anagama update

9:47 pm- things are going smoothly.  Nearing 1500˚ F in the back. Pizza and wings just arrived.  Very hungry after the long day and a trip to the gym.  We have split most of the "new" wood to smaller sticks.  The midnight shift will have some markers to make; it is a good crew, so I am not worried...

Follow up:

We finished the firing around 6:00 pm the following evening.  Actually, we fired it off twice.  We reached ∆ 9 in the back of the chamber around 1:00 pm Saturday.  Since the school was having a reception for new students, we kept a light stoking pattern to "show off" the firing, but lost considerable heat in the process.  At 3:00 pm we decided to go for it again.  With steady work and damper adjustments, we were able to regain the lost heat to bring the firing to an end.  We completed the evening by firing off the salt kiln.

Then to the beer, chips and laughs "around the camp fire." A great week and a great finish to a harried, sometimes very frustrating semester, and a physically and mentally exhausting year.

It has been a great run...