Debra and I are firing more frequently which is a good thing… Sundays seems to be the preferred day – we load late Saturday afternoon and I get up a couple of times through the night to turn it up and we are hopefully complete to 2300 F degrees around 2. Today is a bright clear day and we like that as there is no walking back and forth in the rain…
Deb is busy, almost frantic actually, getting ready for an exhibit opening next Saturday while I seem to have more time on my hands. We were able to pack this kiln really tightly and are getting more even heat on the top and bottom and actually have back pressure in the bottom peep hole while the temperature still rises.
At 2200 F we are beginning to get a little impatient and shouldn’t be really as this is a critical time in the firing – reduction is completed and we’re trying to equalize bottom and top, clear the kiln all while trying to reach 2300 degrees F, or what is known as cone 10.
We wind down at 3:00 pm, taking longer than we thought – the bottom is again about a cone higher than the top. We will wait the requisite time for cooling to about 250 degrees F and open the following day. Some of the results of this firing are in the colours! Lots to think about and work on.