Kiln Door

Photo on the right is the kiln door laying down. If you look carefully at the left photo, you can see screws coming through the brown angle iron.

Last week, 24 holes were drilled around the edge of the door, through the angle iron. Today, I laid the sheet metal inside the angle iron & drilled through both metals. Then the sheet metal screws that I had salvaged from my old kiln were inserted from the inside of the door, and ratcheted through the angle iron. It was suggested to me to grind the ends of the sheet metal screws off using the same grinder I used to clean hard bricks. When I tried that, it seemed a sure way to quickly wear down my grinder. I think there is an easier, more efficient way to cut the sheet metal screw bottoms off. A hacksaw would work, but that's a lot of hand sawing...

Even though the sun broke through the fog today, it was very cold - in the low to mid 30's. Too cold to mortar bricks. If I was just building up without corbelling in, I may be able to get away with the mortar not adhering so good. But since I am changing the circumference of the chimney, I need mortar to stick very well. This arctic chill shouldn't last too long. By February we should be warming up here! I started back in on making pots.