ZALT on sun 7 dec 97
Mel wrote;
I have found over the years that what is being fired, how the kiln is
stacked, and how many pots are in the kiln has a great influence on the
outcome of the firing. (even with an oxyprobe).....If my kiln is poorly
stacked...shelves all parallel, i could have 50 lucky charms hanging from
the kiln, kiln gods on top...and pray all evening, and the damn thing will
fire like crap...
Mel;
Thanks for the little discussion on kiln firing. It came at a good time. We
fired last week and it was a bit of a let down for some of the group sharing
the kiln. There must have been a real bad kiln god working to make my efforts
look like a direct hit on the work of the others.
First, we all place our own work. This means that if anyone has a special
place for a special glaze they are allowed to select their place unless a
discussion arises that requries an negotiated settlement.
Second, two of the potters had a severe melt down the week prior and were a
bit nervous about this firing. They had remixed their glaze and tested the
melt in an electric kiln.
We fired the kiln with reduction beginning at 010/09 for a good hour and light
reduction for the remainder of the firing. There was a short period (approx
2 hours) when the kiln went out of reduction, we returned to the light
reduction for the remainder of the firing, total firing time is approx 17
hours. and when we opened it we found that the entire right side of the kiln
was oxidized and the left was well reduced. We found that the shinos were
carbon traped and the opel blues were all blistered on the rims and more of a
flowing white glaze with just a hint of blue in it. The celedons were grey
blue outside bowls and deep blue inside the bowls.
The hard part to accept was that my work ,that was scattered all over the
kiln, was fired to a very acceptable state. My copper red was red, my wet
ash glaze was fully reduced and wet looking, and my shaner iron red was as
always. My teal green, that shows blue when oxidized, was a perfect teal
green.
Their work was not what they wanted and my was. This has made it very
difficult to explain what went wrong with their firing. My only response is
that the kiln gods are not looking favourable towards their work.
Terrance.
St Hubert, Quebec, Canada!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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