I love how we are all just casually continuing traditional pottery methods transcending back generations upon generations ❤️

Hello Andy. Back in the seventies i built a simular kiln out of red brick that i found at a dump. I had the same problem as you with breaking through a thermal plateau. I finally came to realize that by splitting the remaining fire wood down to 1/2" diameter or less i could get more btu's out of the wood per second. I think it is because when the kiln reaches plateau temps the smaller diameter wood literally explodes in the fire box instantly releasing all it's heat. Of course when you get to this point you will need a big stack of little sticks to push the temperature to the maxs. I have watched some of your videos and really enjoyed your approach to explaining your process, thanks, cheers.

I had to dig a bunch of postholes and ended up with about 400lb of clay. So now I guess I have to built a kiln 😒

I have a suggestion, try stoking the fire right after getting it as hot as you can get it by your normal means, then simultaneously build a moderately large fire just outside the bottom opening so the draft pulls the heat from the outside fire back into the kiln. The theory is that by superheating the air you use to burh the wood inside the kilns firebox, you cause that fire to elevate it's temperatures. Also pre-dry your fuel wood in your kitchen stove prior to firing the kiln or, better, use charcoal as your fuel. The water in your "dry" wood will suck the btu's out of the kiln like there's no tomorrow.

Very informative and relaxing video. This makes me want to make one too

You are amazing Andy. Straight to the point.Thanks for sharing and teaching us.

Awesome stuff, this definitely helped me out. I am now building one.

I'd absolutely love that pot for many reasons. #1, I'm teaching myself to replicate native pottery and this would make an excellent study piece. I could learn a lot just from having this pot in hand. Furthermore, you've been not only a teacher, but an inspiration to me. To have a piece of your work would be an honor. Finally, it's a beautiful representation of primitive art. I love it. Thank you so much for the time and effort you continue to invest in these videos. They are a priceless resource.

This is so helpful, im just starting out with wild clay pottery and im so glad i found this channel! Thanks a ton

You have given my heart for clay new life. Thank you so much!

Amazing video.....your knowledge and skills are invaluable.

I am so amazed how patient you are...and you're lucky to have all the necessary tools and raw materials on hand...you've created an amazing sound as well hehe..

I would LOVE to have the pot. I’m currently building an earthen oven/kiln for firing my own crucibles to use in calcining plant material later. I’m an alchemical herbalist student and found this video super helpful. Thank you for sharing your knowledge in traditional methods ❤️

wow, a great kitchen, huge

i see your movie of primitive convection kiln in my backyard,it is full of learning for me,thx so muh,u r v nice intelligent and gentle person,

Amazing how educated primitive civilization was! Thank you for showing how very simple it is.

Ohhh...I would love to have a pot created by you Andy ! You represent what I have been trying to do ever since I found shards on the bank of the Mississippi River . It's been trial and error, looking for info here and there...and then I find you on the wild clay page . I love what you have done and how you share what you have learned. Thank you so much for the knowledge and insight you have gleaned....that is a treasure to me in itself . it is such a blessing to see some one who wants to know how it was done by the Ncient ones

Nice work And I like the one with white colour inside

Thanks for the video. Wanted to build a small primitive kiln for a pot or two at a time, and really like your built. Especially with your added suggestions to better it. Too the history pics and background. There’ll be another built in central California in the spring. Again thanks

This is fascinating, thanks for your tutorial, very informative as usual. 🤗

I really appreciate seeing the carbon line. Super cool and educational. Thanks!

Very nice. I use an updraft kiln in Central Mexico where I live. They last many years with maintenance. They are very efficient. I love this video.

That was fun, thanks. I also watched the Caliche video, sounds like where I live in California's central Valley. I think we gave plenty of limestone here too.

Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge in such detail

Thanks for showing this; it looks very do-able in the 'burbs where I live. Maybe now I can finally make some pots, since I just want to make traditional Motu cooking pots for myself to use on naked flame. 😁👍

I appreciate your including the thermocouple and temp readings. I didn't have a clue what temps to expect with my first open firing. The thermocouple I had was too short to reach the heart of the fire, but I was able to determine that, if you're trying to get a low fire range (700-900C), use smallish sticks and branches. Avoid store-bought firewood as the good stuff will send the temp far above the desired temp range. The result I got was temps in excess of 1000C and overfired pottery, including warping and cracking.

