More Kilnformed Work

It is such a pleasure to get some work done with a piece of equipment that has been idle or broken for a while. Here are two more pieces from my firings in the renovated kiln.

I have called this one "Pink Dawn"

"Interference" because it just doesn't fit into the series neatly.

Back to the Kiln

After a long pause to have the kiln elements renewed, I have begun further work on my "At the Margins of the Day". The kiln had begun to produce very odd results, so I began testing a variety of possibilities. One of these tests showed the kiln was heating very unevenly, so I began to take the kiln apart to get at the elements.

Of course this means taking off the top, then one layer of very itchy insulation (much like fiber glass insulation for the home) followed by another layer of fiber blanket just above the elements. This showed that the elements that are inside ceramic tubes are wired six to a unit. This is a three phase kiln so each phase took care of six lengths each.

The only way to get at the elements to spread the coils apart was to ease them out of the tubes, then straighten the tails and try to get all six out without breaking them. Guess what! I broke the first one. After some calm reflection (you guess how long this took!) I decided to have all the elments replaced but on the outside of the tubes as is more normal.

The element coils are now on the outside of the tubes, the insulation back in and the top screwed down. These two items are among the first finished in the rewired kiln. Please don't ask how much this has cost.

Water's Edge

Morning Water

First Gardens

This is the address of a 1920's bungalow in Dumbreck, Glasgow that I have been working on for some time. It is a little enclave of houses that look almost identical until you look at the detail in the four streets of about ten house each. Each street is named from First Gardens to Fourth Gardens. They a form a small conservation area and so attract matching funding for maintaining or returning the buildings to the original character.

[Left front]

[right front]

The house I am working on had some of the glass in the upper sashes remaining, but many had been replaced with "stick on" lead lines. That leaded glass which remained needed complete re-leading as the ties to the re-bars had failed, there were breaks at many of the lead joints, and there were repairs to be conducted.

[leaded glass installed in left front]

[leaded glass installed in right front]

The front of the house has now been finished and has a completely different appearance.

[view from the street]

I am happy with the appearance of the front. The client is too. Now to work on the sides and back and on the front door.