Double Kiln Duty

I am exhausted, so I will keep this short. I wanted to share my adventure of helping with two kilns this weekend! It was great to not only get a few pots fired, but also to experience two very different kiln styles. On Saturday I helped Sid Luck with the last half of his kiln firing. Today I helped Joseph Sand with the last part of his kiln firing (well, the last 8 or 9 hours!). At Sid's numerous people help out with the stoking. At Joseph's today, I stood pretty much in front of the toasty 2350 degree front opening where I was stoking.

My "residence" today at Joseph Sand's

Levi Mahan and several other local potters helped with stoking the side ports

It was really great to have the experience of keeping a close eye on the temperature and gaining and understanding of when to stoke, how much to stoke, and how much wood to use. On the mention of temperature, Joseph uses pyrometers! I'm a big fan of knowing the temperature of a kiln, so it was great to see the kiln hooked up in several places.

Pyrometers on top of Joseph Sand's kiln

Both Sid and Joseph salt their kilns with leaf blowers. Sid only uses the leaf blower in the front half of the kiln and puts a few cupfuls of salt into the ports on top of the kiln. Joseph uses the leaf blower in the front and down the ports on either side of the kilns.

Sid Luck and his son, Jason, salting on the left, and Joseph Sand salting on the right

I am deeply grateful to both of these potters for giving me the opportunity to help fire their kilns. Here is hoping all turns out well. I will post the results later this week!

One of my mugs in the center of the photo in Sid Luck's kiln on the front bag wall

One of Joseph's jars during the crash cool

Sid Luck sitting on the swing under the kiln shelter at Luck's Ware