After Firing, The Clean-up

After the ash has settled and the pots removed there is still a big job for a wood-firer. Cleaning up the kiln and kiln shed. This time I have to remove the sand from the bottom of the kiln because it is so full of melted ash that it is stuck together. It protects the floor of the kiln from glazing. There are wads to pick up and the worst part, shelves to clean. They weren't nearly as bad as last time. Start with a sharp chisel use the angle grinder as needed. The truck load of wood is now down to a five gallon pail of ash. The ash will be spread in the bush and the wads and sand become fill beside the shed.
No photos from the last firing....cleaned the pots up and off they went to a sale last Saturday. Sold almost all of them so won't be going to the sale this weekend, not enough stock! No time to make any more pots this season either. The dog fur hat factory is now back in operation.
Once the kiln is all cleaned up and the shelves are clean and washed it will be time to go out in the bush and get wood for next Spring.