Though I am firing, I don’t know as much as I’d like about the equipment I’m using. When it just works, this doesn’t matter. When it doesn’t…

Tonight we loaded up the kiln; I have a couple more experiments in there… more porcelain teabowls with shinos, a little cornell iron saturate, the first of my mixed reclaim (that’s another story), a made-up ash glaze (I don’t know a lot about ash glazes either but it’s not stopping me), and a couple more experimental slips. No, I haven’t given you more than a glimpse of the last firing’s work, but I actually have some thoughts to share at this point. Soon.

It’s fun to brick up the kiln door. Good bye, pieces, safe journey, see you on Tuesday.

Burners. Had a bit of a panic; went to candle and sparky on the far burner wasn’t sparking so the burner wouldn’t light, safety equipment turns the kiln off. It took two of us to figure out the non-sparking, since the far burner is audible but invisible from the gas valve. One of the resident artists was still in. Some fussing, call to Lillstreet’s kiln goddess, not finding extra parts to swap out, and more fussing. (If I found anything other than new wires, would I have figured out what to take apart?) In the end, used a torch as a pilot to light the other burner. Candle away.

And then I did an elated happy dance; we found a solution and the firing is still on. It would’ve been schedule havoc for all, otherwise, to push it off. I will be learning burner anatomy shortly, as well as participating in whatever repair is necessary.

The roof of the kiln has been moving, too, to an extent that causes concern. The roof as a whole, perhaps, but definitely some of the individual bricks. Nobody knows if it’s just the wear on the kiln, or if doing longer firings with (18 hours to the normal 14-16, 20-22 on occasion) is causing accelerated wear. It’s been said by some that the roof was never right. I wonder where the problem lies.

In a few short hours I’ll be starting the firing… good night!