This weekend we had a visit from newlyweds from PA. The Carmeli/Levine registry went up less than a month before the wedding, but that didn't deter these newlyweds from stopping by the studio this past weekend to pick out pots for their new life. This set of dinner plates, salad plates and ice cream bowls are now on their way home to Pittsburgh!
For folks following the kiln saga, we have now spent nearly two weeks without a single firing. In the five years I have owned this kiln, it has never been cold for more than four days in a row....ever. Stuff has been piling up all over the studio. We have work on boards, in piles, everywhere.
So what was broken? We had our first thermocouple failure on this kiln. Loaded a bisque just before the Memorial Day holiday, sparked up the computer controller, then stepped back to program it. As I went through the motions it kept saying "FAIL". Disheartening, no?
I pulled the offending thermocouple out of its sheath, and then at John Tilton's suggestion, pulled the protective sheath from the kiln wall. I tamped the protective tube on the table and out poured about 2tablespoons of metal filings. The thermocouple looked like someone took a blow torch to it. I guess we sort of did... day in-day out with all of our firings.
Thankfully, the thermocouples arrived today. Here's a comparison of two new ones beside the five year old beastie. Showing it's age for sure.
1 comment:
What beautiful colors for the newly weds!
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