Post #764905 by danlovestikis on Fri, Jun 10, 2016 9:21 PM

Man oh man you two know how to party! I'm jealous but at the same time I'm loving watching you guys have so much fun. I just wish we were there.

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Sacramento Crawl mug progress report. Here are a few of the photos that cover one whole month of work. I would get carpel tunnel if I posted all of them.

It was time to open the kiln with the first Sacramento Crawl mugs. Did they make it or did they crack? They were all fine.

I unloaded all the misc. things and they were fine too.

Every necklace and mug had to be scrubbed.

I was able to get him to blow a bubble just for you!

Once in the house these were put on the dining room table and covered with plastic until it is time to glaze them.

The next load is brought out to be sanded.

It's time to kiln wash some of my shelves. This material comes as powder that you mix in water. It is poison and a mask must be worn. Also so not get it on your skin. Death from kiln wash comes much faster than with clay dust.

Once it is made into a paste you brush it on in one direction and

once it is dry then the other and then back again. Let it dry before using the self in your kiln.

Sanding and

Dusting.

There's a lot of repetition when making a run of mugs.

I had problems with the kiln turning off because it wasn't heating fast enough. So I replaced the thermal couple.

I put it back together and started another load. It turned off once and I restarted it and it finished.

Another load sanded and dusted.

Fired but the

cones all melted. Not good. There is still a problem.

Dan said a good mug should be able to be held with one hand. I showed him it was easy even if they do weight 3.5 pounds empty!

I had to take the whole control box in to have the 3 replays replaced. I hope I remember where all these wires go and that it works.

I turned in the box at Alpha and got it back a few hours later. A miracle.

Once they are washed they go back into the house and are stored on the tables in the hallway. Yes the kiln is fixed!

Another batch waiting to be washed.

The last 10 to fire are waiting for Owen's HUGE bowl to dry. It will go on the top shelf of this load.

I scrub each one with a brush and Dan rinses them in the second can. The rinse water should stay clear.

60 of the 70 are now bisque fired. 10 to go. Not a single one cracked in the kiln. It's a great day for pineapples!