Backyard Kiln Tutorial and Firing

I explain how I constructed my backyard kiln, things to consider, and then fire pottery with charcoal briquettes.

[@CynthiaMiller-bx4kd]

Your pots. Are beeeeautiful!!!! Thanks for showing that type of firing!! I think I'll try it.

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

I appreciate that, I really enjoy that the process. Good luck with your pottery adventure.

[@markgibsons_SWpottery]

Those paint jobs are getting too good! All of these great results! I like em all!

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

[@markgibsons_SWpottery]

@@airstreamwanderings3683 that Kansas clay looks interesting! We shattered our last big one in the fire,... impatience, but we are regrouping for a cibola revival! We will shoot you some more pictures as soon as we create some more!

[@angeladazlich7145]

That's a helpful video, thanks. Love your designs

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

Glad you like them! Thanks for watching .

[@clementramon8589]

Beautiful work Wes! Always enjoy your videos. Been awhile since I watched. But back again. 🎉

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

Welcome back! The fact is that I haven't made any recent videos.

[@sarahjarden8306]

Your pottery fired so well. Inspiring!

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

Thanks, some days it works.

[@stephenwalford774]

Beautiful work there Wes..very impressed

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

Thanks, its nice when things work out. The sample yellow clay was nice to try out. I hope to get more soon.

[@suwlehim_takaz]

good job Wes! The pot painting is great

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

Thank you, I appreciate the compliment.

[@davidpiraux1262]

Your work is great!! Amazing

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@llanitedave]

That's a well-built looking fire ring. I like your flexibility! I've just stacked my bricks on the bare dirt, but my dirt's usually pretty dry. I'm using red clay bricks, which supposedly handle higher temperatures than the concrete ones. I've still cracked a few, though. Turns out I'm still over-firing a bit.

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

Interesting, I've never had over-firing issues at these temps. I have more issues with a wood fire where it ramps up so quickly. Thanks for commenting.

[@DabblinDawn]

So impressive, Wes! Lovely.

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching and for your comments, they offer good motivation to do more things.

[@kaiwolff442]

I plan on doing a combination of charcoal and wood on a smooth flat porcelain base with clay brick walls. Inside of a large shallow firepit. I'm making instruments and small pots, so I am really hoping this goes well.

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

Sorry for the slow reply. It might take a couple of times to work out the bugs but it might work really well. Good luck. I have used floor tiles as sherds and found that they couldn't take the thermal shock. It will be interesting to see how the porcelain holds up. My kiln is pretty much filled with sand and bricks.

[@EXARCWithGrandpop]

Beautiful pots. I love the colors.

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

Sorry for the slow reply. Thank you!

[@PanTings]

congratulations on successful firing 😃 These vessels are so pretty. Love all the designs

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

Thank you, it is nice to get the comments.

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

I just looked at your KZbin channel. Women's makeup isn't my thing but I've wondered about using makeup as a paint for pottery. My understanding is that some makeup is made with ochre which can be a component of primitive pottery paint.

[@PanTings]

@@airstreamwanderings3683 That would be an interesting experiment. My only concern is the ratio of ochre in the product, other ingredients present may burn off impacting the intended colour but it would be very fascinating to experiment.

[@jcknives4162]

Hi Wes. I really enjoy how well you have adapted in order to fire your pots. Also, it’s really beautiful work you have done too. Here in Central Montana fire season really starts as soon as the bitter cold -20 and snow is gone so for me this is really a great way to fire my pots without using my kiln. I always feel a little guilty. Lol. Thanks for your weekly videos!!!

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

If you cook a hamburger over the charcoal is that ok during restrictions? This really does seem like a safe and effective alternative. Thanks for watching.

[@nated186]

I definitely can't paint that well, Good job! I have seen videos on making fire bricks from a little clay and a lot of perlite. You can get great big bags of perlite from a garden center for $30-$40.

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

That is a great idea. I will definitely check it out. Thanks.

[@ladyw6773]

Very interesting. I plan to attempt a saw dust firing, in a homemade brick kiln (no mortar, just loose stack) soon! Hopefully I'll have decent results. I figure the saw dust is easier on the pocketbook than charcoal. But at least I'll know what to try next, if the saw dust firing doesn't work.

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

I would like to know how it works for you. I've seen KZbin videos with sawdust but never understood how it would get enough air to burn hot. Its definitely worth a try. Cow and sheep dung is on my list as well as coal. Good luck.

[@ladyw6773]

Thank you! I'll let you know, as soon as I attempt the first fire. From my understanding, the small gaps between the bricks provide the air flow. You also slowly cover it after the fire burns for an hour or two. But I suppose I'll find out. Trying to decide if I should preheat or not, since the fire will build slow.

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

Preheating also assures they are dry. It can't hurt.

[@marthastrogen9001]

That’s really cool, Wes. 😃I might try bricks in my fire ring. I am a little put off by the price of charcoal too.🙁

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

But primitive pottery is a lot cheaper than raising horses. Good luck.

[@3ehahn]

Super nice work. Good technique. Cook some burgers too.

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

Thank you! Burgers sound good.

[@samanthanicholson9015]

Did you fire them before glaze or did they get glazed when dried then fired.?

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

Thanks for your comment. The pots are not glazed but they are painted. I always paint before they are fired so they are fired just one time. If I use slip, the slip is applied when the clay is leather hard but the pot is allowed to totally dry before painting. I hope this helps.

[@NayrbRellimer]

Where I live, there are several stands of invasive golden bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea) and native cane bamboo (Arundinaria gigantea). I bet I could save some money on charcoal by making charcoal from it out of whatever bamboo is too much for making into garden trellises. when it need to be thinned out.

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

Interesting idea. I know nothing about bamboo. I wonder how it would work to make charcoal. There are several videos on KZbin about how to do it.

[@chrisinkansas8507]

Fabuloso!

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

Thanks. The Kansas clay fires well.

[@MirrandaAndAmandaa]

What kind of clay are you using? Also are these items food safe after this process?

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

Sorry for the slow reply, I've been out of town. All of this clay was dug in the country side and not purchased from a pottery store. Whether it is food safe is a bit of a question. Native Americans used this same type of pottery for hundreds of years. It is ceramic but it is also porous and not fully vitrified. The FDA would probably say it isn't food safe but I also know people, including myself, who have used it with out a problem.

[@findlydesign]

Hi Wes, How long did you heat the pots in the oven at 500°?

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

I typically start at 200, then 350, then 550 each for about a half hour. That is probably overkill. The most important part is the low temps to make sure they are dry. At 550 I can tell that they start to chemically change a bit but they are definitely not ceramic. By the time they get into the fire and the fire gets going they have probably lost a lot of their heat.

[@CeeJayKay]

Hey Wes… this is off subject but I heard you’re getting some snow there this week. How deep is it so far??

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

We received 12 - 15 inches. Some got as much as 20. All is manageable. We have a lot of winter left.

[@CeeJayKay]

@@airstreamwanderings3683 Out here in San Diego we’re getting incredible amounts of rain. I’ll be really happy when warmer, dryer weather gets here.

[@mihailvormittag6211]

👍

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

Thank you.

[@oldugly9295]

really nice Wes. thank you for showing us.

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

Thanks for your support.

[@cactusbaboon321]

Sheep shit in square bricks? Is there an online source for that??

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

It may be the only thing you can't get on Amazon. This stuff came from a very old Navajo sheep pen.