New gas kiln

It seems ages since my last chatter !!!


Well we have been so so busy, our annual visit back to the UK visiting family and friends, we took to the high sea in early April and returned at the end having what I can only describe as a whirlwind tour ha.

So since our return I have been busy putting the finishing touches to the two gas kilns that I started months ago !

Firstly Catherine's kiln is well on the way to a first kiln firing and mine well is imminent   !!!  ha

This is my new gas kiln

Kiln floor and chimney build 

Here I am applying a white ceramic cement which will protect the fibre during firing and prolong the life of the kiln ! 

First few coats applied also the ceramic tile floor is in.

I have been kindly loaned the kiln shelves and have glazed a few pots for the first firing !!! It's know where near to how I want it, so dont take to much notice( its a first firing) !!! but hey gotta start somewhere ha

I need to get a decent pyrometer etc and various kiln furniture before I will be a happy boy.

😎

Till the next time.

Adrian

Almond blossom has arrived

               Driving into Castellon this morning was a lovely experience the fragrance from the Almond blossom all around us as I stopped to take this picture , really special . Just for you Doris & Leo.

              We have just returned from Barcelona visiting our our family / grandson whom we met for a short weekend break, Wow what a great city it is, although we have been there a few times it's always been when we have had a couple of hours to kill whilst at the airport. I would like to spend more time exploring the city ! Maybe one day. Worth a trip back .
 

                I have been busy preparing and making the frame for kiln 2 ( All mine ) .

Having researched for the build a massive thanks goes to those people that take the time to post videos on youtube of their Pottery/studios/kilns etc especially Angela Walford Ceramics as our kilns are based on hers and she has been very helpfull answering a few questions,  cheers Ang.

Finished welding even a coat of paint to cover my bad welding ha 

 

The kiln frame fits ! In its new home all that's needed now is to build it up yeehaa .


Reminder to me ! must move the pool cover ?

Till the next time.

Building a kiln

Building a kiln for Catherine

     Over the last few months / weeks I have been researching and designing a gas fired kiln for Catherine.

     She had in her garden a 1000 Lt water cube, the metal cage is ideal for the outside of the kiln.  I started by cutting one side off and that will now form the roof, !!!  I have formed the door and door frame out of angle iron that we recycled from an old disused european style potters kickwheel which would have gone as scrap.

       Catherine wants a front loading kiln that she can load and unload without bending, so we have raised it onto blocks, we will be lining the kiln with ceramic fiber and the chimney will be high tempurture kiln bricks. Lots more work to do ! 

     

This is how the cage was to start with.

The side cut off which now forms the roof.

  kiln sitting on top of blocks

kiln sitting on top of blocks waiting for next Phase !

Studio [somewhat] finished

Happy new year all , It's been a while since my last post as I have been having loads of trouble uploading photos to blogger ! So I am having a go on my mobile ! Here goes -:

I have been busy in the studio not on the wheel unfortunately , no I have been tiling the floor all finished and is now a much cleaner environment to work in.

Also acquired a new table thanks to dear Doris thanks again.

 Yesterday was the first time on the wheel since well before Xmas !!! Anyhow I attempted my first teapot and threw a few bud vases also

Anyhow I hope to blog more often if this works !!!

Till the next time 

Raku , Joy & Happiness.

Results from my first Raku firing

Joy / Happiness

Raku is a type of pottery originating from Japan meaning Joy happiness and is traditionally used in the Japanese tea ceremony, most often in the form of tea bowls, they are fairly porous vessels, the results can be amazing depending on what type of glaze etc. so I think I shall be experimenting !!! oh yes.

 

Results from my first Raku firing


 

 

October has been very busy and living in a very rural area sourcing materials can be difficult, so I jumped at the offer from my potter friend Rob Farrar saying he would be going to our pottery supplier in Valencia and do I want him to get a ready made Raku glaze for me ! And as I didn't really want to make my own Raku glaze (at this point) this was ideal.

 

 

 

 

Overall I am pleased with the results although I have a lot to learn about putting the glaze on at the correct thickness etc and  I probably fired the pots for a little too long.

 

 

 

Pots glazed ready for firing

My small bisque / raku kiln during firing.
 

So I shall take this firing and hopefully improve, but I must say I have so enjoyed the process and find it fascinating.

 

Maggie beavering away with what she calls a scrap quilt
 

 

 

 I suggested it was a chaos quilt only to be told wait until its finished my dear !!! ha

 

 

I am looking forward to the end result and If I can produce ceramic pots as well as her scrap quilt I will be a happy chap.

 

Till the next time !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





Glorious September / October

Glorious September / October

 

Its been a while since my last blog, so much has happened !!! life changing events the birth of our 6th grandson George, born 3 weeks ago, such a proud family we are. The building of a small bugalow for my father in my sisters rear garden ! which will make his later life so much more comfortable and also Sis as his carer,  we are improving the front of our home here in Spain, all with the aim of giving our dog 'Bonnie' more freedom or maybe it's to stop her going on walkabouts and stealing our neighbour's dogs food  ha ha

 

                            So what's going on with the Pottery  'Well'   I have had a second bisque firing which was successful and I am now planning my first Raku firing, hopefully I shall post the results, also I have been working alongside Catherine helping her to make her own kiln brick and firing them to use in her new kiln, (to be built. !!! ) she has been very busy making the bricks from 50% Kaolin and 50% sawdust ,  I have posted 2 new video's you can watch on my You Tube channel MasBlancPottery firing bricks and results.

Firing of Catherine's kiln bricks in a 40 gallon raku kiln

 

 

My fathers new pad ha ha coming on nicely

 

 

The weather in September /  October has been so lush , we are still enjoying a swim ! , 22c in the pool this evening.

 A rare pic of me taking a dip. Oh dear ! 

Maggie is beavering away  producing wonder quilts more pics to follow !

 

 

Till the next time !

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

    

Kiln opening 1st time 14th Sept 2013

Here is a short video of my kiln opening which if I must say was very successful. 

The next stage is to decide how to glaze them !!!

Enjoy .