Here's my Intermittent firing log from the last firing, as the kiln is getting closer to temp I do an ox/red each hour then clean up at the end of the firing with ox. All controlled by the simple sliding damper mechanism at the flue base.. 1 inch - 2 inch on each side.
The reduction starts at 1000deg. or 900 if I'm doing a copper red firing.
Watching for smoke at the flue and flame at the bung..depending on whether I want a heavy or light reduction for this firing I wanted some carbon trapping so smoke was a good thing!
So 6pm I open up the dampers fully for 15mins, then push back in 1-1 1/2 inch for 45min, and repeat till cone 10 down which was 9.30pm
I introduced some red gum chunks at cone 9 into the bung hole each hour til finish. and that's it close everything off and block up all air intakes...
The kiln log is pretty cool - I've never seen a form like this that includes stacking info, along with graph paper to track temp, reduction etc.
ReplyDeleteI'm not well versed in reduction firing (have the basics down - along with concept), but am going to suggest something like this to the Colorado Potters Guild.
Brilliant - thanks. I can try that although I have a feeling if I reduce for 45 minutes I'd have ice coming from the kiln not smoke. But I didn't leave it long enough to see how far it dropped.
ReplyDeleteCan't see the tour videos on the iphone so will look later.
PB-the kiln may need some tweeking like i did mine get some more oxygen into the mix to help burn the fuel, when I start reduction the kiln prob drop 100deg on pyro and takes maybe hr or even 2 to see it climb again- at this pt I pretty much ignore the pyro (watch the cones later) and follow my logs to see if I'm on track as you can see by my log' the 2nd half of firing-the red. is just about as long as the 1st' happy pot making..
ReplyDeletecynthia-we used these logs in college I've just added the stack for my reference..