Reduction Cooling

We decided to reduction cool the spring firing. I have done this before and have gotten nice clay body color and also very nice ash color.
The kiln was first all shut down and silled up with one side stoke left to stoke into. Lee took the first shift and stoked a few pieces of wood into the kiln every ten to fifteen minutes to keep the atmosphere smoky and reducing. I took the second shift and continued until the temperature was at about 1600F. This took about six hours. Now we wait and see how the pots look... sometimes the hardest part!

Staring into paradise

Lynn took this picture of me stoking on the fourth day, I'm always surprised at how crazed I look.

Fire Gazing

Ah. Here is a nice picture of Leona Rock side stoking at the end of the firing.

Pots in fire

Here is a picture of the pots in the front of the kiln at about cone 010. Tuesday morning, three days to go.

Some loading pics from the spring 2008 firing

Here are some pictures of the pots for the spring firing as they are loaded into the kiln. I am still inside the kiln wadding the last pots in the firebox while Leona is bricking up the door. This is an odd feeling to say the least.

Some square plates and bottles

Here are some squared plates and bottles ready to go into the kiln. The bottles are put on top of the plates with shells in between. The plates have a shino glaze on them that works well with the shells. I'm trying a saturated iron glaze that has worked well in woodfiring. Well it's time to go back into the kiln.

Snow

Well another slowdown on the spring wood firing. The snow started yesterday and is still snowing this morning. This weekend was a big weekend of loading. That's completely out the window! This has not been a gentle snowfall, there are blizzard like conditions at times and the roads are not to be driven on. Yikes!! I have moved the wood firing back a week and will plan on starting the firing on Sunday May 11 or Monday May 12. Fortunately I don't have any pressing deadline for these pots. This is the third major snow fall this month!!
It will be a weekend of potting inside. What to make.

Firing

A little woodfire history!

New pots for the spring wood fire

New work for spring woodfiring