Next day, we filled Euan’s kiln, but with all the pots we only filled it half way. So, Euan went home to get some more pots. So, this meant that there was not only bisqued ware (already fired one time and changed from clay into stone), but also greenware (clay never fired before):a “raw” firing. So, we had to go much slower. But we still did the firing in 12 hours.

Euan is happy to fill his new built anagama kiln.

Preparing the pots with tatami straw. This will burn beautiful lines into the pot, because of the high silicium content.

Extra tatami straw on the pots.

The kiln is filled.

Closing the kiln.

The fire starts.

Stoking the kiln at night in the rain while a typhoon was passing through. Luckily, it was far away, so, the winds were not strong, but the rain at times very heavy and it was important to keep the wood dry!

The temperature is already quite hot. I guess around 1000 C.
And the wood is put back all the way in the fire box.

The kiln took 12 hours to fire: reached the temperature of 1300 C and soaking for an hour. Then the cooling down will start.