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Wood Kiln Firing Safety Checklist
On kiln safety, tired stokers, and the things that matter more than cone packs. I have been spending a great deal of time thinking about kiln safety lately. Part of that comes from rebuilding my own Bourry box kiln, Ana. … Read the rest
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Getting Closer to the Key Brick
On the third time up, dangerous ladders, and the arch that was always the hardest part. I was able to spend some time over the last two days working on the arch of the wood kiln I am building. It’s … Read the rest
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What Holds a Kiln Together: A Potter’s Guide to Kiln Mortar
This post grew out of a specific construction problem: I am rebuilding Ana, a single-chamber Bourry box wood kiln at Creek Road Pottery LLC in Laceyville, Pennsylvania, and I had to understand mortar correctly before the arch went up. What … Read the rest
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Kiln Building Practice
On practicing building. Today I need to work the paper factory, and tomorrow after sleeping a little I need to work the kiln. It is hoped that tonight at work will go smooth, as tomorrow will be somewhat of a … Read the rest
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The Fire Burns Upside Down: The Wood-Fire Bourry Box
A note before we begin: I am not a ceramics historian. I am a first-time kiln builder, reconstructing a wood kiln donated by two master potters on Mother’s Day 2023. What follows is what I have learned by going back … Read the rest
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Seven Rows Up and Back: Building the Wood Kiln
On wrong sand, uneven bricks, and the lessons that only show up halfway through.I was able to get quite a bit done on Ana the wood kiln. I had to place some better bricks and also secure and level … Read the rest
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Rocket Kiln Tests
On converting to wood to get off propane. I started converting my updraft kilns to fire wood. I am working off the idea of a rocket kiln but looking to modify it in some ways. One design issue with the … Read the rest
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Brick by Brick
One Side of the Arch, One Day with My Dad Today my dad and I worked on one side of Ana Our Wood kiln and did a dry stack to be sure all the bricks were there. On my next … Read the rest
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Making Pots and Building Community
This past month has been full of movement at Creek Road Pottery. From firing and unloading the gas kiln to setting up at the hometown show in Susquehanna, there’s been a steady rhythm of making, sharing, and rebuilding. Below are … Read the rest
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Deconstructing The Bourry Box Wood Kiln & Sudden Loss
I have been working most of the month of August on taking down a Bourry box wood kiln named Ana, about an hour away from my studio at Creek Road Pottery LLC here in Laceyville, PA. It was a rather … Read the rest
