SODA KILN: 79 c.f.
The soda and train kilns were built in the summer of 2019 and fired for the first time later that fall. The soda kiln was designed to work much like the first kiln that I built, but function on a smaller scale. We have always added sodium bicarbonate to the back 1/3 of the larger anagama and that area consistently produces many of my favorite pots each firing. The surfaces are typical of a gas/soda firing with the added benefit of three days of fine ash accumulation. The new soda kiln essentially acts much like an anagama as far as ash accumulation, flame direction and stacking shape, but receives a full dose of sodium bicarbonate throughout the chamber. A stepped grate system was implemented to compensate for a smaller firebox as it breaks down fuel extremely efficiently This kiln has two fairly unique features that are not often used on wood kilns. First, the steel support structure is flexible and moves with the kiln as it expands and contracts, much like a leaf spring suspension on a truck as it hits bumps along the road. The second key feature is that the door is hung from a track system and can be rolled open and closed instead of having to brick-up and unbrick each firing.
