DIY Burners / Continued from Page 4

A typical firing consists of:

* Glazing and loading in the morning to afternoon. The kiln is closed

up by about 4 p.m. The lid is put on, chimney attached, torches
positioned.

* Open damper half way or half open.

* Open top spy hole.

* Gas pressure at about one-half pound.

* Light torches and set on low.

* Put in thermocouple and connect milliVolt meter.

* I check the reading every 15 minutes.

* When it reaches and passes 100 degrees Celsius, I turn up the gas
to a quarter turn and the damper at one-quarter open.

* After 15 minutes, gas goes to one-half turn.

* When it reaches red heat, I turn the gas pressure to one-and-a-half
Ibs and the throttle to full and the damper to three-eighths open.

* I check it every 30 minutes and watch the time.

* When the temperature reaches cone 012, I turn the gas up to two
Ibs and start some body reduction.

* Start running water over the tanks to reduce freeze up.

* I just let it fire from here on till it reaches cone 10.

* Near the end, once the milliVolt meter says we're close, I watch the
cones in the spy holes to judge when cone 10 is done.

Hoses, regulator, gauge and connectors.

¢ I shut off one burner, push in the damper all the way, shut off the
second burner and then close up the burner ports.

* also remove the chimney with some gloves and mitts and close up
the chimney hole.

It takes about 18 to 24 hours to cool off, so you can unload the next
afternoon/evening.

a

RPOTTE R.’S

E

For all your pottery
supplies needs.

THE MAD POTTER

#6 - 3071 No. 5 Road, Richmond, BC (Near Bridgeport)
Tel: 604.244.3734

Store Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 55m

Potters Guild of BC Newsletter - September 2008 5