Soda-Fire
I Soda Fire in a pretty good-sized brick kiln, built off the back stack of my wood kiln, so the two kilns share one grand chimney. My soda kiln is fueled by propane burners and heatedto cone 10 (2300F) so it is less labor intensive than firing with wood- and ten times more expensive these days! I spray soda ash, mixed with hot water, into the kiln through open ports, front and back, when the kiln has reached temperature and is good and hot. I often also dump some salt into the firebox using an special angle iron tool. Soda and salt volatilize and produce beautiful surface texture and flashing on the pots, similar to flame-licked firebricks. Glazes do wild and crazy things in the soda kiln! The process is very hot and intense – and fun.
