Mark C.

If thsi is in the UK then we need to know more on what the electrical voltage is in the UK. Maybe some UK potters can chine in with this tec info

I have seen lots of hard brick over the years on many sites from potters web to craigslist and others-search a thread here thats old on ceramic sites for sales ( not facebook marketlplace) They make the bricks in the east where you live by the way.

also old mills that used bricks in say kiln drying or boilers can be a source.

classic fast firing with wet wares after you clean up the shards from kiln use a soft brush on a vacuum to suck small pieces from the element grooves -be gentle doing this.

Always my key tool with plaster is the jiffy mixer -also drop the bucket hard a few times to get the air bubble to rise to top before pouring also is a good tip

Laguna now sells a flameware body so you can get a 25# at Laguna/Aftosa location in Fl

I should add I put my large shallow porcelain sink and water setup with high ball valve pipe and hose setup in studio from a salvage yard in 1973. The sink is shallow but large.That was 51 years ago. Lot of water thru the screens since then.

I used 2 old fashion galvanized hoops with brass screens for decades with two sticks over a bucket until I bought a Talisman. Now I have three if them hanging -bought two used from other hobbyists who sold out. I have one for white glazes and one for dark and one that just hangs. Many people buy one and find their set up cannot clean them well. The trick is a tall faucet in studio with a rubber or in my case silicone hose as I can put a 5 gallon bucket in sing or spray out the sieve when done with it. Once you master the plumbing they work fine. in a small sink its to hard to clean them. I have been to NZ to the factory on the north Island in thge 90s and bought spare parts as well. I have about 30 years now in using them and never looked back. Now the other day I was doing smaller than 1000 grams and used one of the tiny smaller Talisman from Laguna clay baby sieves .These are made from PVC with stainless screen. I use an 80 mesh for all sieving as well no matter what the sieve. The Talisman is made for large batches like 5 gallon buckets or larger. I do not consider it a hobby size deal as its to big.

When I was a student I used a metal lunchbox-still have it.easy to clean and when open it was easy to access

So I am testing some new liner glazes today to look for one to replace my go to I have used for 40+ years. I opened my glaze book and found one TRJ emailed back in the day from this site, also wishing me a Merry Christmas . For those that do not recall him he was another professional full timer like me from Canada. After a few years of back and forth emails we were going to meet at an upcoming NCECA but alas he got sick and passed away. His posts live on here just like mine will when I'm gone. He shared info freely as many do on this site. I mixed up his liner cone 10 reduction glaze today and will test it in coming week. It was good today thinking about a man I never met and what may have been. Now I may be using his liner glaze on a zillon pots if I like it. Thanks TOM akaTRJ On that note I did meet another Potter last week at a Crafts Fair in Saint Louis and we did a mug exchange . I was there twofold to visit with my wifes sister who moved 1 hour south of STL last year. Also we drove south 3 hours to see the eclipse which was fabulous with clear skies our second one in the past 7 years. It was a joy to meet another potter from this site and share stories and ideas.I had my coffee in his copper red mug this morning.Its a small planet really.

I feel that whatever works for you with slip use that . If it works use it. I will add that in my clay body and calc class back in collage we tested all types of attachments (long before magic water ) and what was leaned that scoring and slip make for stronger bonds. It's a night and day difference so score and slip . If you are not that you are making weaker bonds.

I use the slip from my hands throwing medium and larger forms. I keep in in tall plastic open container with a piece of light plastic over it. If it gets thick we add a splash of vinegar. Sometimes no vinegar for months. Thgis slip is always teh same body we are working with and water is not added. I also collect from splash pan if needed quickly, gthge thicker stuff .Never bothered about magic-I learned ceramnics before those concepts where born and never needed them so never thought about doing them later. Now I will add we handle thousands of mugs every year in porcelain and getting the handles on same day is the norm with the clay all the same moisture content. Handles, on then cover with loose light plastic sheets that night uncover and let dry. If any small cracks appear I use a thin wood stick to rub them out while loading them in bisque kiln. (pro tip I leaned from another potter in the 80s) then they never show up again. Also if you do this while loading that saves handling them another time which is all about time saving which is what am all about with clay.

More chimney (taller for sure to suck better). That dampermaybe low as you said 5 bricks up from floor, How tall is that in inches? Low. if it was waist high the flame/heat expands out of the chamber and then gets reduced down and then expands again after the damper The damper that close has little expansion space which will slow draft down a s well. A taller stack may help this flaw. I cannot tell how much flame expansion space you have? The double expansion is spelled out well in a few books like Nils Lou space age kilns.If I recall-its be awhile so I hope i have that right. I biult the double expansion stack in my salt kiln and its works great with less taller chimneys .I have 7-8 feet brick and 8 feet of heavy stainless pipe Read up on making cone pack making. Cones should face slightly away from each other so than do not fall on each other for better reading-good temp records count

I buy my clay in about 3 -6 ton lots minimum and order it made extra soft for bad wrists. I have a shed near the road witha canvas front facing north in the shade of my potshop. That shed stays cool year round. I then bring into shop about 750#s at a time and store under wedging tables on redwood floor boards.(2x12s are my floor in old shop-new addition is painted plywood floors ) Clay warms slightly in shop in winter with heat -summer heat is off and its cooler in shop I order from Laguna clay and have it trucked the 13 hours north and supply a few other potters as well that Have been with me for many decades on clay buys-although many are now gone.I have been with Laguna since they bought out westwood clay in the med 80s before I was with westwood in the 70s also used to used Robert Brent Clays when they where in Healsburg and Quyle clay from the Sierra. They now are out of the clay business. Also usewd some Emory clays from Sacramento area -all those where stonewares-switched in mid 80s to all porcealin .From Laguna just before they bought up Westwood.I drove down to LA in 185 to meet the Laguna owner and try there porcelains .He sold Laguna about 5 years ago to the new owner. I also store some clay just outside shop door for slab roller use-I moved my two peter puggers last summer onto new kiln cement slab and have yet to. decide about where slab clay will live-it never ends. Ok off to see the eclipse via some airplanes

The photos do not work for me