In 2008 Linda Christainson donated about 600 used, and I do mean used firebrick of all different qualities and conditions.  She also donated a heck of a lot of mortar that happened to be attached to the brick.  Tom, Chris and I rented a Penske truck and hauled all the brick back here to Mill Creek.  I gave the apprentices the assignment to think of the brick as refractory legos, and to build a kiln and try and fire it.  I am a firm believer in experiential education.  Failure sure has been a good teacher of mine.   

When I was in graduate school we had access to a lot of brick and Chuck Hindes encouraged us to slap kilns together.  This attitude is extremely liberating, and I got the chance to build and tweak the design of many kilns.   So we have recreated that idea here.   The slideshow is of "Gary" the groundhog kiln.  Tom and Chris's first kiln.