Mark C.

Congrats-I still am in the Stone Age with a Manuel kiln. Enjoy all the time off after the learning curve.

I spend every day rehabbing as I cannot make pots or go diving or fishing so its all in on rehab. I did done mention my arthritis as at my age and potting we all have it. E=when They cut you open they scrap it out and its gone for some years in that area. same will be true this time. Carpel tunnel and trigger finger are very fast recovery surgeries. The woman at Yale to see if you think you need hand work is Lisa Lattanza-head of hand surgery dept. I would see her as she is close to you-See will elevauate and only do surgery if you need it .She will not do it if unnecessary-she is commited to finding the issue and getting to whats needed and whats not. Do not expect bedside manner talk just the real deal with your issue. 8 years of pottery should not be to much the holding scissors up can do things.

My left hand thumb is on fire with pain (lower bone in thumb joints) and the lower small bone the Trapizuim is bone on bone for 3 years now. My grip is getting less the pain is getting worse. I have had 3 steriod shots and they are working less(the 1st lasted 1 year the 2nd three months the 3rd two weeks.This trapizuim will be removed and a part of the ligamnet with be attched to mu index finger (look this up underAPL suspensionplasty with Biotenoddesis screw. with goggle) the rehab is 4-5 months. I had a right hand PRC done 8 years ago as well-look that one up as it took 5 months to recover as 3 bones are removed. A PRC  involves excising the scaphoid, lunate and triquetrum bones.Ask me anything you like as it not personal its helpfull to others with same issues.Its actually why I joined this forum 8 years ago to find if another potter has a PRC and could still make pots.I have been throwing large amount of clay for over 40 years and its taken a tool on my hands-the PRC was from some former injury in life as a youg person that I do not recall. This APL suspensionplasty with Biotenoddesis screw is 70% more likey in women than men who get this bone on bone in thumb issue (my wife also has it and will get hers done after I recover. I do alot of research on anything that involes my hands as they are my life. I happened to have the best  specialist at the time do my PRC in SF and she now teaches at Yale. She refered me to the top ones in SF area and I got two opions and hers before moving forward.If covid was not happening I would fly back to Yale in a heartbeat and have her do it. We are friends (both divers ) and I will visit her when this mess  is long gone if I go east. Where are you located rox54

The other 3 options are 

Tightrope (Yao technique)

Anchovy

Carponetaccarpal joint hematoma distraction arthroplasty (temp-wire)-I think you had two of these?

I found out all the details on all 4 choices and went with what I feel is best.My Yale surgeon and the other 3 agree on that-which is rare

Its happening on the Tuesday the 19th next week. After 3 onions -one from my wrst surgeon who now is at Yale and two of the top hand only surgeons (my surgeon trained them both) I'm going with an APL suspensionplasty with Biotenoddesis screw. I had 4 options and this is the strongest . Last kiln is going now-off in a few hours -Just fired 94 cubic feet of glazed wares. One big kiln load went away to outlets today-all eight banana boxes. Money in the bank.

They have much tougher panels now and the cost is is very low for a panel-I paid $195 for each 400 watt panel.

I did the entire job myself-I did get my neighbor to help with his power post hole digger back in April for about 20 minutes.This is a big ground array and can be expanded if need be as well. It covers 40 feet x 13.5 feet.I'll add a lithium battery in a few months as they are working on one that talks to my Sol-Arv inverter (solar generator)

I am not sending power back to grid.Onlt home/studio consumption 

I would not contact the gas co.. Most conversiuon kilns are pretty small-say 7 cubic feet-Natural gas is a delivered at 1/4 pound presue or 7 water column inches . The size of pipe matters the most in this low presure situtaion. How long is the pipe run from meter to kiln and how large is the pipe?What typoe of burners?

Yes an empty kiln fires very differently. You also need room around the shelves and kilkn walls to let heat /flame get up to top..You must force the flame up and thru load.not allowing it to rush out flue and into chimney .

Chimney heat loss is fine . Once the heat leaves the kiln its up the stack and gone also creating draw.

Its more likey the flow is not right in kiln and its leaving to fast-now thats a problem but its not in the chimmney , its the flow layout in kiln.Slow the flame down and force it upthru the load before letting it get out.

No camping or traveling at all for us -we are taking this very seriously until its lesser . My offshore tuna trips-usually 150 miles  per trip-I invited two same age crew members-we wear masks all day except to eat and avoid one another as best we can.We all are staying home as much as we can.Done boat fishing now-3 tuna trips 49 tuna.Back toi other projects including making pots

We have been in a very dark week since last Tuesday-steet lights on in the daytime stuff. Need a N95 mmask to be outside with smoke .Even a bit worse about 30-50 miles oiut at sea fishing.

POTS SHOULD BE DRYING WELL

was 98 a day ago now the fog rolled in and its in the 70s-perfect