More dishes and a treat for the kiln

It's been a while since I wrote a post. Lots has been going on, but I have been pushed for time and in particular computer time. We have been sharing internet time with our son who moved back home this summer, and suddenly getting on line has been rather more complicated. A wireless router is on its way so that should help matters.
I had a go with the new dish die. It worked a treat, no tearing, but perfect edges. Whether it was the nice new slicing blades in the pugmill, that the clay was just a perfect contstituency, or that the die was designed with skillful perfection, I don't know. I am inclined to believe it was the latter!


I needed to make another hollow handle extrusion with a narrower bore. I was still using my first hollow die, which was pretty clumsily made.

Rodger has been mending the roof of the kiln. It has always been cooler at the top, but lately it has been getting ridiculous, anything higher than half way up was invariably underfired. I had made a whole load of ceramic buttons with the idea that he would line the underside of the roof with ceramic fibre. After cutting away the rusty metal sheeting and shovelling out the pathetic amount of insulation chips there was plenty of room to fill in the space above the arch with fibre - a much easier solution.



It was a typical Rodger solution to use the old toaster to hold the bung bricks together. (It goes with the hotpoint spray booth)! A new lease of life to our 30 year old kiln. The next glaze which will be the test but it certainly looks happier.