Shortly after Molly and I landed in Georgia in late 2022, I went out on a limb and purchased a gas reduction kiln. I needed a kiln, this one could work, and alternatives (ex. renting a kiln) were few and far between. Part of my rationale in buying this kiln was that through use I would learn it and see how I could tweak it to better suit my needs. It was built on rental property, after all, so I knew I’d be moving it again in the near future. With luck, I thought I’d get about two years out of the rental spot, which I did, and in the end that turned out to be the perfect amount of time to learn the kiln and mentally redesign it.

Well two years is up, we own our home and studio, and I’m ready to really redesign my kiln.

With time I’ve realized I wasn’t necessarily buying a kiln but rather buying a pile of bricks. The previous owner’s layout was a common and reliable design, and copying it was a sure way to know I’d quickly have a usable kiln. Throughout the time I’ve used it, I’ve paid close attention to what does and doesn’t work for me and also to the details of other similarly built kilns. One of the benefits of this design is that it’s easy to modify—the changes I envision are not radical, but they do require a significant monetary outlay. And as much as I hate to admit it, I need help with the monetary outlay part.

Outlined below are the changes I’m hoping to make, why I’m opting to make these changes, and to the best of my knowledge how much each one is going to cost. Also outlined below is a fundraising effort, to be coupled with a pottery sale, that will help fund these changes. Economizing is part of my nature and can be considered the first choice option in every aspect of the new build; other changes necessitate spending. In the end I see this as a long term kiln—one that will be used and relied upon for years to come.

To be honest, I am no kiln-building expert. I only know what I know about kilns through moving this kiln one time, reading books, talking to other potters, and looking at other kilns. What I’m looking to do is build the kiln that I want to use in a manner that’s meant to last—I’m not trying to move it or redesign it again any time soon!

If I come up short on the fundraising side, I’ll kick the can down the road: probably I won’t get new shelves, maybe I get a propane tank dropped right next to the kiln, use the burners as they came, and so on down the line. As I said in an artist statement one time, I never set out to be a potter—I fell in love with the material and now here I am.

In a funny way though, it’s the solitary act of making pots that keeps me connected to other people. Often while throwing I’m thinking about the people who will be using the dishes, the occasions when they come out, the food and drink the pots will contain, the conversations that will happen over them, the hands that will hold them. So it really is only with the support of the people beyond me that I can pursue this love and turn it in to something more than a solitary act.

And for that support, I can never be grateful enough.

TLDR: Click here.

Bricks - The biggest change I’ve decided to make in moving and rebuilding the kiln is to rebuild it wider.  Time and time again, I would be loading or unloading the kiln and thinking “If only I had more room here.” Most of the time the narrowness would manifest itself by me banging a shelf into the door jamb while trying to squeeze it into the chamber. Next I’d have to ease it down between the already cramped bag walls and fireboxes.  Increasing the width of the kiln naturally means I need more bricks. Fortunately, I already have most of what I need, but I’ve calculated the increase to require about 75 bricks. The current rate from a local refractories supplier is $5.15 per heavy duty brick. Total: $385.00

Arch Bricks - Widening the kiln has a ripple effect beyond more working room for me. Obviously increasing the kiln’s width will require more bricks, but it also means the kiln will need a new and different arch.  The arch in any kiln is a combination of two or three different sized wedge-shaped bricks that spans from side wall to side wall. While I’d love to simply keep the current arch, if the walls are wider apart it unfortunately no longer fits.  The price given here from the refractories supplier is for energy efficient insulating bricks (BNZ 26-60s to be precise). They are supposed to be very stable and reliable in atmospheric kilns, but their energy efficiency alone is the selling point I’m after. It’s about $250.00 more than I was quoted for a traditional hard-brick arch, but I think that will more than make up for itself in fuel savings over the life of the kiln. Total: $675.00

Metal Support Frame - The second ripple related to widening the kiln means that it needs a wider metal support frame.  There are several different purposes to this frame: mainly to “contain” the outward pressure the arch puts on the walls in this particular kiln design, but also to help keep all of the bricks through the expansion and contraction of heating and cooling. An astute observer might note that the current frame is bolted together using threaded rod and that widening the kiln would simply require a few longer rods. Yes, but. The current frame is woefully underbuilt—specifically, the angle iron at the corners is too small. When the kiln is near peak temperature there’s a visible bow in those pieces of the frame from the expansion of all the bricks within it. A small benefit to fabricating a new frame means that I can adapt the current frame to use around the chimney. It’s not subject to quite the same stresses as the rest of the kiln, and currently there is no support around the it at all. The idea would simply be to shore it up because every time I look at a twelve-foot-plus freestanding pile of bricks, though not overtly religious, I do say a little prayer.  Fortunately a local potter and friend had a surplus of angle iron left over from her kiln-build that she is willing to part with. Out of consideration towards her, I’m not going to quote the price here. Trust that it is more than reasonable.

