Results of firing #2 in the new smaller kiln named little bit*#...

a first look

door down

door part way down

 I just asked mark what we are going to call this kiln and his response was he is calling it little bit*#... because she seems to have a way about her that just makes one feel... well feel like she is in control of things.
The firing went well enough but this much I will tell you:
It went too long- about 16 hours- we should be able to fire this kiln in less time.
It wanted to stall and played hell at the end of the fire and it took some real messing to keep thing going up.
We bent a cone 11 at the top right but only bent a 9 at the bottom.
We put some cones all over the kiln and from the second bottom shelf up things look pretty good.
The bottom shelf was not as cold as the first firing but still not great.
I have set aside about 1/2 the pots from that shelf to fire again.
With all of this said we are happy with most of the pots that came out and the best thing is the kiln is small enough to do another firing pretty soon.
With some fine tuning.
What is the plan for firing number 3?
Replace back bunner.
Open bottom up to 7 or 8 inches from 6 inches.
Use different glazes on the bottom shelf.

And just keep working it until maybe we call call her little darling.
M

We all have our job

Today we are doing firing number two in the new smaller gas kiln.
We loaded the kiln on Sunday but Mark was out and about and I am not ready to fire the kiln solo ....yet......
So this morning we lit, lighted,the kiln and we are chugging along.
I am hanging with Mark and learning the fine art of listening to the burners.
Don't you love the sound of a gas kiln- like a heartbeat.
Anyway Mark is trying to teach me the forgotten art of gas fire.
When we were students I would start the kiln and do the early turn ups and then Mark would come in and finish the kiln.
We had two small kids and I would pick them up from the school's daycare and head home for Mother duty so I really never learned to fire the gas kiln.
Then when we built the BIG gas kiln Mark took that on too.
We both did everything, throwing, bisque fire, glaze, load but he fired.
I have a goal that I will learn how to fire this new kiln.
And now that it is out there I guess I better!

I am thinking about marketing my brush holder- any takers?
What do yo think 9.95?
I think I can get them in a USPO box for cheap shipping.

We saved some seconds to fire and this is how I heat them up.
I place them on top of the electric kilns just after they are just finish firing and then I will place them in my baby test kiln to  make sure I have heated them up enough.
This helps keep them from blowing up.
We once put a pitcher that had sat around about 3 years in the big gas kiln- blew the bottom right out of that pitcher.
Lesson learned.

This is a vase we also have in this kiln firing,
The first go round these had big crawls on them.
I set them aside for the first couple of firings in the new kiln.
I put one in the last kiln and it fired up really nice.
Let me see if I can do that again.
It does help to get the pot nice and warm before putting on the glaze.
Then wait for it to dry - I put the iron red on- then when it was dry I put some ash glaze on top.

Teapots! I got two in and I wanted all 4 in.
I am still use to that BIG kiln that ate pots!
Not so with the little gal we have now.
A name- what could we call this little kiln.
Do you name your kilns?
The folks who bought our electric kilns do.
I use to name our cars but never named the kiln.

Better go check the temperature and pretend I am paying attention!
Cheers!
M