My first order of the day: re-build the bag walls. This isn't really a big job, but kind of a messy, tedious one, since the brick are all soldered together with soda glass. But the bag walls are leaning, and though they seem stable enough, it's hard to tell if they would still be stable at Cone 10, or if the solidified glass is what is holding them together.
So, big chisel, 2-lb sledge, bench grinder, and I'm off to the races.
I am carless today (don't ask...f-ing cars, anyway. I hate them; the only thing I hate worse is NOT having a car.) or I would just pop off to INFAB and buy some new brick, which was the original plan. But the wall needs to be rebuilt today, so I am just chipping apart and grinding the existing brick. Holy accumulated soda! Keep in mind that I have been firing this kiln for less than a year. I've lost count but maybe, what, fifteen times? Soda is corrosive to brick, even super duty. The brick around the soda ports are already noticably eaten away.
This problem needs addressing, but not today. Today I need ot get the kiln ready for the workshop this weekend!
Hang in there Lori! It might be a pain in the ass, but the results you get from your soda firing is so beautiful...worth the effort :)
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