Nancy Gallagher on tue 8 feb 11
I loaded my glaze kiln today - electric cone 6. Although in class, I get
a lot of experience as to the aesthetics of pots, wheel throwing,
glazing etc, there is nothing about loading kilns. Everything that I've
gathered has been from reading books and looking at photos of what
others do.
I have recently started a small blog-based website - mostly to get
feedback from others. I have posted photos of the kiln - bottom, middle
and top. I take the photos for my own journal so I can remember what was
fired where in case something comes out strange. I once fired S&P
shakers and one came out a lot warmer in hue than the other and the
glaze was the same. I couldn't remember where they were fired so I had
no way of not repeating the mistake. Now I take photos.
Anyway, if some of the more experienced kiln loaders might take a look
and comment about what I might do differently, the address of the blog is:
**http://www.gallagherpottery.com/archives/156
thanks in advance -
Nancy Gallagher
http://www.gallagherpottery.com
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Rimas VisGirda on wed 9 feb 11
Re your posting. I don't have a way to illustrate it easily, but switching =
=3D
from a 3 post system (single round shelf) to a 4 post system (2 half shelve=
=3D
s, doesn't matter if they are on the same level or staggered) the transitio=
=3D
nal shelf (3 posts under - 4 posts over) bears all the weight above it, pos=
=3D
ts, shelves and pots on unsupported areas. That is why I have never liked m=
=3D
ixing full and half shelves. All my shelves are halves, that way I can choo=
=3D
se whether to stagger them or use them on the same level =3DE2=3D80=3D93and=
each =3D
shelf supports ONLY the pots located on that shelf. Switching from a 3 post=
=3D
to 4 post results in unsupported areas getting a lot of weight and can ben=
=3D
d/warp or break the shelf; I've always used a post-over-post system, especi=
=3D
ally for higher temperatures. I also use different thicknesses of (clay) sh=
=3D
elves depending on what cone I'm firing to. Under cone 1 (typically cones 0=
=3D
18-012 and 04-06) I use the 1/2 or 5/8. Over cone 1 (typically cone 10) I
use my 1 inch shelves... -Rimas
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