Before and After

Before:



After:



You can see how much the work shrinks. Generally, it's only (depending on the clay body) supposed to be about six percent (plus the four percent it shrinks in the bisque firing), but I've never taken pics that show the before-and-after spacing in the kiln.

Here are the pieces that go inside the empty cell:



I didn't get any close up shots yet. I unloaded the kiln when it was still 325 degrees, so I didn't want to handle the work too much.

There was no time to let things cool and then play because after I unloaded the kiln, Dave and I had to run off to my eye appointment. I had my eyes dilated (which I hate because I have this horrible fear that they'll dilate them and it won't reverse itself) and the doctor looked and said that everything was fine. (So of course I don't trust the doctor. Sucks being a hypochondriac, believe me.)