Thanks for this Andy! Very informative

In order to raise the temperature fast, try small thin (pencil shaped) pieces of wood. Like that it should reach about a thousand degrees centigrade after a while, constantly feeding thin wood into the firebox.

Very cool. Thanks for this idea

Been working on a mud kiln similarish to this, loosely based off what I'd seen on the Primitive Technology channel. Glad to see that other people that also know what they're doing, do similar, historically based designed. Mine is squarish, probably not as efficient, but its just me trying something out for the first time at a parsonage, which is essentially a rent situation

I've wanted to do this for years, exactly the stuff you are doing. Dig up clay out back, fire it in something like this. I've experience with rocket stoves and I can't help but think that that technology would work great for firing pottery.

I've subscribed, your channel is a treasure. Thank you, sir!

Nice results.

Very informative video. Pots look great 😊

great looking homemade kiln! would be great to see a video of how you made it for people looking to replicate it or do something similar

Really just need two levels in your firebox to get that target temp in no time. You need the ash and smaller coals to fall to the lower level and introduce fresh fuel above for instant/clean combustion. Keep removing ash buildup from the lower level. It is refractory and hinders heat distribution from active coals. I used to woodfire to 2400F and could get to 800C in less than an hour. After around 1000C the fire is smokeless and very little ash is produced. Very much enjoying these videos!

Hi Andy, i started my kiln this afternoon. I put a foundation and first course on top. I'll let it dry before i continue. Inside dimensions will be roughly 12 inches by 12 inches. Thank you for the videos and your hard work.

Swedish Tile Stoves & Masonry Heaters will give you a sense of how to build a kiln that takes very little fuel & remains hot got a long time after the fire goes out. Mr. Chickadee's KZfaq channel has a couple of really small Masonry Heater builds. He shows the entire process. The cook stove build for the cabin & the tiny one for (I think) his blacksmith shop are both good. He had trouble with his first attempt at one in the timber-framed wattle & daub shop. I'm going to build one of this type of kiln for firing things!

Kris 10 Touched on what I'm about to suggest. Take a really good look at *Rocket Stoves* If you build an Adobe kiln following how Rocket Stoves are built I'm pretty sure you could get the high temperature you need on a consistent basis. You might even be able to add a second shelf to fire more pottery as Rocket Stoves burn pretty hot on little fuel, small sticks or twigs. The trick I think would be to raise the firebox, and add a grate for the coals. The space underneath would allow for more through combustion and would allow the ash to fall away allowing more oxygen to get to the fuel.

I have recently been looking into building myself a kiln and Having seen what changes you would make as a professional potter will be very useful for designing my own.

I haven’t been using my wheel because I haven’t had access to a kiln. I’m probably going to make my own firing method thanks to you.

Very impressed with the kiln, would love to see how you made the mud bricks and set them in place etc.

I love it! I want to build one. We are using similar materials on our straw bale home.

If you have a vented space under your fire you can increase your fire more air and you can pull ash out nice kiln like the idea

Bless you Father Mulcahy!

This is awesome!

Great Video! You would likely get better heat and more bang for you buck on wood burning if you put a rocket stove type box at the mouth of the fire box. It will also burn cleaner.

great video and justwhat ive been thinking about for the last couple of weeks.. surely i must be able to make a smaller version of the japanese pottery craftsmasters, And BOOM! Andy has nailed my vision in mind. (ps i haven't read any books or other youtube videos on pottery or kiln making, i just have a primitive hands-on thought process in the mind! and my vision was this but with an underground tunnel for cool air updraft enhancing/turbo suction ???)

Awesome. Thank you sir. I built a small aluminum foundry almost identical to your design, a few years ago from stone and cob. I put a pipe on the end of a bellows and put that into the firebox, pumped it with my foot and used charcoal. Was actually able to melt copper like that. My design was much more narrow inside but I think the addition of a foot pump or bellows would definitely allow you to reach 800, some folks use a hair dryer too

Learning a lot from this vids.

