Wysing firing log

Feb 16th - 19th 2006

Poplar, pine and walnut

Cones: 07 01 3 7 9 10 11 12 13

11.30am Thursday Kiln lit, small fire at the front of kiln. Poplar used to warm up the kiln.

7.30pm Thurs Cone 07 over at the front continuing to use poplar through the night.

10.30am Fri Cone 7 bending at front, start side stoking walnut to build coals intermittent with last of poplar.

4pm Fri Poplar finished, start stoking using one stoke pine followed by one stoke of walnut. Lower fire mouth bricked up

10.30pm Fri Cone 10 bending at front lower fire mouth opened a little and commence rhythm of roughly 4 hours with lower fire mouth bricked and then 4 hours with it opened slightly

7.30 am Sat Cone 12 starting to bend at front cone 7 bending at back. Continue stoking pine and walnut.

11am Sat Cone 12 and 13 moving together at front cone 9 starting to bend at back

4pm Sat. Passive dampers removed from chimney continue one stoke pine and one stoke walnut. Cone 9 down at back.

7am Sun Lower fire mouth opened almost fully stoking rate increased both with pine and walnut. Cone 10 at back starting to bend.

10am Sun Cone 12 down at front and cone 13 half over cone 10 at back over 11 starting to bend.

12pm Sun Cone 11 half over at back. Finish.

Kiln sealed at front, chimney capped and firebox filled with pine and walnut. Continue to top up firebox with walnut slats roughly every twenty minutes resealing side stoke hole after each stoke. Kiln reduction cooling, plenty of black smoke from back of kiln for about ten minutes after each stoke.

2pm Sun Reduction cooling finished side stoke hole firmly sealed. Kiln allowed to cool naturally. 2 hour reduction cool.

75 hour firing