Am I the only one who finds annealing in ashes too unpredictable?

Slow ash cooling versus oven annealing, which method really gives better control?

3 comments

3 Comments

What about the ash itself? Not all ash is the same. Wood type changes heat holding. Moisture messes with cooling. Ovens are steady, but ash varies too much. That's why ash cooling feels random.

michael_fisher552mo ago

Yeah, when you say ash cooling feels random, it really hits home. I've seen how oak ash holds heat longer than pine ash, so it's never the same. @lee.jessica, you're spot on about moisture too, even a bit of damp wood changes everything. How do people even plan for that, you know?

lisar142mo ago

Has anyone looked into how the shape of the firebox changes ash cooling? A wide, shallow bed versus a deep pile makes a big difference in how heat leaves. @lee.jessica is right that the ash itself varies, but its form matters too. That extra layer might be another reason it feels so hard to predict.