Pit Firing 11-6-11

Well, we did what is likely the final pit firing of the year this past weekend. We dug a new pit, using a trench style vs our old standard a large circle or square. We only had 25-30 pots to fire so space wasn't a big necessity this time.

Using the trench was an learning experiment, I believe I can accomplish the same firing with less materials, since there was less square footage. I used definitely a lot less wood, I left a good size pile from what we would normally use for the firing. The fire also burned longer and the ash bed was very large and took a long time to dwindle down. I also used a lot less chemicals this time, notice a little less of the copper reds, but it produced a lot more greens.

I also encountered higher wind delays, was planning on firing at 8 am, but ended up waiting until 5:30 pm as the sun was setting. This turned out to be a great experience, not only watching the fire in the dark and easily seeing the different colored flames. I also utilized the coal bed to test colorants and see what they produced. I only wish I had brought more alone.

There are a few photos of the firing on Facebook, it will most likely be a while before I clean and seal the pots. We are planning a foil saggar firing this week, and then it hockey nearly every night and weekend from now through March. Don't worry I still get my shelves filled so I can fire once the snow goes away.

Thanks for reading,
Chad