Notes on firing:
I bisque fire to ^07-06 (~1000° C) in an electric
kiln. The bisque fire is slow - approximately 24 hours. The kiln
lid and floor have 1/2" ventilation holes (two in floor, two
in lid) that provide a natural draft for good oxidation during the
firing.
The reduction kiln is fired in oxidation to ^012.
At that time, I begin a relatively heavy reduction for about 45
minutes. This early reduction favors the shinos, celadons, and ocassional
copper reds that I fire. After 45 minutes, a moderate reduction
is maintained until ^10 is half way down. I then go to a stronger
reduction again for 30 minutes. Then the burners and dampers are
adjusted to provide an oxidizing soak for 2 hours. The kiln is clammed
up and cooled.
The soda kiln is fired in relatively light reduction
starting later - ^07 for about 40 minutes. The fire is maintained
neutral to slightly oxidizing until ^9 is starting down, when the
salting process begins. Salting is done in moderate reduction to
keep the vapors in the kiln, but with damper fluttering to help
move the rather stubborn soda vapors through the chamber. The salting
process proceeds over about a 2 hour period.
I have tried a variety of means of delivering the
soda into my firings ranging from Gail Nichols' technique (which
involves making a plaster like mass of whiting, soda ash and sodium
bicarbonate), to mixing soda ash with damp wood shavings, to simply
spraying a soda ash solution into the kiln. Unexpectedly, the simplest
method has turned out to produce the best results. I use a garden
sprayer (with a brass wand!) to deliver 2-3 pounds of soda ash into
my 24 cubic foot kiln. This yields the best surfaces in my opinion.
My kiln was designed with several salting ports. However, I generally
use a single one - the one in the front of the kiln over the firebox,
with some auxillary spraying in the rear corresponding port and
in throug the three burner ports. I gave up on the Nichols technique only
because I didn't enjoy having to clean out the firebox after every firing
(which involved dismantling and rebuilding the bagwall). Otherwise,
it and the wood chip method work well.
If you know of or have used other methods for delivering soda,
I would certainly be interested to hear about them. Thank you. <bbuckner@sodaglaze.com>
|