I've now half mortared the 22nd row out of 24 rows or courses.
YES! There is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Howard came over this morning and we discussed my progress and the next steps for a couple of hours - time flies when you are having fun!
After the 24th row, the angle iron has to go on all the corners, with attachments welded onto each corner that will connect to all the other corners.
Then an 'L' shaped piece goes on each side to support the arch - keep it from falling down.
We had a long discussion on how to fit the bricks into the 'L' shape and support the arch.
Bricks need to be cut at an angle to support the angle of the arch - these special bricks are called skewbacks.
Apparently they are custom fit to each kiln and arch design.
In the past there were standard skewbacks that one could purchase, but kilns are all so different these days, and arch configurations so different, that standard skewbacks were going the way of the dinosaurs.
I had a brick supply company in the Portland area say they now sell castable for custom skewbacks. Meaning that one makes a form and pours or tamps a mixture into the form to make custom skewbacks.
After much discussion, we decided that I will cut skewbacks from soft bricks, and use hard bricks to back them up against the angle iron.
Everything is such an experiment... But I trust Howard's experience.

I have had incredible support from a neighbor of mine, Claude Green.
He has loaned me tools and given much moral support.
He will build the arch support for the kiln.
He built the arch support for my first kiln over 25 years ago.
The dimensions and criteria are much different for this kiln, so again, much discussion has gone on. The big problem to overcome is how to remove the arch support from the kiln after the arch is built. In this kiln design, the support has to come out of the doorway.
Claude came up with the ingenious, yet elementary, idea of making the arch support in 2 pieces - a right & left side - that would be screwed together, and easily dismantled.
Sounds great - now to make it work.

Good night - I'm beat - will pick up again tomorrow.
Kiln building is great work for a good night's sleep.