Blog : gas reduction kiln

The First Glaze Firing at sfclayworks

The First Glaze Firing at sfclayworks

Been a while since I have updated my personal blog. Besides this jfujiclayware blog, I have also been  maintaining the blog at sfclayworks.com, the blog for my new studio.

Somehow or other my desire to keep sfcw website current and vital has taken over my blogging energy. I also find that so much of the news is of crossover interest, that I feel like if you look at one blog you will know everything on the other.

When I first started this blogging business it seemed a bit strange typing personal thoughts, and spreading them into the blogosphere, but in general the words seem to flow and I find it to be a good way to clear my thoughts whether anyone reads my website or not.

The biggest news these days is that we recently fired up the new gas reduction kiln at sfclayworks and I am happy to report we managed to reach cone 9+ in approximately 10 hours.

We started the firing worried we would not reach temperature at all as we had previously done a bisque firing and had trouble reaching bisque temperature.

After consulting with the local kiln installer and also with our kiln builder, we changed the orifice size on our venturi burners so that they are a larger size to accommodate our current  level of gas pressure. We also removed a red plastic plug that was left in our gas line by our kiln builder.

Hmmm, I suppose that gas line obstruction was a HUGE problem with our original bisque fire fiasco.

Gas Kiln Countdown!

Gas Kiln Countdown!

Hard to believe, but only 5 more days before the arrival of our gas reduction kiln. The kiln was ordered at the end of 2011 after we made the decision as to what we wanted.

We are purchasing our kiln through Leslie Ceramics of Berkeley, CA. During the month and a half since we decided what to purchase, our kiln was being constructed in southern California by Ceramic Services.

Last week the gas line was dropped in through the roof and PGE is on tap to upgrade our meter very soon. We still need to run the vent up, bolt the kiln down,  do the final gas hook up, do some roof repairs and maybe have a pizza party.