I am picking up the building of the kiln in mid-process. I hope to show the design and construction from the start, but if I try to do that here and now...well, it just won't get done. So we start at layer 5 for now and the rest will come...really.

Layer 5 is a header course where the bricks go cross ways. The purpose of doing this is to add stability to the wall. I struggled to get this level as the hard brick on the inside isn't exactly the same height as the Insulating Fire Brick on the outside. I am also fighting a bit of a sag in the middle of the left side wall. It is not big, but enough to bug me.



The next layer, 6, has the ports for adding the soda/salt. I am planning on using a sprayer and with the soda ash and/or salt dissolved. The ports are 3" x 3". The original design had ports only on one side of the firebox, but I decided to add them to both sides to give me a little more ability to get the glazing uniform.

Here in the country, we do not have the hustle and bustle of the city. I do not miss the traffic jams on I59 or I10 in Houston at all. Or the pace of always having to be on the move and doing something that the urban life seems to foster.

But we do have severe air traffic control problems! The landings and take offs from the "airport" on the porch are frequent and chaotic. We have two feeders and get gatherings of 18 to 20 birds in the dawn and sunset hours - rush hour traffic! The birds are fearless. I can stand out by the feeders and they will come within arms reach, hover and look at me like "and what do you think you are doing here?"

This blog has been sleeping for a long, long time. No excuses. Just haven't been posting. However, I think that it is time to wake up the sleepy head and reconnect with the world. I guess my river buddy and glass artist Ellen has inspired me. I will try to post more often.

A good deal has changed since the last post. I am no longer studying at the Appalachian Center for Craft and have been building my own studio. The studio is located at our home on Puckett Point Road in Smithville, TN. It has taken a while, but the studio is operational and I have been throwing, firing bisque and glazing. For glaze firing I have been working with my friends at Creek Bend Pottery and doing wood-fire, salt glazed ware. If you are interested in the process of wood firing and salt glazing, please see the blog Firing@CreekBend Pottery.

Just recently I did an oxidation firing in my Cress E27. While this firing range isn't my first love, I think I will do some ware this way. Below is a picture of a pitcher from that firing.