Making Pots - |
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Bill's Rotational Kinetic Energy Device in
action!
An "upcycled" washing machine, used as a simple wheel to
throw a coiled pot. |
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Caroline Sharp's vessels.
Coiled and
pinched.
Pale slip glaze. |
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Caroline Sharp's vessels and bowls.
Some
black clay. |
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A few of Nix's cups and mugs.
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The bases of Nix mugs and cups. |
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Worm's eye view of Nix's cups and mugs. |
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Bird's eye view of Nix cups and mugs. |
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New thermocouples, a different type to those
used before - more traditional. |
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Those new thermocouple probes are thicker, so
needed new sheaths to protect them from the attack of the ash in the
kiln. |
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Nix has stuffed a few cockle shells to support
her pots away from sticking to the shelves because of the ash. |
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The cat inspector looking a Nix's packaged
pots. |
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Nix pots ready for the road. |
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Nix banded pots. The unglazed band will be
stained by the reduction and ash in the kiln to give a pleasing
contrasted band against the white glaze. |
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Loading Pots |
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The empty kiln ready for loading to commence. |
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Quarter full. Nix pots, some on the cooler
bottom layer laid on their sides to see if a nice set of shell marks
can be left.
A shelf full of Caroline's vessels sneaked in, a good
bit of training for Nix in the art of loading thin based unstable
objects. |
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Back half of the kiln chamber filled by Nix.
A very neat piece of work! |
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Nix loading. Captured on Bill's antique mobile
device. |
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Ditto.
Now waiting for the rest of the
crew to come and load their efforts. |
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The tunnel from the chamber into the bottom of
the chimney was rebuilt.
Partly using HTI bricks from Bill's old
electric kiln.
The vertical kiln shelf is designed to push in at
the end of the firing to close off the chimney during cooling. |
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Nick loading his pots (and a few others) into
the kiln.
Richard is on the "Patio" applying Shiny White glaze to
his pots, one of which is the large urn at the top. |
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Nick still loading.... |
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Richard pretending to load his large urn. |
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Pots loaded so far. |
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Nick breaking up pallets. |
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Laurence loading, after Sarah had put hers in. |
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Laurence looking a bit Cornish!? |
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Laurence almost finished loading. Just a few
minor adjustments after this and then the bricking up of the door.
Quite a tight pack, with too many pots to choose from!
Sorry to
those potters whose pots did not all get in, or were taken out again
to make space for others!! |
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Firing Kiln - |
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All bricked up and ready to fire |
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Laurence resting after a night stoking the kiln
every hour? |
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Late morning stokers. |
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Birgit stoking |
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Nix stoking. |
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Birgit in action. |
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Standby stokers ready for action. |
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The hippies arrived for the fish and chips! |
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The thermocouples with a few flames exiting
from their badly sealed entrance.
The usual probe is above the new
probe (which has a larger diameter)
There was not much difference
between them - both out of calibration with the digital reader. |
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Evening stokers. |
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Belinda stoking. |
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Nick stoking |
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The night watch. |
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Taking it easy.
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Bill checking the cones.
The stoking
finished at 5.30am, after a nice long soaking, with the cones 8 & 9
well over. |
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Unloading Pots |
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First glimpse, top brick courses removed to let
the chamber cool a bit more before unloading.
Good reduction, nice
speckling.
Cone 10 beginning to go in top middle. |
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Left side top glimpse.
Richard's urn and top
of Nick's upright circular piece.
Laurence's porcelain in middle,
showing reduced copper. |
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Right hand side top. |
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Whole of front after brick door removed.
Looking tasty toasty! |
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top close-up |
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Bottom close-up |
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Mark's kiln gods and Martin's egg. |
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Terry's light oatmeal offerings, splendid
speckling from ash landing on glaze. |
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Helen's sculptures |
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Nick's collection. Fantastic use of texture,
breaking glazes. |
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Sarah's, lovely speckled satin finish . |
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Laurence's bird perching in the flames. |
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Almost half unloaded. |
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Nix inspecting before starting to unload. |
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Laurence's pieces. |
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Otto's unglazed urns and bowls. |
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Laurence's |
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Laurence's porcelain twisted lidded jar. |
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Laurence's mug.
Shino style glaze. |
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Laurence's porcelain jug |
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Laurence's honey jar |
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Laurence's porcelain goblet with reduced copper
red flashes |
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Nix happily surveying all her wares. |
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Report and Conclusions |
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The kiln firing log - 36.56 hours total. No records
for Laurence's overnight tending, he kept it at about 200C. Cones
started to bend properly over at about 3am, then we kept going until
5.20am, when they were well over, digital thermometer reading 1210C
- known to be about 60C out of calibration.
The new thermocouple probes seemed to be about the
same amount out of calibration, the probe nearer where the flame
enters the chamber registered higher temperatures most of the time,
but evened out towards the end of the firing.
A very successful firing, great reduction and ash
speckle - perhaps thanks to Laurence's trick of shoveling some of
the ash from the pit up over the burning wood, sending fly ash
through the kiln.
A very pleasant experience for all involved, a calm
vibe was felt and folk enjoyed chatting.
Level 5 certificates in preparation!
Comments are very welcome - email Bill Crumbleholme
Nix's wares can be seen and purchased at her website
and etsy
shop :-
https://www.nixhawkinsceramics.com
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/NixHawkinsCeramics
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Thanks to everyone who helped with
the firing and made it such an enjoyable event. |
