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using your kiln to dry

updated mon 16 apr 12

 

mel jacobson on sat 14 apr 12


i have always stacked work on top of my
electric kiln during bisque firings.
it really works well...and, talk about ecology.
use that heat twice.

i stack from the outer edge in. and stack the pots
rim to rim in an arch.

i never have cracks or blow ups.
and then i still fire bisque slow.
mel
from: minnetonka, mn
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html

Jeff Abney on sat 14 apr 12


I do the same thing as Mel. Having to fire a large number of =3D
student-made pots (I teach high school), it helps tremendously to be =3D
able to speed up drying by stacking greenware on top of the electric =3D
kiln. I, too, still use slow bisque firing, even after this method of =3D
drying, but once a pot has been on top of the kiln during a firing I =3D
never have to worry at all about moisture causing a blowout.
Jeff in Georgia

Jeff Abney
Haralson County High School
Tallapoosa, GA

On Apr 14, 2012, at 3:23 PM, mel jacobson wrote:

> i have always stacked work on top of my
> electric kiln during bisque firings.
> it really works well...and, talk about ecology.
> use that heat twice.
>=3D20
> i stack from the outer edge in. and stack the pots
> rim to rim in an arch.
>=3D20
> i never have cracks or blow ups.
> and then i still fire bisque slow.
> mel
> from: minnetonka, mn
> website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
> clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html

Pam Cresswell on sat 14 apr 12


At the local clay guild where I used to volunteer/fire the kilns, we offer
summer classes for kids, Tuesday and Thursday. So they would make stuff on
Tuesday,
hand it drippy wet off to the kiln folks, we would load it into the electri=
c
for bisque, do a 12 hour dry out overnight, then right into the bisque
routine Wednesday
morning. Unload Thursday, toasty warm, just in time for the Thursday class
to glaze their little treasures. It took a bit of co-operation with
teachers and kiln techs
but the kids loved it....

Randall Moody on sat 14 apr 12


Y'all do realize that the moisture release causes corrosion on the elements
and metal parts causing them to need replacing more often, right?

(Yeah, I used "y'all"!)

--
Randall in Atlanta
http://wrandallmoody.com

Steve Mills on mon 16 apr 12


I do the same, but when no hot kiln is available, I set 3 or 4 electric fan=
s=3D
around the work and bone dry it overnight with just air movement.=3D20

Works with the laundry as well :-)

Steve M
=3D20

Steve Mills
Bath
UK
www.mudslinger.me.uk
Sent from my iPod


On 14 Apr 2012, at 20:23, mel jacobson wrote:

> i have always stacked work on top of my
> electric kiln during bisque firings.
> it really works well...and, talk about ecology.
> use that heat twice.
>=3D20
> i stack from the outer edge in. and stack the pots
> rim to rim in an arch.
>=3D20
> i never have cracks or blow ups.
> and then i still fire bisque slow.
> mel
> from: minnetonka, mn
> website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
> clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html