“New” Burners - The kiln as I purchased it came with home-made burners, which is no real surprise. They are very common around here and in the pottery world generally. Let’s just say the burners I got with the kiln were not so well made —they’d benefit from a complete rebuild. In the process of moving the kiln I’ll be switching from propane to natural gas (more on that below), and that transition necessitates some changes to the burners anyway. Why not just correct what I can while I’m here? The “squirrel cage blowers” are the expensive part of the burner system, and fortunately the ones from the original burners can be reused here. The price given is approximate but should cover all the pipe, valves, and fittings to construct “new” burners. Total: $200.00

Labor for the Frame & Burners - Another local potter and friend has agreed to weld the kiln’s new frame and oversee the assembly of new burners. He has a history of and an affinity towards kiln building, burners included. Based on his arsenal of kilns alone I trust his work. I’m also glad he has agreed to help because in addition to a potter’s understanding of kilns, he has an engineering mind. Again, I’m not going to quote his exact price, but if I had to guess, I’d say it’s in the ballpark of about $5/hr. He’s doing this more to help me out than to make money.

Cinder Blocks & Tile Backer - A smaller, more straightforward change I’m looking to make is to build the kiln higher off the ground. This simply requires an additional layer of cinder block between the ground and the floor of the kiln. The idea is to create a buffer between the hot kiln and cold ground, but increasing that space would also provide me with a more comfortable working height. While adding additional cinder blocks under the kiln, I’d also add a layer of cement tile backer between the blocks and kiln bricks. This simply helps to seal off any drafts that may come through the floor of the kiln. In total, it would take 40 cement blocks and two sheets of tile backer. Total: $115.00

Kiln Shelves - As I purchased it, the kiln came with two different sizes of shelf: “12x24s” and “14x28s”. Inches, basically. While common, the 12x24s are too small for my liking and too small for the footprint of the kiln; I use the ones I have only because I really need them. Fortunately, two-thirds of the shelves I have are 14X28s so the price here is for six new ones. Besides, more shelf space means more pots! Total: $900.00

Miscellaneous - Every budget needs a miscellaneous line. This is here to hopefully cover small things I will probably never think of, and other things that I can, like a few pieces of lumber to allow the chimney through the roof, a fire extinguisher for the finished kiln, etc. Total: $150.00

Gas Plumbing - The final hurdle I’m looking to clear here has nothing to do with moving or resizing the kiln but rather is a necessity with all pottery kilns: fuel. Call me naive, but I was caught very much off guard by just how much it cost to have a propane tank connected to the kiln the first time around. Now, we have natural gas service at the house, and my aim is to get that connected to the kiln because it is my understanding is that it is less expensive and more efficient to fire with than propane. To that end, I recently spoke with a local gas plumber, and he immediately started asking me if I knew this potter, or that potter, and told me about the kilns he’d connected over time. He even made a few suggestions that could ultimately lead to better and safer working conditions. Needless to say, I found the person for the job. Total: $3,300.00

Grand Total - $6,225.00

In an effort to fund these changes I’ve assembled a small array of pots for sale on my shop page, and designed a fundraiser that would allow anyone interested to “donate” now for pottery later. In either case, all proceeds will go directly towards covering the costs outlined above, and you will get new pottery. The fundraiser I’ve designed is based on ones I’ve seen before. In fact, several of the pots currently serving in my kitchen are ones I purchased from other potters during their fundraising efforts. There are tiers, outlined below, with the monetary value of each tier being worth a certain pot or pots. These pots are yet to be made, but will be fired in my newly revitalized kiln and will be shipped out, or delivered, by July.

To be clear, all of the work made in exchange for donations will be made of earthenware clay. The donation tiers are named after different types of clay and their perceived value throughout history.

The donation tiers are available on the shop page. And apologies for the array of pots available in each tier—I love making pots!

Earthenware Level - As a humble potter, the majority of my kiln-loads are essentially tableware: cups, mugs, bowls and plates. I truly love making these forms and they shape the landscape of a firing. In exchange for an “Earthenware” level donation you will receive one of the aforementioned pots. Pieces I am envisioning include a yunomi, a 12-14 ounce mug, a ramen or pasta bowl or a lunch plate. $65.00

Stoneware Level - A generous handful of pots that move beyond the tableware repertoire make their way into each kiln-load: covered jars, vases, serving bowls, and the like. Reserved for the sure-to-produce-good-results places in the kiln, these forms are a pure delight to make and an absolute joy to use. The “Stoneware” level donation brings you a pot of this ilk in exchange: stash jars, canisters, tall vases or serving bowls. $150.00

Porcelain Level - A few small sets of pieces and a grand serving and display pot or two rounds out any kiln-load. Placed only in the “best” spots in the kiln, these pieces are the highlight of any making cycle and a focal point wherever they reside in the world. In exchange for a “Porcelain” level donation you will receive a set of three covered jars for your counter, a set of four bowls or plates for your cupboard, or a large handbuilt tray for the center of your table. $250.00

Wild Clay Level - Every once in a while a whole kiln-load is dedicated to a specific pot or project. The normal flow of the making cycle is also altered to allow this eccentric to come through; life after it has is never the same. (Ha! Who knew?!) In exchange for a “Wild Clay” level donation you will receive a large, one-of-a-kind collector’s item. And a brick with your name on it in the wall of the kiln! $500.00

Custom Donations - Every little bit helps. Individual donations, in any amount, are also being accepted at the bottom of the shop page.

Thank you for reading this far and spending your time with me!

Mathew