It’s hot. Hot. Hot! Loading the kiln today. Soon the first bisque firing will be underway (as soon as the undies in the dryer are done! Kiln and dryer are on the same circuit and, therefore, can not run at the same time.)
The pots have been allowed to air dry up to this point; pots are “bone dry”. Now, it’s time to turn up the heat to rid the clay of water and to prepare the clay for glazes. During the bisque firing, the kiln temperature is increased slowly which lessens the chance of a pot cracking or exploding during the glaze firing. The point is to get rid of all water down to the very last molecule!
UPDATE: It’s going on 8:30 pm. Kiln still going. This is the part that I don’t like – the waiting. The kiln could go on for a couple more hours or it could shut itself off any minute! All has to do with the temperature inside the kiln…and so I wait. 🙂
UPDATE: Now it’s 9:30 pm. Kiln still glowing. I’m starting to grow anxious. I think it’s because I’m tired. I don’t remember bisque firings taking this long but they say the firings can be 8 to 10 hours.
Click!
Just heard the kiln sitter click off! Whoot! That means the kiln has reached temperature and the magic begins and I can go to bed!
Back Porch Studio 