Andy I discovered your videos recently and have found them to be both informing and down to earth. I however had to comment that I clicked on this video because the thumbnail made you look like Queen Elizabeth II and William Christopher had a child.

That looks so cool , I think you have a lot more wood in your desert then in mine , the Mohave. Interesting video , I designing a kiln using metal garbage can and propane , your kiln has like the same shape as my can and the flame I think will come from the bottom , I need to hit 1960 F. I want to build a chimney on it. I tested my new thermo meter on my gas BBQ it hit 850 F lol Thanks for the video.

You are amazing sir

I would definitely pay for a course from you about building one of these kilns.

Thanks for the great videos Andy and the valuable information on processing wild clay. I’ve been making terra sigilata slips using wild clay. Looking forward to experimenting with them. The pyrometer hole seemed fairly large but I didn’t see it with the pyrometer installed. Did you put any clay around the pyrometer to stop air going in there? Building the firebox out a little, raising the kiln walls another course or two and narrowing the circumference a little may help. Please let us know if you try any of the suggestions in this chat.

Hy Andy This was the type I wanted to build but just ran out of time... I still intend to build on about the same size. I was thinking I would spend the time to make my charcoal.. I'm also thinking I would use a hair dryer to get to that temperature you would need for glazes. I would be very happy to get that pot. I could use it in my demonstrations at the Rendzouse that we go to.. It's good to see your videos I'm able to pick a lot of ideas.. Hey stay safe and healthy

Great thanks

I need this for reasons

Surprising to hear temperatures in Celsius. So used to folks from the US using Fahrenheit.

Here's a link to Swedish Tile Stoves where the Stoves are dismantled & put back together again.

Thanks for the information this is very helpful nice kiln

Thank you

man cool my honor to call you sir and i love this!!!!

Add a loosely hanging sheet of metal in front with a lip over the mantle. You will get a better draw. I used a hammered out piece of stovepipe over the open doorway of my wood stove to get it roaring. Small opening on top is sufficient.

Thank-you.

Thank you 😊

I am very interested, and may get into this. I live on the Oregon coast and all our soil has a lot of sand so would need to go inland probably to gather.

I like using homemade fire starters. They are extremely cheap , efficient , and waterproof. I can keep around twenty five of them in an old prescription pill bottle. Simply take jumbo cotton balls and message each one with about a half teaspoon of petroleum jelly. They light very easily when you fluff each one out just a little. They shed water and each one will burn well for around five minutes each. Enough time to light even damp kindling.

If when building it you do it with an air inlet on the side to connect it to a fan or a hair dryer I think you can get more heat. That's what they do in DIY hobby foundries.

You basically would be making a rocket stove. Am planning on experimenting with a pit fire/rocket stove/ kiln this summer. Thanks for the video, stay well.

Love this! I so want to try to do it myself, but am scared to. Just gonna have to make myself do it. All the pots are awesome. I would pay for shipping!

love it !

this will be a fun project with my dad this summer (hi dad aka Dupe)

God job

I saw on 'James May Man Lab' them using a hair dryer on high to super charge the air for aluminum casting.

This video was made a while ago so I dont know if you ever built another one but I have been researching and have read that building the fire on its own grate above the ground will increase the temperature by allowing oxygen/airflow to come from beneath it , as well as a longer firebox and taller chimney, as you mentioned. I love your channel, btw. Your content is great and you do well with the camera also.

Try doing a 3 tier burn zone. Upper is feedstock. middle is coal drop. Lower is removable ash tray.

Andy, what are your thoughts on the firing of crucibles? And tips or suggestions?

I am wanting to get into pottery in a few months when my dad is buying some land. Thinking of making a whole pottery setup with no electricity. Obviously the hardest part will be the wheel though I hope I will find a way. This kiln looks amazing

You should get a flue liner (or a stove pipe) to set on top to increase the draft. Not primitive, but easy and relatively cheap.

