Friday 23 February 2018

Firing the Train kiln "Skælskør Express"

Last week I booked in to Guldagergaard for a firing of the Train kiln - I hoped that I had collected enough work together to fill it entirely myself. It is not a big kiln, but my mainly pinched work doesn't take up much space. I had thrown bowls and mugs for the rear lower temperature section, and they would all be glazed. I had just enough work - it was not a tight pack.

 I think it is the first time I have fired this kiln with only my own work in it: a great opportunity to have sole control of every single thing about the firing. And fewer unpredictables with other people's work being involved.
I started the firing at 7am - almost daylight at this time of year. I had great help from Kaeli Benoit who had just arrived two days before from Canada to take up a kiln yard AIR residency. Later in the day Thomas Horner (from Northern Ireland) joined the firing team.
Around 11pm the cones were down (11, 12 in the first section, 13 softening) and 10 bending in the rear section. We continued to fire, and prepared the kiln for closing after midnight. But  when midnight cameI had second thoughts as the temperature had not topped again for some time, so took another hour and got it right up, before stopping around 1.30am. It was a very cold day, minus temperature all day and falling to minus 6 degrees as night fell but with no wind. Two days later I unpacked it.








Kiln opening







1 comment:

Anna said...

Well done, nice results