Mark Potter on thu 17 may 07
Does anyone have a schedule for firing heavy thick sculptures. . .
where to ramp to what temperatures. . pause for how long at what
temperatures?
Where to pause for chemical water, physical water??
Any idea where I can get such a schedule??
On May 16, 2007, at 2:30 PM, Mark Potter wrote:
> CLAYARTERS. . .
>
> I have an Alpine with a new kiln controller. . Kiln Ray installed it
> for me. . .the latest. . digital controller. . . .
>
> However I have not used it with this electronic controller. . . having
> only used the kiln for reduction high fires in the past . . . just
> used my eyes. . .my cones . . and my exerience. . .
>
> I would like to bisque a lot of thick sculptures. . . some are 1"
> thick in places (groggy sculpture clay) and would like to use the
> controller to do a nice even bisque that isn't likely to break my
> work. . . .
>
> I'd much appreciate making the acquaintance of any NYC potters who are
> familiar with the controller and would be willing to help me with a
> bisque firing. I could pay for your help on this. I'm not
> electonically inclined. . but recognize the advantage of doing ramp
> type firings with all kinds of waits and pauses at various
> temperatures.
>
> If you're not a NYC based potter, do you have a schedule for firing
> heavy bisqued works?
>
> --
> Mark Potter
> www.visionage.net
Craig Clark on thu 17 may 07
Mark, I used to fire an 1960's era, 60 cubic foot, Alpine Updraft quite
a bit. I was before the computer controlled version, but I did have the
occassion to fire full scale + sized busts as well as larger (up to 4
ft) scuptural forms. I never lost a piece in the firing. I would take
three days on the busts and two on the slab built and coil formed pieces.
The beginning of the firing is where you will get into the most trouble.
After you load, adjust your computer so that the kiln will candle over
night. The next morning, light the primary burners, without blowers and
very gently let the temp of the kiln start to rise. Up through chemical
water burn I did not go any faster than 10/15 degrees F/hr....I would
either hold this rate until I was past quartz inversion (approx 1200 F)
or I would increase the climb slightly to 25F/hr if the pieces were'nt
too thick, as in not more than a coupla inches at any one point.
Once I was past 1200F or so, I would pretty much fire "normally" paying
close attention to keeping the temperature in the kiln as even as
possible, especially if there were any taller pieces.
This is by no means the end all be all. It is what worked very well for
me. In the interest of full disclosure, the kiln was in the school from
which I graduated and I did not have to pay for gas. I had taken the
advice of a potter/sculptor named Don Reitz when I attended a workshop
of his and asked about firing larger pieces. He said to take a lot of
time...go slow.
Hope this helps
Craig Dunn Clark
619 East 11 1/2 St
Houston, Texas 77008
(713)861-2083
mudman@hal-pc.org
Mark Potter wrote:
> Does anyone have a schedule for firing heavy thick sculptures. . .
> where to ramp to what temperatures. . pause for how long at what
> temperatures?
>
> Where to pause for chemical water, physical water??
>
> Any idea where I can get such a schedule??
>
>
> On May 16, 2007, at 2:30 PM, Mark Potter wrote:
>
>> CLAYARTERS. . .
>>
>> I have an Alpine with a new kiln controller. . Kiln Ray installed it
>> for me. . .the latest. . digital controller. . . .
>>
>> However I have not used it with this electronic controller. . . having
>> only used the kiln for reduction high fires in the past . . . just
>> used my eyes. . .my cones . . and my exerience. . .
>>
>> I would like to bisque a lot of thick sculptures. . . some are 1"
>> thick in places (groggy sculpture clay) and would like to use the
>> controller to do a nice even bisque that isn't likely to break my
>> work. . . .
>>
>> I'd much appreciate making the acquaintance of any NYC potters who are
>> familiar with the controller and would be willing to help me with a
>> bisque firing. I could pay for your help on this. I'm not
>> electonically inclined. . but recognize the advantage of doing ramp
>> type firings with all kinds of waits and pauses at various
>> temperatures.
>>
>> If you're not a NYC based potter, do you have a schedule for firing
>> heavy bisqued works?
>>
>> --
>> Mark Potter
>> www.visionage.net
>
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>
Elizabeth Priddy on thu 17 may 07
The times I concern myself with and
the range of temperature that I concern myself
with them are:
physical water, about 200-240
chemical water, about 400-500
quartz inversion, about 1000-1100
On the way up AND on the way down.
I go slowly through those times and my
things (almost) never blow.
If I can still light a paper stump through the
peepholes (F 451), I don't crack it yet. And
for thick sculptures, I would say wait until it is
cold to the touch.
I would also candle it over night to start with.
That is the kiln on lowest value overnight with the
lid propped open.
Your milage will surely vary, but it is a place to start.
Elizabeth Priddy
Beaufort, NC - USA
http://www.elizabethpriddy.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7973282@N03/
----- Original Message ----
From: Mark Potter
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2007 9:41:31 AM
Subject: HEAVY SCULPTURE FIRING SCHEDULE??
Does anyone have a schedule for firing heavy thick sculptures. . .
where to ramp to what temperatures. . pause for how long at what
temperatures?
Where to pause for chemical water, physical water??
Any idea where I can get such a schedule??
On May 16, 2007, at 2:30 PM, Mark Potter wrote:
> CLAYARTERS. . .
>
> I have an Alpine with a new kiln controller. . Kiln Ray installed it
> for me. . .the latest. . digital controller. . . .
>
> However I have not used it with this electronic controller. . . having
> only used the kiln for reduction high fires in the past . . . just
> used my eyes. . .my cones . . and my exerience. . .
>
> I would like to bisque a lot of thick sculptures. . . some are 1"
> thick in places (groggy sculpture clay) and would like to use the
> controller to do a nice even bisque that isn't likely to break my
> work. . . .
>
> I'd much appreciate making the acquaintance of any NYC potters who are
> familiar with the controller and would be willing to help me with a
> bisque firing. I could pay for your help on this. I'm not
> electonically inclined. . but recognize the advantage of doing ramp
> type firings with all kinds of waits and pauses at various
> temperatures.
>
> If you're not a NYC based potter, do you have a schedule for firing
> heavy bisqued works?
>
> --
> Mark Potter
> www.visionage.net
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Marek & Pauline Drzazga-Donaldson on fri 18 may 07
Dear Mark,
what kiln are you using? What size of sculpture and the weight?
I fire my terra cotta pieces in a Gas Kiln over a period of 38 hours.=20
7 hrs 20 - 144 C
8 hrs 10 - 306 C
8 hrs 10 - 603 C
7 hrs 20 - 900 C
7 hrs 20 - 1170 C
18 minutes soak, then shut down and close all orifices (flues)
cools down naturally in about 2 days
Happy Potting Marek
Hand made Architectural Ceramics from No9 Studio UK www.no9uk.com
Fully Residential Pottery Courses and more at Mole Cottage =
www.moleys.com
"Tips and Time Travel from a Vernacular Potter" reviews on =
www.keramix.com
an irreverent point of view after 35 years in the game Marek =
Drzazga-Donaldson =20
Assemble a dragon finial at www.dragonfinials.co.uk
Free Works and Mole Cottage DVD's and Video content on all the sites
Drzazga Video Promotions at www.drzazga.co.uk Submit address for DVD
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