Well, I suppose it's really not all that incredible. I should have realized that air dry clay would shrink as it dried, despite being glued to the base. As it turns out, all is not lost. In fact, Lloyd says it adds a touch of realism to the kiln, as the brickwork suffers from the intense internal heat and is in need of regular patching.
The worst damage was the top of the oven. The two panels pulled apart, leaving a gap nearly the width of a course of bricks.
The separations on the side of the chimney resulted from the horizontal lines being a little too deep. What was one panel became three. The crack on the side of the oven gave me reason to pay attention to the need for some iron bracing. It is an integral part of most real brick kilns. I'd hoped to get away without it, but in the interest of realism, I see some ironwork on the horizon.
The back side of the chimney didn't fare well, but the bracing, plus painting and patching, should take care of it.
The only repair made was the addition of a row of bricks in the biggest gap. When this dries, it will be time to add some bracing and shading.
While that's drying, the landscaping is demanding attention.
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