Disaster Unpacking the Kiln
Unload the coolest kiln shelf first, inspect each pot, repair minor glaze crawling, and polish every base to prevent scratches.
- Start at the bottom: lower-shelf pots are cooler, and refired pieces can have a more metallic finish.
- For minor glaze crawling, heat the foot, add glaze, let it cool, grind it flush, then sponge it clean.
- Grind batwash off kiln props and polish pot bottoms so they sit level and won't scratch surfaces.
The transcript gives the unloading and repair steps; the video mainly adds visual examples. · Best for: Potters unloading reduction-fired kilns and handling glaze defects.
Florian Gadsby unpacks a reduction-fired kiln, checks pots for firing defects, repairs some glaze crawling, and prepares kiln props and pots for use.
Unpack from the bottom0:03
- Begin with the lowest level because its pots are usually cool enough to handle while upper shelves remain hot.
- A wooden plank protects the kiln brickwork during unloading.
- Pots near the burners can be partly oxidized where oxygen enters the chamber.
Inspect and repair glaze crawling0:54
- Check each piece as it comes out; remove wadings and kiln cookies.
- Minor crawling inside a bowl foot can be repaired by heating the area, adding glaze, then grinding it flush after cooling.
- Refire repaired pieces on the lowest level toward the kiln front, where it typically fires cooler.
Sort losses and examine wadings1:46
- Breakage, warped rims, or wadings fused into glaze account for some losses.
- A metal fragment of molybdenum affected the glaze; a bronze speck is also shown.
- The moss-green glaze can become very fluid at top temperatures.
Prepare props and polish bases2:18
- Grind excess batwash off kiln props so they sit level next time.
- Polish every pot bottom to prevent coarse grog particles from scratching tabletops.
Step by step
- Unload the lowest shelf first, using a plank to protect the kiln brickwork.
- Inspect each pot and remove any wadings or kiln cookies.
- For minor glaze crawling, heat the foot, dab on extra glaze, let it cool, grind it flush, and sponge it clean.
- Place repaired pieces on the lowest level near the front for refiring.
- Grind excess batwash from kiln props and polish each pot base.
Tools & resources mentioned
- Heat gun — warms a crawled glaze area before glaze is added.
- Kiln props and batwash — props support pieces; remove excess batwash so they sit level.
- Grinding tool — levels repaired glaze and polishes pot bottoms.
- Sponge — cleans the foot after grinding.
Notes are AI-generated from the video's transcript and may miss nuance.