From the SANSAI kiln

My 5th load
It didn´t turn out well. I don´t want to speak about the reasons by now.
I will add in this nr. 5 more pics of pots, when I fire this load one more time...
Here´s a little tasting of pots, which turned out well on the first occasion.
The greatest gift was "LIBUŠE 18.1.2010" which I made in the moment of grandma´s death...
So I signed it like that.
When I examined my "bad 5th load", grandma Libuška sparkled at me...





and some others:





and more in my webalbum
http://picasaweb.google.cz/T.Benda/5th#

Hi Tom,

all your pots I really liked it.

These pots are used to very good for bonsai.

Best regards
Peter

I had other firings last year and still with problems to reach top temperature. 6th load, 7th I tried for two times and this 8th load I had to fire for second try again yesterday. We forgot keeping the flames inside chimney and went for "bitch fox stern" :-).
I was very happy, everything worked like clock and I felt as a ceramist again, looking forward to the unloading.
But such a terrible view inside my kiln I had!!!

View from above



When reaching top temperature, we kept loading wood into fireplace and then we closed it. But a rocketflame went through the chimney! For half an hour, then fox stern the other half without loading wood! I´ve heard "it´s just a step from 1300°C to 1400°C" and now I could see it in my own kiln - which I couldn´t fire enough before!
After all calmed down, no flames out of chimney, I went to bed. I took a last look into the fireplace, saw just plasmatic hell.
In the morning I saw a shelf fallen down to the fireplace. That must have happend after I left my kiln.

There must have been absolute hell!



This pot hit a stand.
The pots didn´t brake by that accident, but they´ve just curved the walls. Ok - with small cracks, but on other pots I can see, that they´ve teared up, not cracked!
On the back batch of shelves I´ve seen some good pots. I´ll unload them tomorrow and take photographs immediatelly.

Hello Tom. What a pity about your last firing. The first pictures show some lovely pots. I would love a wood firing kiln but haven't the space. Keep going Tom and I'm sure we'll be seeing lots more in the future.

Ahhh, Bad luck Tom!
That would certainly ruin ones day

dale

I would be extremely p****d off

But keep going Tom your making some good pots there.

Regards

Andy

It ruined just itself :-), not my day, I was lucky - my kiln is a rude beast !
The problem was with too high temperature (Yes! Back again! :-) ) and one shelf´s bad predestination

Here are first photos from my dear wife, she just didn´t taky any front view...






Dr.Greenthumb´s chamber pot


This one is exceptional for me - I refired my old pot, which I´ve used already...

Those colours are fantastic Tom. Is it mainly wood ash and temperature that creates the colours?

Tom - bummer about the falling shelf. I can relate. I once knocked the kiln sitter out of whack on my electric kiln the the temperature probalby reached cone 10++ as the pots melted and ruined some kiln furniture and shelves.


Here is Tom and my wife, Terry, next to his large wood kiln.





Inside the kiln.


I can't wait until you perfect your firing procedure and start on my large pot. I think the other potters will be surprised at the size of the pots that will be coming from your kiln.
Here are a couple of green pots that I photographed in your shop.



Large shallow pots too - drool.
Don't have to look to China anymore for cool shallow pots. Great for banyan style.

Maybe I could have a wood burning kiln in the garden. Have you got a sketch you could post Tom?

Will

If you do I will help you stoke it. At least 18hr+ firing cycle

Regards

Andy

Stone Monkey wrote:Will

If you do I will help you stoke it. At least 18hr+ firing cycle

Regards

Andy

Easy peasy. Working nights is good practice.

My best firing (- results, not "the quickiest") took just 8 hours, this "overdone" :-) firing 10 hours...

Will, the glazes were influenced by temperature and ash a lot this time. Not just glazes, my whole kiln is covered by lots of glass.
The colours come from metal oxides, carbonates... Just the very last one - the exceptional for me - walls "painted" just by fire!, upper rim glazed a bit.
My kiln for You :-)

"The exceptional" once again

Other pots:










Rob, thanx for photos and give Terry my regards. Next time You visit me I´ll fire my kiln :-)

Thanks for the information Tom, very helpful. Some more beautiful pots too.

Here You are some details of construction.
http://picasaweb.google.com/T.Benda/StavbaPece#

Excellent pots with great surfaces. Your design looks like the old Paul Soldner red brick raku kiln. Have you ever seen that one?

I like this pots very much!

Albert, I didn´t. I´m sorry, but I even haven´t heard of him´- but would like to. PM or here.
Andrija, thank You, I can bring some to the South in spring

I love your pots, particularly your Chamber Pot! I can only imagine how you felt with the fallen shelves; all that work!

Hi Tom,
Great to see some new work!,I like your pots.
I wish you good luck with your kiln.
Besr regards
Peter

Tom

The last pot pictures you posted are wonderful I adore the surface texture and colours you get from a Wood firing. One day I will get my hands on a wood firing kiln, one day

Thanks for showing

Regards

Andy

Thanks for sharing photos of your beautiful pots!

Very lovely indeed

Hi Tom,
great pots, love the archaic finish of these glazes, due to your kind of firing.
Would like to get the damaged pot shown in the pic below - is it available? If yes, please save it for me.
I do love pots with a "special history".



Best regards Horst

Tom Benda wrote:
Andrija, thank You, I can bring some to the South in spring

If you are coming in Croatia, you are welcome in my garden!
And about pots, at this moment we have enough, maybe in future.