[wlively]

I just posted on this topic on another thread.

I have been thinking it is much less stress on the brick to fire after insulation, because you do not have such a wide difference in temperature across the brick and invariably across the outside dome surface. It would be easy to take the blanket off or look under it to inspect for cracks after the cure, if you are so inclined.

I went ahead and fully insulated mine before firing. After 7 fires I do not have any cracks visible inside the dome.

Just a thought.