Goal To how to safely and effectively fire the raku kiln

1. Know Location of gas shutoff valve
2. fire in a safe location (generally outside)
3. Proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
   1. High Temp Gloves
   2. Leather Apron
   3. face shield
   4. close toed shoes
   5. cotton clothing
   6. pants
4. know the location of nearest fire extinguisher or water hose

1. gather all firing materials
   1. pots
   2. kiln
   3. ppe
      1. leather jackets
      2. iron protect hair spray (for beards)
      3. Welding gloves
      4. Natural fibre clothing (long pants and closed toe shoes required)
      5. Face shield
   4. Emergency supplies - burn kit and burn blanket
   5. tongs
   6. buckets or metal containers
   7. Sawdust or flammable consumables
   8. spare wet clay
   9. sand
   10. glaze if required
   11. torch or lighter
2. Move kiln to firing location
3. understand how the gas system works
   1. Hookups and shutoff
   2. pressure regulator
   3. basso valve
   4. ball valve
   5. venturi burner
   6. ring burner
4. Washing the shelves
5. loading the kiln

1. how to control the heat
2. when to ramp
3. prepping the area
4. reduction or oxidation in the kiln

- rinse out barrels with water or at least flood them with water, there is a hose right inside the garage door.
- put kiln away
- turn off gas valves inside

• Vacuum kiln out - inspect for glaze pieces or damage inside the kiln
• Move kiln to back pad onto level concrete section
  • Place with min. 18“ on each side
  • Clear off everything on top/inside/around the kiln and open kiln - you can load the kiln now according to glaze-firing rules. Do not close the kiln
  • Insert the thermometer into an open peep hole (sides) and insert plugs into rest of peep holes
  • Place soft-brick next to each vent hole on top of kiln
  • Make sure gas hose can reach quick connects
  • With gas turned off hook up all hoses
  • open all gas-line valves - leave kiln (white handle at bottom) closed (pointed vertically up)
  • Make sure Basso gate valve (brass valve shaped like T) is not closed all the way - it should be okay
  • With the torch on at the ring underneath the kiln press and hold the red button until the kiln lights. It needs to light most the way around to stay light after releasing the red button
  • Once there is ring of fire underneath all the 4 main burners you can slightly open the white handled valve slightly - 4 jets of flame should erupt inside the kiln
  • Adjust valve so flame jets are steady with a strong flicker but not roaring. They may be hard to see in daylight
  • Close the lid of the kiln slowly by holding the crank shaft and releasing the ratchet lever
  • During the heat more of the set-up and planning can be done such as placing sawdust piles, buckets, gowning up, etc

• Temperature is controlled by a balance of gas and oxygen in the kiln
  • Gas is increased by opening the white valve more
  • Oxygen decreased by “choking” the kiln - blocking the vent holes more with the soft brick
• To increase the heating rate of the kiln choke down the kiln (e.g. if it stalls at a certain temperature)
• If this isn't working increase the gas flow, then adjust the choke
• Initial heating should be slow if any pieces were recently glazes

• Heat the kiln to 1850. Once past 1800, heating should be slowed to not overshooting
• Once at 1850 most glazes should be at a good temperature - control the choke to keep the temperature at 1850 (up to 1880 is likely fine)
• Hold or soak the work at 1850 until the glaze becomes “shiny”. you may be able to see it start running. This takes around 5 mins
• Check that everything is in place (sawdust piles, clear walkways to them, buckets to cover, etc)

• Shut off kiln at the white lever. Raise kiln lid. Pull pieces out and process for desired effect
• Once finished more work can be loaded into the kiln or the shut off procedure should be followed
• When loading more pieces be careful of immediately increasing the temperature - this risks thermal shock
• With standard raku pieces are placed onto a small sawdust heap (careful there will be fire and noxious smoke)
  • Completely cover (full reduction, not desired unless asked for by glaze, usually metallic glazes),
  • partially cover/ cover and “burp” open (partialy reduction - this gives pretty colours but inhibits metallic effects)
  • Don't cover at all - this is used for bare raku with horsehair effects usually.
  • Allow to cool “enough” Maybe 20 mins
  • Carefully quench pots in a bucket of water - this risks breaking them but you get to see how they turned out faster
  • Once cooled you need to scrub pottery with a brillo pad and e.g. barkeeper's friend

• Shut off main gas line at wall. Wait until flame self-extinguishes
• Shut off all other valves except the Basso valve (brass T turny-thing)
• Keep the kiln open to cool
• Disconnect kiln
• Carefully quench sawdust with water until no steam is present
• Bring everything inside except kiln (and thermometer, hot bricks, thermocouple, plugs, buckets, and burnt sawdust)
• Wait a day for everything to cool
• *Then*
  • Bring the kiln inside
  • Re-wash the shelves if needed
  • Scatter or throw out ashes
  • Bring in buckets