Kiln Build
In the Spring of 2023 I tore down my old downdraft wood kiln and began building a large cross draft wood kiln in it’s place. There were many factors that led to the design but I knew that I wanted to achieve natural ash effects on the pots as well as have a protected area for my alkaline and celadon glazes. The overall dimensions are 7ft W x 4ft H x 18ft L and the kiln holds between 400-600 pots depending on size. I chose a catenary arch since there would be very little buttressing and I tapered the back to eliminate any cold sections toward the rear of the kiln. The firebox is near the ware level to encourage ash development and there is a grate in the middle of the firebox which helps control the ember pile. After a few firings I’ve settled on a 48 hour firing schedule. This seems sufficient for ash development in the front stack and allows me to bring the back up to temperature slowly to melt the glazes. The kiln and I are still getting to know each other but I’m sure it will be a complicated relationship for years to come.