Last night I went to bed thinking "go to sleep and morning will be here sooner". I often think about the first day's cup of coffee the same way! It took a while to doze off but I woke up early very alert and excited. It's like today is Christmas - again! I put on the appropriate hat and raced into my kiln room and opened the kiln to see what was waiting in there for me.
A before and after picture of the can that I had put into the kiln.
On first look it didn't look like much, but that is what the wrapping looks like for these presents. I had placed this popcorn can into the kiln with the pottery inside the can surrounded by a variety of materials such as steel wool, copper, saw dust and ice melting salts. As the kiln heated up, inside the can the iron and copper oxidized, the saw dust burned up using up the oxygen in the can's atmosphere and taking some oxygen molecules from the previous oxides. The salt also evaporated, breaking into Sodium and Chlorine that then attacks everything including the clay. The can doesn't have a chance with this high heat and aggressive chemistry happening inside it.
Once I carefully ripped the can open - if that's possible - I pulled out these two new presents. With all the excitement and new pottery it is Christmas again - not the last day of the year.
But, my delusions aside, tommorrow is the first day of 2010. Here's hoping the coming new year is exciting, prosperous and full of new challenges for you. Happy New Year.
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