Topping out!

When they finish the framing of a tall building they "top" it by erecting a Christmas tree on the highest steel. I didn't feel the Christmas tree thing, but thought a salt/ash glazed jug might do the job. The kiln is about 99% done.



Here are some pictures of the cutting through the roof and flashing out the opening.







I didn't quite get it. One side held water out fine, but the other leaked badly.



Looking at it, I can see where the caulking needs to go. I am thinking of using a "tar" to fill the pools that form up slope from the chimney. The other option is to fabricate some metal flashing to do the same thing. As I don't have metal forming tools this might be a little challenging.



I also had a problem with some of the silcon caulk I used. It didn't set and washed out in the rain. I wiped it off and will replace it with a better brand of caulk.



I have all my shelves loaded into the kiln to dry out in a test firing. They had been kept in a wood box under tarps, but moisture got in. It seem to cause the coating that the shelves are covered with when shipped into an acid which etched itself into the shelf. Below is a picture of the most damaged. Not the best.



I will cut the bricks for the door and then slowly get it hot!