Scrounging

 Ware racks scrounged by Ron

As an observer, I pass the kiln several times a day on my way to feed the chickens or get the squash from the garden. A year has passed since the concrete slab was poured in 105 degree heat. Philip, Clarence, and Karin were out there in the heat leveling and sweeping the concrete. Little by little, bricks and mortar appeared. The first trip for bricks was a year earlier to Trish Browns in Salvisa, Kentucky. Philip brought bricks from one of his previous kiln projects, and Clarence and Philip made a pilgrimage to Olive Hill Brick works, a place that Clarence referred to as the beauty of the industrial age ruins.

Scavenging is one of Clarence’s most valuable pastimes. The iron for the frame came from a number of sources, old pieces of angle iron from old bed rails, iron from Philip’s stash and from Ron’s. Most importantly, the kiln has become a community effort. The first ware shelves were installed last week just opposite the massive hand building table that Clarence built. Early in the morning I sometimes look in to see what Ron has made before he heads for his night job.

Clarence spent a great deal of time reading kiln instructions, and though he had been involved in the building of kilns, this was his first one. Phillip brought extensive experience to the job.  It stands almost complete under the tin roof. Each night a few more bricks are added to the chimney and soon the door will go on the firebox. We greatly anticipate the first firing in mid-August. My hat’s off to the scroungers and the brick layers. I think they are driven by fire. Soon the flames will be shooting up into the sky and something new will come out of the furnace.

Vicky Hayes

Getting out of the weather

Finally we're getting a bit of roof over the kiln. We were lucky to get these odd pieces of metal. They may be several colors and odd shapes but we'll weave them together enough to keep dry.

This should make a nice platform for adding more chimney bricks.

Memorial Day

The grill's hot.  Folks are on their way.  We're thankful.

Making The Bourry Box Grate

I started with stainless steel pipe from the scrap metal yard. 1 1/2"  to 2" inside diameter pipe works best with standard firebrick.

Solid stainless bars would be better but that is a rare find. I filled these pipes with Lou cast 3000 and they will do just fine.

Bars are in and ready to go.

Capping

Finally we have started capping the arch. We made the mix from stuff we had laying about: fire clay, crushed soft brick, sand, old recycled castable and sawdust. We used portland at a rate of 1 part to 10 parts other material. 

We start with a layer of mix, then chicken wire and then another layer of mix.

Philip Wiggs and Hunter Smith smoothing the last coat of castable.

Hmm better be getting a roof over this thing soon.

Chimney Going Up

Beautiful late February day, mocking birds everywhere. We are using a lot of older and odd bricks on the chimney, saving the good ones for the door.

This is a better view of the chimney.

Below: Here we are recasting the lintel that spans the firebox door. The previous one was cast from some left over castable that we really didn't know much about. It was spalling after our recent hard freezes. Scrounging for materials is great. Every once in a while there's a surprise but that's just part of it.

A Good Day

Its been about a month with little done on the kiln. Its the holidays and everyone is maxed out. The weather was beautiful. We had some great food, thanks to Vick and Granny. Reinvigorated we finished the arch and removed the form. No matter how often you see those bricks standing by themselves, defying gravity it always seems like a bit of magic.