... Good luck with the kiln..lots of great pots patiently waiting..
Cheers from Alberta. T.

cookingwithgas said...

It was spring on Saturday- and now we are back to that bone chilling cold.... this calls for more flowers.