More supply gathering and building

Well, I picked up a great set of old silicone carbide kiln shelves. 12x24 size, 8 full shelves and 8 shelf pieces. They are well used, kiln wash on one side only, very flat, and will be perfect after a good cleaning. More importantly, I met another potter. Suffice to say that 1 1/2 hours of chatting in a parking lot before I even looked at the shelves! Thank you Karen! It's meeting and getting to know new people during this kiln build that has made it so enjoyable and interesting. I got so distracted that my blonde roots showed themselves and I left my lights on and killed my car battery while chatting. LOL. Fortunately, Karen had jumper cables and a few minutes later I was safely on my way with "new" kiln shelves.

2 hour drive back home only to meet up with my hubby and another hour drive to pick up some firebrick from a very nice gentleman. Thank you Virgil! Loaded up a pallet of old fire brick that came out of an old steel mill (I think). These are rough looking but seem solid. Today I cut up a few and they seem very solid and use-able. On the way back we saw this gorgeous orchard in bloom and had to stop for a quick picture.

Here are some of the fire brick. All different sizes and shapes so I will definitely be doing a lot of cutting. :) I do love a challenge! (Good thing!)

Weather was beautiful today so kiln work was delayed until the afternoon. Got a few more courses of hard brick down and decided on the placement for the remaining soda ports.

One more course of hard brick and the chamber will be ready for the sprung arch. Tomorrow I'll get the IFB up to the same level and frame in the soda ports with hard brick. We need to start getting the ironwork in place too. Russ picked up steel and is excited about welding away. Here is the kiln progress.

I thought I should check level and measurements. All is within 1/4" or less and very level. Exterior and interior dimensions checked. (lol, I may have let out a sigh of relief.)