Mark C.

Most are 50% these days on consignment. Make sure they have been in business long time and have a good reputation.
I have had a few for many many decades.I trust them. I also long ago had some bad ones I dropped. One I turned into whole sale only about 10 yaers ago  and still do bus with after 50 years now.
 

Glaze I think will pull it up more as the thats more tension on the slab.
I feel waster slab of same body is better than coils for slabs.
The letters applied also are part of the pull is also my guess .Glaze on one side is always going to distort it.
The high fire with no glaze and oxides on a waster slab is my suggestion.
Next time you could sandwich it with broken kiln shelves/ or  bricks  to keep it flat.. the weight on top would help

Yes what size are the orfices now? natural gas has larger orfices -LPG should have considerable smaller orfice  holes.
I get that its been convered but all 4 burners in one spot is a bit strange-We need to see the inside with door open as well.
You never mentioned anything about a damper-does it have one on top (I'm assuming its a updraft?)
The only downside with the hood so close is it will rust out sooner if it gets super hot and you could always have a stainless one made  like i did as they never rust-make sure to  cover your chimney cap when not in use for rain.
In terms of to small  a hood that whole shed is just for this small kiln and your shed has a wall of windows  on one side and one opens so ventaliation is looking great to me as long as you do not sit in there all closed up firing
So the issues can be
orfice size
burners to small-burner placement (all in one spot)
The stacking load of wares and bag walls
draft -layout inside to let gas flow thru load
damper issue-size of exit flue
explain in detail these issues  as best you can to help us
Photos inside are a must

I would use a letter drill bit and hand spin into the orfice as gas over time leaves deposits and the orfices become smaller. You want the right bit so work up in size (I forgot exactly what letter size but Geil will tell you if you call them)

soak the shaft and hole with a penatrating fluid (not wd)-like deep creep or Kroil. let that sit for a few days adding more ,then slight heat with portable hand torch  on wheel head not shaft to expand it. Then pull or thread off

I have tried to keep my wife out of my line of work but that said she still has done my local shows with me. I have another assistant that helps set up and down but she has helped sell. Also we have set up my Christmas s booth and knocked it down on xmas eve for many many decades (now retired for that) I only have one local show now and she will help sell-the two days . She can play in studio all she wants but I do all the studio work myself or with my assistant-priceing packing. She will ocassionall drop an order off locally. Right now she has a herniated disk so all thats ioff the table and I am doing all the heavy lifting. The garden I rototill and plant and until she heals I'm doing the whole bit. She had her own carreer (now retired ) so I have done my best to keep clay my own career . She used to do a few traveling shows but its been a decade or more on those as well now that she had done. She did do 2 my last NV show two years ago ona road trip that we saw my Nephews one year old twins. But it was the twins not the show that she came.

I have tried to keep my wife out of my line of work but that said she still has done my local shows with me. I have another assistant that helps set up and down but she has helped sell. Also we have set up my Christmas s booth and knocked it down on xmas eve for many many decades (now retired for that) I only have one local show now and she will help sell-the two days . She can play in studio all she wants but I do all the studio work myself or with my assistant-priceing packing. She will ocassionall drop an order off locally. Right now she has a herniated disk so all thats ioff the table and I am doing all the heavy lifting. The garden I rototill and plant and until she heals I'm doing the whole bit. She had her own carreer (now retired ) so I have done my best to keep clay my own career . She used to do a few traveling shows but its been a decade or more on those as well now that she had done. She did do 2 my last NV show two years ago ona road trip that we saw my Nephews one year old twins. But it was the twins not the show that she came.

I have tried to keep my wife out of my line of work but that said she still has done my local shows with me. I have another assistant that helps set up and down but she has helped sell. Also we have set up my Christmas s booth and knocked it down on xmas eve for many many decades (now retired for that) I only have one local show now and she will help sell-the two days . She can play in studio all she wants but I do all the studio work myself or with my assistant-priceing packing. She will ocassionall drop an order off locally. Right now she has a herniated disk so all thats ioff the table and I am doing all the heavy lifting. The garden I rototill and plant and until she heals I'm doing the whole bit. She had her own carreer (now retired ) so I have done my best to keep clay my own career . She used to do a few traveling shows but its been a decade or more on those as well now that she had done. She did do 2 my last NV show two years ago ona road trip that we saw my Nephews one year old twins. But it was the twins not the show that she came.

Either change the body  or the glaze
lots of white glazes out there

Either change the body  or the glaze
lots of white glazes out there

Either change the body  or the glaze
lots of white glazes out there

The glue that is a step above Elmers is Titebond wood glue. Its like Elmers in all reguards except its waterproff when dry

The glue that is a step above Elmers is Titebond wood glue. Its like Elmers in all reguards except its waterproff when dry

If say you break a mold in 1/2 you can use waterproof wood glue to glue it back together . I do that with throwing plaster bats. In terms of repairing a cracked (not broken mold) I know of no fix that will work well so try anything but expect it to fail. Molds should not be overheated but you now know that. Ceramics is hard lessons learned and you are on the right path.

If say you break a mold in 1/2 you can use waterproof wood glue to glue it back together . I do that with throwing plaster bats. In terms of repairing a cracked (not broken mold) I know of no fix that will work well so try anything but expect it to fail. Molds should not be overheated but you now know that. Ceramics is hard lessons learned and you are on the right path.

Either change the body  or the glaze
lots of white glazes out there

scumming for me needs more explanation ? its not a word I use in relation to glazes. Bubbles ,pitting.crawling. overfired ,underfired,cracked. shivering,dunted,rough surface smooth surface . shinny surface matt surface??Dull.bright??
scumming is what happens on a bucket of funky water or a pond surface 
what is scumming?? and what are we looking for in the photos- as both are very close looking as as Babs said one looks to be cooler fired

On. plus note you can toss the rejects off into space unless the HOA is uptight on flying ceramics 

On. plus note you can toss the rejects off into space unless the HOA is uptight on flying ceramics 

On. plus note you can toss the rejects off into space unless the HOA is uptight on flying ceramics 

Kiln shed out back may work ??

Tom thats an understatement (It does get hot here in the Summer.)
its gets cooking-I was in Sac a few weeks ago and it was 91 and that was before summer .Seen Redding hit 115 before and its getting worse these days

Been in the french butter business for over 40 years and most folks do not wash them out and start over enough. Leads to many issues. Remember its not a long term storage container. Wash it out at least every few weeks.
We personaly use a covered butterdish ona plate bottoms as it easier to keep clean .
Most customers go sideways with these items and ask about how to use them later although I have detailed instructions in each pot I sell.

The better wheels which will not slow down with pressure are Skutts and Brents and Baileys. Better warranty  as well. These wheels last though the test of time
Brents are my wheel of choice -10 year warranty 
Pacificas are slowly getting better with better materials now (no longer have say flakeboard uder the plastic deck) they now use that Bat material which is morte waterproof .

Lets face it the whole patio is a summer pots shop-may as well just put that patio stuff away and build the shelves now and a nice 4x8 glazing table. Patio potshop season May-Ocober 15th . Don't fight it emprace the chaos