Katsutarou Kikuchi Official Website -Japanese Potter-

Firing Schedule (post it in front of the kiln)

The first day 8:00: light a fire
24:00: extinguish the fire, and then, repeat this for the next 5 days.
Only use the front lower opening area for firing.
Once you stoke large branches, wait until they burn completely, and then stoke the fire again. Keep a record of how many branches and when you stoke the fire.
Repeat this until the end.
The second day Use front opening area for firing as same as the first day.
Check the condition of the soot and where the soot line (the line between soot and no soot) is in the inside of the kiln, and be sure to keep a record of it.
The third day Avoid taking out any firewood around the front opening area, instead, push it a little towards the inside, and then, check the inside soot condition and record it.
Check the condition of the steam rising outside the kiln.
Also check the temperature of the outside wall by carefully touching it with your hand.
Record the soot condition and how hot the temperature feels.
The fourth day Around 10:00, push the firewood farther into the the firebox (the space for the fire). Bring the soot line up to somewhere between the 1st~2nd rows.
Move fire to the side stoking hole. It should get slightly bright.
You should use around 10 pieces of firewood depending on the size of firewood.
Pay attention to the dryness of the outside surface of the kiln.
The fifth day Repeat the fourth day and start stoking the fire from the side stoking holes.
Make fire grates for air vents in the center front wall and in both side walls.
Once again, you should use around 10 pieces of firewood depending on the size of firewood.
Eventually, bring the soot line to the last row.
8:00: start the fire
1:00: continue burning the fire in the firebox
15:00: bring the kiln condition to the previous night's condition
17:00~18:00: bring the soot line to the 3rd row (side stoking hole)
19:00: stoke the fire so that the 5th row spy hole turns orange
20:00: toke the fire so that the 6th row spy hole turns orange
21:00: bring the soot line to the 5th row
24:00: bring the soot line to the 6th row and complete firing to bisque-fired to the last row
The sixth day 5:00: start the fire
7:00: stoke the firewood in the inside of the kiln, check fire grates once or twice while stoking
11:00: bring the kiln condition to the previous night's condition
14:30: check the 6th row to see if they are bisque-fired
15:00: soak some pine leaves, then start to stoke them
23:00: change firewood to large deciduous tree firewood
The seventh day 5:00: close the air vents to prevent any air from entering the oven through the chimney
6:00: start using the upper stoking hole and medium cut deciduous pine (50 pieces)
7:30: check that the pieces of pottery in the front row have started to glitter
7:50: check the cone on the middle shelf of the front row
10:00: increase the number of firewood to 70 pieces
10:20: cone 10 on the top shelf of the 1st row should have melted down, keep stoking the fire with pine leaves until the side stoke starts
13:00: cone 09 of the 2nd row should have melted down
14:30: cone 10 of the 2nd row should have melted down
14:50: cone 08 and 09 of the 4th row should have melted down
15:50: check cone 11 on the middle shelf of the front row, check cone 07 of the 6th row and cone 10 of the 4th row
16:00: start stoking from the side stoking hole
16:10: cone 07 of the 6th row should have melted down
17:10: cone 08 of the 6th row half should have melted down
18:00: cone 08 of the 6th row should have melted down, slightly move cone 09
18:30: cone 09 of the 6th row half should have melted down, then you are finished