William & Susan Schran User on sat 11 feb 12
On 2/11/12 2:17 PM, "Dan Olson" wrote:
> Now my question. Having done these tests, should I be concerned with a 6
> glaze firing? Concerned in the sense of having the kiln fire too hot or t=
oo
> cold even after two successful bisque tests? Obviously I will be using th=
e
> sitter plus cone packs at the top and bottom to watch independently of ea=
ch
> other, but I wanted to see if any you guys have any words of caution or
> advice for me before I have glaze run all over my shelves.
Do fire by witness cones, use kilnsitter only as backup device.
For cone 6 firing a cone pack of 5, 6, 7 near each spy hole should work wel=
l
for you.
Bill
--
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
Dan Olson on sat 11 feb 12
I've got an Olympic 2827 HE sitter model kiln that I've repaired back to
working order. As of today I have test fired it twice; the first was an
empty firing up to 06, which showed the bottom to be about 1/2 cooler tha=
=3D
n
the top. The second firing was a bisque to 06 again and about 1/2 full of=
=3D
work with shelving all the way to the top. I placed pieces on all levels =
=3D
to
check for hot/cool spots and the firing was perfectly heated for 06
throughout according to the cones (in the sitter and in front of the spie=
=3D
s).
Now my question. Having done these tests, should I be concerned with a 6
glaze firing? Concerned in the sense of having the kiln fire too hot or t=
=3D
oo
cold even after two successful bisque tests? Obviously I will be using th=
=3D
e
sitter plus cone packs at the top and bottom to watch independently of ea=
=3D
ch
other, but I wanted to see if any you guys have any words of caution or
advice for me before I have glaze run all over my shelves.
p.s. All my glazes are tested and work at both 6 and 10.
p.p.s. Medium-time lurker, first time post.
Ben Morrison on sat 11 feb 12
In my experience my electric kiln heats extremely evenly when it'=3D
Dan,=3D0A=3D0AIn my experience my electric kiln heats extremely evenly when=
it'=3D
s packed full. The looser I pack it the more uneven it gets. I put a guard =
=3D
cone in the sitter and fire my kiln based on the information I'm getting fr=
=3D
om my cone packs. I usually manually turn my kiln down at a specific cone d=
=3D
ropping and let it soak before shutting it down completely. I'm looking to =
=3D
soak through my top cone on my cone pack instead of having it go from boili=
=3D
ng to off. If you pack it evenly and keep a steady eye on your cone pack yo=
=3D
u otta be fine with the idea that your glazes are dependable. I'm using gla=
=3D
zes that melt from 4 - 6, not 6 - 10, so an over firing in my kiln could be=
=3D
=3DA0disastrous.=3D0A=3D0ARegards,=3D0ABen Morrison=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A_________=
______________=3D
_________=3D0A From: Dan Olson =3D0ATo: Clayart@LSV.C=
ERAM=3D
ICS.ORG =3D0ASent: Saturday, February 11, 2012 11:17 AM=3D0ASubject: Glaze =
firi=3D
ng my "new" kiln for the first time.=3D0A =3D0AI've got an Olympic 2827 HE =
sitt=3D
er model kiln that I've repaired back to=3D0Aworking order. As of today I h=
av=3D
e test fired it twice; the first was an=3D0Aempty firing up to 06, which sh=
ow=3D
ed the bottom to be about 1/2 cooler than=3D0Athe top. The second firing wa=
s =3D
a bisque to 06 again and about 1/2 full of=3D0Awork with shelving all the w=
ay=3D
to the top. I placed pieces on all levels to=3D0Acheck for hot/cool spots =
an=3D
d the firing was perfectly heated for 06=3D0Athroughout according to the co=
ne=3D
s (in the sitter and in front of the spies).=3D0A=3D0ANow my question. Havi=
ng d=3D
one these tests, should I be concerned with a 6=3D0Aglaze firing? Concerned=
i=3D
n the sense of having the kiln fire too hot or too=3D0Acold even after two =
su=3D
ccessful bisque tests? Obviously I will be using the=3D0Asitter plus cone p=
ac=3D
ks at the top and bottom to watch independently of each=3D0Aother, but I wa=
nt=3D
ed to see if any you guys have any words of caution or=3D0Aadvice for me be=
fo=3D
re I have glaze run all over my shelves.=3D0A=3D0Ap.s. All my glazes are te=
sted=3D
and work at both 6 and 10.=3D0Ap.p.s. Medium-time lurker, first time post.
Maggie Furtak on mon 13 feb 12
Hey Dan,=3DA0=3D0A=3D0ATo the excellent advice others have already given, I=
'd add=3D
: =3DA0=3D0A=3D0ARemember that if you want a cone six firing, you need to p=
ut a c=3D
one seven in the kiln sitter, otherwise you risk the kiln turning off too e=
=3D
arly. =3DA0The sitter is a back-up safety device. =3DA0Don't rely on it to =
turn=3D
your kiln off for you at the right time if you want consistent glaze resul=
=3D
ts. =3DA0=3D0A=3D0ATake careful notes on each firing. =3DA0Every kiln has a=
sweet s=3D
pot. =3DA0An ideal set-up. =3DA0For mine it is best started at 6:00 a.m. fo=
r th=3D
e best voltage, and never on a weekend or holiday, or when the temperature =
=3D
outside is above 90 degrees or below 30 degrees. =3DA0Otherwise all the nei=
gh=3D
bors' heat and A.C. and giant T.V.s steal all my power, even if I turn my h=
=3D
eat and A.C. off, and it's hard to get the kiln to temperature. =3DA0=3D0A=
=3D0ATh=3D
ere will also be an ideal set-up of shelves for your kiln. =3DA0Take notes =
on=3D
how you place the shelves for each glaze firing, and how the cones on each=
=3D
shelf ended up. =3DA0You can trace the bent cones onto a piece of paper an=
d =3D
write which shelf they were on, or find a "degrees of cone bend" chart onli=
=3D
ne to print out and post next to your kiln to hold the cone packs up to. =
=3D
=3DA0You will generally need a taller shelf on the bottom to get an even fi=
ri=3D
ng, but how tall? =3DA0Take notes of how tall the stilts are for each level=
. =3D
=3DA0=3D0A=3D0AIf you have a good kiln log right from the start, you'll be =
able t=3D
o learn the quirks of your particular kiln and get consistent firings a lot=
=3D
faster than if you rely on gut intuition and memory. =3DA0You'll have a go=
od=3D
idea of when to expect to need to shut off your kiln. =3DA0And if you wond=
er=3D
if you can get away with something a year from now, you'll be able to look=
=3D
back at your notes and see what happened last time you tried it. =3DA0(: =
=3DA0=3D
=3D0A=3D0A-Maggie Furtak=3D0A=3D0APate Ceramics=3D0Apateceramics.etsy.com=
=3D0Apateceram=3D
ics.blogspot.com=3D0A781-956-1364=3D0A517 Fellsway East=3D0AMalden, MA=3DA0=
=3DA002148=3D
=3DA0
| |
|