Wow, I want to make a kiln too

There's actually a channel called primitive technology that expressly uses, well, primitive techniques from various places to essentially do Bushcrafting, but more importantly teach/show others how it may have been done long ago (and maybe how to do it yourself if you want to) He lives in Australia and, admittedly, the location he predominantly does his projects in is more of a tropical forest type location, but as far as clay and pottery is concerned, the type of environment shouldn't matter very much so long as you have a clay source and water, but I digress. When I say he does things primitively, I mean it. He named his channel that way for a reason. He goes out with just his camera and a pair of shorts, that's all. Anything else, he makes. If he needs an axe, he makes it out of stone. Stones are his tools. He makes his own cordage and farms his own food. All while never speaking a word. Anyway, here's a link to the first kiln he made. Turn on captions for an explanation of each step. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/q8B3ebeesJy9m2g.html Also, here's a link to a video of him making a pot purely out of wood ash kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qK1mod2j0NnGgIU.html Lastly is this crossdraft kiln kzfaq.info/get/bejne/iNSmp7ua0N3WeYk.html

I think you need to fire longer to get higher temperatures and open the flue all the way to get more air.

Very useful! Thanks. Would a removable chimney help to increase draught and get the temp up? Something like a cone made out of thin steel sheet, or a metal pipe you could just wedge on top?

Maybe use a bit of a venturi concept with the fire box, maybe😊😊🤔😏tell you the truth i don't really know but just thinking.. Great video content iam glad i found this channel thankyou. 👍👍🔥🔥

you should combine this adobe kiln with a j tube rocket. Look up rocket stoves, and more specifically the j tube rocket, which gravity feeds the wood so you don't have to work so much feeding fuel. also, the wood is elevated, allowing air to flow under and over it, producing a much more efficient fire.

What a wonderful kiln, thanks so much for sharing. I was wondering could you do a glaze firing in kilns like this? I'm oping to make some functional ware to make it food safe.

That's basically a huge Rocket Stove. You can turn it into a vertical feed and use longer twigs, sticks, branches, or 2x4s, and stand them up. The fire will continue to be drawn upwards into the kiln, so the fire shouldn't catch outside the burn chamber. But the top hole and chamber should all be the dame diameter throughout the kiln and the height should be 3 xs the size of the diameter. This is hot enough to fire up borosilicate glass which we fire at 1080 F.

If you build a new fire pit, please do a video of it, I would love to build one for myself, thanks. Greetings from Sydney Australia

you can raise the temp with a bellows.

Hi Andy. I live in New Zealand. Maybe a bit late but is that pot still up for grabs. would be soo cool to have it shipped over here. Love your work. Cheers.Hadley

This video is very helpful,,thanks bro,, it good if later you can make a video with complete engineering detail,, its very important that we can made our own tools rather than to buy if we are capable doing it,, More power....

Im glad I ran into your channel and can’t wait to do my first pottery. Im thinking of buying clay from Hobby Lobby before trying to make my own. I live in Southern California. Would dirt over here work as clay? Wound a pizza oven work for firing?

Can you use regular bricks or do you need high heat fireplace bricks 🤔

Enjoyed watching this......just wondered if the pyrometer was touching one of the pots.....would it affect the reading. Thanks for sharing....

Thank you for your video. I don't know if this has been asked, but, are pots fired this way, functional enough to use for cooking and eating/drinking?

intresting .

Another great video. I'm wanting to build my own kiln in the backyard. What temperature is needed for first firing? What temperature for glazing? How long do you burn the fire to ensure the pottery has been fired thoroughly?

Your pieces are STUNNING!! I'm not sure how you called them junk!! I would LOVEEE the pot/vase that you are giving away! I am super into pottery and think your work is so beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing, this was super helpful! Ive been studying cob and mass rocket heaters for a bit and I'm really excited to try this!! What type of clay should we use for pottery being fired in an outdoor oven like this? is there a specific glaze we should try for food safe objects? I studied pottery in high school, but our teacher always did the firing, so I know very little about temps and food grade safety. Thanks again! I look forward to your response!

Is there a negative when firing clay pots to use some forced air to stoke the fire? Because if not a cheap hair dryer will work wonders on that fire. And if you need to go bigger a leaf blower will definitely do the job. I use a hair dryer in my charcoal and coal forges for knife making. And I use a leaf blower when I'm in a hurry burning brush and things in my yard.