Wood firing

We had a wood firing this weekend. Takuro, Santiago and Hitomi made a lot of pots made from STARworks clay and fired STARworks wood kiln for two days. We can't wait to see the results.

Wood Kiln Unloading at NCPC

It's been for 10 days since the wood firing was ended at NCPC, and today is unloading day. People started unloading from 9am and it just took less than two hours to get work done. It's much faster than loading or firing, isn't it?

Results looked OK to me. It's always good and not so good because it's wood firing, but it was a group firing and everything was new experiment. STARworks clay is very high refractory clay, so that there shouldn't be cracking problem by wood firing process than any other commercial clays.

It was good event and STARworks Ceramics is pleased to join and support for it.

Wood Firing Event at NCPC

Cerebration of Seagrove Potters made a plan to have group wood firing at NCPC and they asked STARworks Ceramics to donate NC Local Clay and also do technical support for the firing. The wood firing was hold on April 4th, and we helped kiln loading and leading wood firing for Seagrove potters.

It's always not easy to make everybody happy for large group wood firing, and I tried to be fare to load kiln with so many people and pots.

As for the firing, the first shift (Leader: Fred Johnston) started candling at 4:30am, and the second shift (Leader: David Stuempfle) got cone 010 down at 2pm and cone 6 down at 4pm in the glaze chamber. The third shift (Leader:Chad Brown) had a little bit hard time to control temperature differences between the bottom and top. Usually this stage is always hard because you must get temperature and heat but also good reduction atmosphere both at the same time.

STARworks Ceramcis was in charged of the last shift until finish, and it was also very hard to make temperatures evenly. Takuro watched flames in the kiln, smoke from chimney, sounds from kiln, color of flame, like many signs from firing, but not pyrometer. David and Alexa (Seagrove Stoneware), Benjamin Burns (The Great White Oak), Santiago Ramirez (STARworks Ceramics) were our team and we did good job to wrap up the hardest part of firing.

The glaze chamber was done around 7pm or so, then moved on the salt chamber. When cone 7 down on the bottom of the salt chamber, Hitomi kicked in rock salts (approx 10 lb) by metal angle, and we finally finished firing at 9:15pm.

As a result, it went well and seems like people were happy about the firing. Kiln unloading will be on April 13th (Monday) and you will see the results of STARworks NC local clay.
In my personal opinion, I have fired this kiln for seven times when I was a residency artist of NCPC, and this firing is probably one of the best firing at NCPC according to my experiences. I can't wait to see the results.

Wood Firing Workshop

Our 2009 Spring Wood Firing workshop will be held March 4th(Wed) to 7th(Sat), 2009. Participants will have approximately 10 cubic feet of space in the kiln.

Since we have started mixing our own clay, this time we are going to provide 50 lbs of our cone 10 white clay to each participant to try. If you make your work in your studio, you are required to bring bisque pots made with clay capable of being fired to cone 10 or higher.

Participants are required to join the loading and unloading as well as the firing of the kiln. Wood Firing Instructor, Takuro Shibata will guide you through loading the kiln and firing techniques throughout the workshop.Date: March 4(Wed)-7(Sat), 2008
Cost: $180.00
Participant: Minimum 5, Maximum 7
Space: Approximately 10 cubic feet per person
Schedule:
March 4 (Wed) 9am-5pm, glazing
March 5 (Thu) 9am-evening, loading kiln
March 6 (Fri) Firing all day
March 7 (Sat) Firing all day

Call or email us to sign up!

Unloading Kiln

We started unloading wood kiln on Nov 9 (fri) at 2:00, and it was very good results!

Pots from the second (glaze) chamber

Pots from the third (salt) chamber

The Third Wood Firing

STARworks Ceramics had the Third Wood Firing Workshop and it went well.

This time, we did different experiment than last two firings, we made the first chamber (tube) as a fire box only, and tried to get firing done faster.

It took 26 hours firing except gas pre-heating. The unloading will be Nov 9th, Friday, 2pm - 4pm.

The next wood firing will be announced soon.
Thank you for your cooperation.

The Second Wood Firing Workshop

STARworks Ceramics had the Second Wood Firing Workshop in June.

The firing took about 50 hours and it went well.

Thank you for your cooperation!

The First Unloading

On April 5th (Thu) late afternoon, we started unloading kiln with staff, participants and friends.

Works from Tube Part

Works from 2nd (Glaze) Chamber

Works from 3rd (Salt) Chamber

Congratulations!

The First Wood Firing: Mar 31

Tube (Anagama Part) got cone 12 down (over 2300F) in the evening, and we pulled out several pots from Tube. Wood ash on pots looked shiny green.

Then we started stoking wood for Glaze Chamber and Salt Chamber. At 11:20PM stop stoking for Tube.

Around 12AM stop stoking for Glaze Chamber.

When Salt Chamber got Cone 7 for the coolest spot, we stoked salt (about 12 lb) into the chamber. At 1:20AM, we completed firing.

It was 43 hours firing (except 12 hours preheating).

Unloading will be the next week and we will announce more detail very soon.

Thanks for your cooperation and help.

The First Wood Firing: Mar 30

Temperature of Tube reached cone 7 , 2nd Chamber got 010 down at 7AM, March 31th. Keep going.

Start Firing!

Finish Loading kiln

Start Loading Kiln