Updraft kiln in progress.

This is the beginning of our third attempt in constructing a simple updraft kiln. This kiln however is designed to be propelled with forced air. The inner liner of the kiln is about 50mm in thickness and is constructed out of a clay and mud mixture. Around that we wrapped steel mesh for reinforcement, followed by a cob mixture made from mud with a small clay content and pine needles, over this we've added another layer of clean mud to increase the isolation of the oven. 

The kiln's clay inside covered with a pine needle cob mixture.

Once this clay, cob, mud mixture is completely dry we will slowly fire the oven and then add a final layer of reinforced concrete as a protective shell. This concrete layer will almost act as an exoskeleton and will also protect the kiln from the elements such as rain.

Our beautiful alfresco view over some wild banana (Strelitzia Nicolai).

This would be the first proper attempt to make an updraft kiln, we don't expect the kiln to reach very high temperatures but we believe that this would work very well as a raku and bisque kiln.