Fired Earth Pottery's Kiln:

     Built by Donovan Palmquist of Master Kiln Builders (see link on links page) with the help of Rick McKinney and a crew of friends (Reid Schoonover, Sue Messer, and Ann Lindeke) in June of 2002.  Perhaps one of the few kilns around built on the second floor of an old wood building.  The long and short is this:  this kiln fires beautifully: efficiently, evenly, as quickly or as slowly as I need it to, with even reduction, and very safely.  Every design challenge was easily answered by Donovan.  Furthermore, Donovan was a master team builder and manager as well -- a pleasure to work with.  We built this kiln in four days and fired on the fifth.

     Technical information:  The kiln has about 40 cf of stacking space.  It is powered with a single blower burner divided into two burner tips entering the kiln at either side of the chimney in typical downdraft style. Three 14 x 28 inch kiln shelves form the stacking base.  The kiln is typically fired in medium reduction beginning at cone 06 at the bottom peep (this yields good carbon trapping with a high soda ash shino), and ending at cone 8.  From cone 8 to cone 10 I fire in oxidation.  That is, at cone 8 I pull the damper, reduce the gas, and keep the temperature moving up steadily but not too fast until cone 10 is halfway down.

Below are some images of the kiln: