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offcntrSo this is my first firing since we rebuilt the kiln door. I've had scary reviews from the other potters who've fired it. Both report uneven temperature, random oxidation patches. Leaves me more than a little nervous.
But I spent a little time before we started loading the kiln, taking a hammer and piece to two-by-four to the brick chimney. Bricks had spread out with heat and expansion, leaving eighth-inch gaps, which certainly will affect the draft. I banged them shut again, which--I'm hoping--will help.
I'm also hoping that the slow over-night warm-up I give the kiln will make a difference as well. Both Jon and Tea start right in to firing, burners high. Maybe low burners and restricted damper will have let the temperature equalize before I put the spurs to it this morning.
So far, it looks promising. I started to candle 8:30 last night, and had orange heat at 6:00 this morning. Cone 08 went down at 6:30, body reduction over at 7:00. I'm somewhere between cones 1 and 4 right now, hoping that the bottom is catching up with the top as we gain heat.
Update: As of 11:30, cone 4 is just touching down on the bottom, three-quarters down on top. That's just perfect.
But I spent a little time before we started loading the kiln, taking a hammer and piece to two-by-four to the brick chimney. Bricks had spread out with heat and expansion, leaving eighth-inch gaps, which certainly will affect the draft. I banged them shut again, which--I'm hoping--will help.
I'm also hoping that the slow over-night warm-up I give the kiln will make a difference as well. Both Jon and Tea start right in to firing, burners high. Maybe low burners and restricted damper will have let the temperature equalize before I put the spurs to it this morning.
So far, it looks promising. I started to candle 8:30 last night, and had orange heat at 6:00 this morning. Cone 08 went down at 6:30, body reduction over at 7:00. I'm somewhere between cones 1 and 4 right now, hoping that the bottom is catching up with the top as we gain heat.
Update: As of 11:30, cone 4 is just touching down on the bottom, three-quarters down on top. That's just perfect.