Teaser

The kiln was unloaded yesterday, always with a little anxiety because maybe it was too hot, maybe too fast, maybe too much reduction or not enough.  Usually it's been good since the bloating problem was fixed but yesterday it was sad.  Almost all the temmokus (the blacks) ran.  Badly.   Some of the runs can be ground off and the pots sold as seconds but many have landed on the shard pile.   And the fault was all mine.  I didn't test the glazes for thickness (after 7 months of not being used) before glazing the pots so the glaze was on way too thick, which makes it run.  And I think held the kiln too long at the top temperature trying to smooth out blisters and made the glaze melt too much.  

In spite of temmoku disaster the rest of the pots came out quite well and I'll have photos in a day or two.

Just starting to take down the door.

Door down.

First stack.

All Clammed Up and Ready to Go

Seemed for awhile that I would never get here but the kiln is finally loaded, clammed up and ready for the firing tomorrow.  It was supposed to be cold and rainy all week but today was gorgeous - warm and sunny,  blue skies with puffy white clouds - but I'm hoping for colder and cloudy tomorrow so we don't cook for the last half of the firing.  Everything will be unloaded on May 30th and photos should be posted a few days after.   

Baby Steps

Only a few pots after only a little discomfort and no lasting pain.  A pretty good start.  Tomorrow the handles go on and I'll try another 10 or so.  Feeling cautiously hopeful which is easy when the days are full-on sunshine with more to come.  Forecast is for 27 degrees C. every day for the next week!

Casting

After a few months of procrastinating I finally cast the new hearth and lintel for the stoke hole of the kiln.  Last firing the already broken hearth brick broke again and threatened to fall off during the firing so if I want to fire I have to cast.  It was messy and took much longer than I thought but it's done.  Now they just need to cure for a bit before they're fired in the bisque kiln.

Cottles shiny with Murphy's Oil Soap and waxed rebar that will strengthen  the cast.

Cast hearth brick that will support the stoke hole door.

Cast lintel that will support the bricks over the stoke hole.

All the Glory of Spring

Haven't been making pots because of a shoulder problem.  Haven't been doing any blog posts because there was nothing nothing new to report but now the sun is shining for days in a row and everything is blooming and I can hardly stand how beautiful it all is and how good it smells.  The urge to make pots is coming on strong and tomorrow I'm going to give it a try - just a little bit - and if all goes well there'll be a firing before the end of the month.  Market season has started and the shelves are bare.