Lots of photos today.

We'll work in reverse: last pic is angle iron braces that have been painted with primer - to protect them from rust. The iron pieces are from my old kiln and nearly 30 years old, I'm figuring they need all the help they can get to stay strong. (Vitamins for iron!) These 2 make 6 of 8 iron pieces to get primer'd. The door has yet to be fabricated.

On the right are the arch supports for the old & new kilns of mine. The old kiln used the smaller one. The larger arch support has to include the firebox in the new kiln. Also, in a wood-fueled kiln the shelves are spaced farther apart to facilitate movement & distribution of ashes from firebox to flue.

The first 2 photos are the chimney dismantled. Each row of chimney bricks is in it's own stack, in order that they were taken down. I wanted the stacks to be out of the predicted rain for tonight. It may take me a few days to mortar the chimney back up.

I did start mortaring the chimney, and found I had to move loose bricks down to the 3rd row of foundation. I had not mortared the chimney area at all! When I put the level on the bricks, they were very out of alignment. Who the heck set the foundation & mortared those first rows?? All the more evidence of how much better of a bricklayer I am now. And the 4-foot level I am using sure helps to keep the rows even. Claude gave me this level after I started setting rows of bricks for the walls. He noticed the challenges I had using a 2-foot level, in keeping my rows even. I now recommend no person attempt a kiln-building project without a 4-foot level.

Late this afternoon (5:30pm, the sun was down, the days are getting much shorter) I quit mortaring the chimney at the first corbel-in row. I set the bricks dry & found they were very tight. I'll have to make some adjustments in the brick positions as I go up the chimney. Yesterday, when we dry set the chimney & cut bricks, it was at a good pace. Now I am carefully measuring & mortaring bricks. I rented the brick saw for just one day, and do not have the luxury of having one on hand everyday. Thus, I will make adjustments as the bricks get set, and not concern myself with having everything look "pretty". This kiln is a tool and it will have the requirements to produce great looking pots. It is not intended to be a showpiece as a work of perfect craftmanship in itself - that would be the position of a professional kiln builder. (Though it will be a feat of accomplishment, if I do say so myself.)