Because this piece is quite large, spanning over 60 centimeters, the clay itself is not light even after drying, so this problem bothered me for a while.
But this still can't stump me; I've now entered a state of obsession. To smelt copper, I'll try anything, no matter what the challenge.
Fortunately, there's always a way out, and I came up with a good structure.
If it were made according to the flat shape of a pot lid, it would most likely either collapse or crack during heating, affecting the seal.
My idea is to utilize the properties of a cone to transform the flat surface covering it into an upward-curving surface. This way, after drying, the center of gravity will be evenly distributed along the edge of the kiln wall.
This allows the lid to evenly distribute the high temperature inside the kiln, reducing the possibility of cracking.
Since my kiln is square, the lid will also have four triangular bevels, just like a quadrilateral pyramid.
I still used the same framing method, using bamboo strips and bamboo slats to build a sloping frame with four sides and triangles of suitable size.
Then, shape the clay into a one-centimeter-thick cake and place it on the frame, cutting off any excess. Finally, join the clay cakes together to form a single unit.
To make it easier to handle, I added a spherical connection at the top, making it look like a large pot lid.
I placed the frame on top of the kiln, leaving only some space for ventilation so that the moisture inside the kiln could escape quickly.
Looking at the kiln, which was mostly finished, I nodded in satisfaction. All I had to do today was thoroughly dry it, and tomorrow I could begin the next step of the work.
I sat by the stove, carefully controlling the temperature. So engrossed in it that I didn't even notice that it had gotten dark.
Just then, Top the monkey called out, and I realized that it was getting late, and I hadn't even had time to check on my longline fishing.
I wasn't about to let my catch slip away again. Just in case, I took my wooden spear and lit a resin torch.
When going out near darkness, it's always safer to bring a torch.
I quickly gathered the fish when I arrived at the lake. I caught more than twenty this time, which was a pretty good result.
Back home, Top and I continued our work: breaking fish, skewering fish, smoking dried fish, eating dinner, and going to sleep.
The first thing I did the next morning was to check on my kiln. Yesterday I had put the remaining embers into the firebox and let it bake itself all night.
I carefully picked up the lid from the kiln and examined it. After a night of baking, the component had been completely dried.
I looked at it carefully and didn't find any cracks. It looks pretty good so far, at least it's usable, which makes me very happy.
The only downside is the rainy season; the constant drizzle keeps the nearby timber wet, making things difficult.
There's nothing I can do; that's just how the rainy season is. I'll just have to keep doing what I have to do.
The next few days, I began to wander around that tall pine forest. Compared to poplar wood, the charcoal made from this pine wood has a higher calorific value, making it perfect for copper smelting.
I have no intention of cutting down these trees because I know there have been strong winds and heavy rains lately. These trees have large canopies, so they are much more resistant to wind than other tree species.
The wind in nature is the best knife. All I need to do is bring a stone axe, process the pine trees and branches that have been broken by the wind, and bring them back.
Before I came to this forest to collect firewood, many pine branches on the ground were already dry. I could take them back and use them to make charcoal with the fresh branches.
Those thick pine needles are also good kindling. I spent two days collecting a lot of these things and brought them back to my shed.
During this time, Top would go into the mountains every day, and each time it would come back, it would bring back some fresh wild fruits.
Today I was doing my work as usual. Thanks to my efforts over the past few days, the firewood in the shed has been piled up high.
If I weren't making charcoal, this good amount of firewood should be enough for me to burn for a month. But I'm not sure if I'll be able to succeed, so I can only prepare as much as possible as possible as a backup.
Top came back earlier than usual today, and this clever monkey once again brought me a surprise.
I was processing the fish I had brought back when I saw Top running toward me from a distance, holding something that looked like a stick.
At first, I was puzzled as to why this monkey had taken to playing with sticks. But when it got closer, I realized that it wasn't a stick at all!
What Top was holding was a piece of sugarcane that it had bitten off at the root!
This sugarcane is smaller than the kind we usually see. However, this plant is easy to identify; the rings of black nodes, like bamboo, confirm its identity.
Top grinned and handed me the sugarcane he had gathered. I took the sugarcane, still feeling a little unreal, and said to Top in surprise,
"My God! Top, where did you find this?"
Top seemed puzzled by my expression. Usually, I would accept its kindness with a smile and a nod, and then pat its head.
Realizing I had overreacted, I quickly put on a smile and said to Top in a friendly tone, "Top, could you take me to the place where you found this?"
As I spoke, I pointed to the sugarcane, then to myself and Top, and then shook my head.
I learned the gestures from Top; these are gestures that this clever monkey came up with himself.
Whenever it feels that I'm not giving it enough food, it will point to a certain food and try to tell me with the same gesture.
There's not enough of this; it's not enough for the two of us. You'll have to go and get some more.
Now I'm using the same method to tell it that the sugarcane in front of us isn't enough for the two of us, and we need to get some more.
The clever monkey quickly understood what I meant, grinned, and prepared to return to where it had been.
I called out to Top, grabbed the wooden spear, and followed in Top's footsteps to find the place where it had gathered the sugarcane.
Sugarcane is very important to me; it's more than just sugar. Many industrial materials use sugar, such as alcohol, which is made from sugar.
As I mentioned before, it would be even better if we could find some wine in this wilderness. And the sugarcane in front of us can be refined into sugar, and the kind of spicy knotweed I discovered is also a raw material for making yeast in an ancient way.
As long as I get sugarcane, I'm confident I can make wine as well!
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