Video of my latest firing of my bottle kiln.

Here is my latest brick kiln firing video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ2vs7IdjAs

Bridge progress #2

Its a slow process building my first bridge abutment on the east bank of my creek. Have to make the time after work and some more on weekends for the concrete pours and bricklaying. And to think this is only the first! I have to do it all over again on the west bank of the creek next.

At least I can count my blessings, the creek provides me with most of my raw materials. Sand, gravel and rocks are plentiful and free for the taking a mere few feet from where im building it.

I have no experience with building a bridge like this. What I know comes from exploring on the internet and looking around at other ones near my home for ideas. I know that the abutments have to be big and heavy so as not to be washed away when the spring floods come.

Ive started on my replacement bridge.

Im finally underway on my replacement bridge. The bridge will cross the small creek on the property that limits access to my workshop and future site of my pole barn. I am building the foundation piers on both banks. Not sure what form the finished bridge will take yet. I first had in mind a concrete or brick arch bridge, but have lately thought a steel pony truss bridge may be quicker and cheaper. i have most of the materials already on site. Either way its gonna be a long project. Probably a year to complete it if im lucky!

This is a small pony truss bridge photo to give you an example of what I want to build. The deck it missing from this old one though.

Here is another pic of a pony truss near my home. It has a poured concrete deck over steel under framework. My plans call for a span of about 32 feet and a deck width of aroun 12 feet.

Here is a stone arch bridge like the one I at first wanted to make. I think it would be to huge a job for me to try this now.

Bottle kiln, firing #2, better but not good

I kept the top temp of the firing down to around 1850'F at the pryometer. But the center of the chamber still got much hotter than that! Gonna have to rethink the kiln and firing cycle some.

Improved results over first firing of the new bottle kiln, but along way from good results.

Can you tell which brick is wood fired and which one is electric fired? Both were fired to 1850'F.

Monster results. Too hot!

The bricks literally MELTED! Wow thats gotta be the hottest kiln Ive made ever.

It took me a few hours with a hammer and chisel to force remove these clinkers.

Heres what it looked like when I first opened it up. You can see that more heat was at the center of the chamber. It was cooler th the edges. Well over 2000 in the middle. Maybe 1800 by the walls.

I do like the wood glazing that occurred on the bricks. The cracking and tearing is most likely from the rapid heating of the clay in the bricks. Need to slow it down to at least double the time on firing. At least 8 to 10 hours. And max temp no more than 1850'F.

Here are a few more pics.

The firebox door.

A look down thru the chimney.

A cutaway diagram.