8.22.11 just the other day, we put on a new chimney made of firebrick...just about eight feet.  There's a new picture of that at the bottom of the page.

Gypsy Kiln @ Raystown Lake

Here is the new kiln as we prepare to construct its castable arch...

We set out four buckets to hold the sand former that will support our arch during the building process...

After a layer of plyboard, the sand goes on to form what will be our kiln's inside shape...

Here, the sand's important role in this process can be seen...

With the castable hardened off and the sand removed, what remained was the new arch.  Then, the castable arch was covered with a complete layer of insulative white bricks to finish off one of the most important building stages in our kiln project. 

This kiln was designed as a variation on one that I used during my apprenticeship with Jeff Shapiro in Accord, NY.   We always referred to that kiln as the, "Teabowl Kiln".  One significant difference in design is the extended flue trough that bridges the gap between the body of the kiln and the corrugated chimney.  Jeff's Teabowl kiln had a brick chimney ganged right on the back, a very efficient and effective design.  In this kiln, I wanted to access the long and low flame that races along the floor of the flue chamber.  I am most excited about stacking wares in there... to break up and divert the fast moving, laminar flames.

Some more steel consolidated the back of the kiln and framed the flame trough area.  Our first chimney here was made of corrugated steel.  It was really easy to put up and we used it on our first two firings.

At the end of both firings, it did get glowing, intermediately between stokes...putting off some outstanding radiance.  For the second firing, we put on some shielding and that did help to make it easier to stand nearby the kiln.  However, at peak temp the folds of the pipe started to buckle with the strain of the heat and so we decided that we needed a brick chimney.

And so, Jared and I busted out eight feet of chimney using standard three inch straights and half bricks.  We also formed a passive damper in the flue stack, 6 X 4.5 in., to help us with controlling the flue gases.

We plan to have a firing soon to test out our new brick chimney configuration.  In reality, this kiln will probably be fired two more times before it is disassembled... fading back into the refractory stockpile for the next incarnation of the Gypsy.

Below is a little soft-brick anagama that I built in Barree, PA some years ago.  Though I have since removed it, I hold this kiln dear to me as it was the first real experience that I felt the ownership of conception and design that is so integral for the life and growth of the making mind.  I was twenty years old.

Anagama...Barree, PA USA 2001