Mike Gordon on fri 21 nov 08
Hi,
When I was teaching, a few students did sculpture rather than wheel
work, they coil built full figures, 47" tall, which was the height of
the inside of the kiln. The kiln had a door jam so I had to raise the
floor the thickness of a brick plus one kiln shelf. I had a cart on
wheels that, with a piece of plywood, was the exact height of the
raised kiln floor. The sculpture was constructed on pieces of
cardboard, and I spread ground up soft brick and sprinkled it on the
kiln shelf, so the cardboard slid easily into the kiln. The sculpture
was hollow from feet to head, usually holes were made in the nostrils
and ears to allow the air to escape. The ash from the cardboard +
brick dust allowed for movement and the holes let the air out. These
figures were from 1/2" to 3/4" to 1" in some places. They dried in the
room, uncovered, until there was a weekend when I didn't have it
completely filled with pots, and then we loaded it up. The kiln was put
on pilot all weekend & fired on monday like any bisque. The pilots got
the temp up to 350 D.F. by Monday. Never lost one. Mike Gordon
Snail Scott on sat 22 nov 08
On Nov 21, 2008, at 2:16 PM, Mike Gordon wrote:
> ...I had a cart on
> wheels that, with a piece of plywood, was the exact height of the
> raised kiln floor. The sculpture was constructed on pieces of
> cardboard, and I spread ground up soft brick and sprinkled it on the
> kiln shelf, so the cardboard slid easily into the kiln...
Exactly the method I have used, right down to the
cardboard skid, although I generally used sand
for the 'ball bearings'. For work with multiple small
support points (feet, for example) I would have a
thick clay slab above the cardboard and beneath
the sculpture. This reduces the tendency of friction
to keep those points in the same spot while the rest
of the work shrinks.
-Snail
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