SCC FIRES THE MANABIGAMA TUESDAY!

Joe Frank has done it! The kiln is complete and we should be stoking the kiln all day Tuesday.

Here are some photos of the final kiln and the loading process… (oops… I forgot my camera during the last of the build!)

The first photo is of PROUD JOE FRANK. He should be proud. The castable went on smoothly and the kiln looks fabulous! (Sorry for the poor quality – its from my cell phone!)

JoeFrank McKee proudly looks out from the Manabigama

Proud dad of a new Manabigama kiln! Check out the castable around the arch!

JoeFrank loading the kiln!

Hank, who made this entire project happen, helps load

Connie watches JoeFrank load her pieces

New Kiln and Studio

Posted on April 7, 2010 by pincupottery

Updating you all on my projects:

the new Manabigama @ Southwestern Community College

Bricking up arch - the beginning

View of poured castable key in kiln arch

View of poured castable key in arch

JoeFrank McKee having a look at kiln arch

Inside Kiln Arch

JoeFrank McKee and his students have worked diligently during Tuesday and Thursday night class to build the kiln. So far, so good. We have an arch. Thursday the back is bricked in and we start the climb upwards for the flu/chimney.

If all goes right, we should be firing in a few weeks! Yippers!

Thanks, JoLynn, for bringing a truckload of wood!

My next post will be about my new studio. An update on how its coming along.

Manabigama – LeVeL

Posted on March 24, 2010 by pincupottery

Well…. Joe Frank did it. Scott helped create a form and Joe Frank poured castable and concrete to level both the firebox and the kiln. It, apparently, is now level and we are ready to begin building up, up and away!

Firebox is now level.

Wooden form will eventually come off and we will begin bricking up the floor of the kiln. The firebox is poured castable on hardbrick. The kiln itself has concrete. The firebrick will go ontop of the concrete. Lets hope this baby lasts and lasts. Personally, I have never poured anything but the keystone of a kiln (and used castable for the exterior). Of course, to be perfectly honest, I have little experience building kilns. I think I have participated in just one true kiln building class where we built a kiln from scratch. So…. I just should keep my mouth shut.

Manabigama in construction - side view

On the right is the firebox (yellow brick = firebrick). The wood frame is still there to hold the concrete/castable. Next week we begin bricking the floor of the kiln!

We will have a wood kiln soon!!!!

I’ll keep you posted.