I put Estrin (new kiln) through the paces of her first bisque firing yesterday. I was in the garage at 6am when it was -18C with the wind chill. She worked great and the bisque was a complete success. Not a single crack or loss! It took 10.5 hours to get her to just short of 1800 F. A little slower than it could have been but I was paranoid and I wasn't sure how fast the kiln would heat up so I was playing it safe. At 7:30am today the temp was still 300 F with the peep holes open and -10.5C outside.The picture above is the bisque ware fresh out of the kiln ready to be glazed. Tomorrow I will load up the kiln again for a glaze firing. Cross your fingers!
Dyna (the old kiln) has found a new home at a shelter in East Vancouver. The man who picked it up repairs kilns and will be able to get her going without much cost. So everyone is happy!
