Priscilla Wilson and/or Janice Lymburner on mon 19 feb 01
I just had my first kiln disaster. The kiln sitter didn't trip, and =
everything overfired. I kept checking the pyrometer, which never went =
beyond 2150 - but it obviously isn't accurate. Finally I turned the kiln =
off manually, but too late. The firing was supposed to be 6 and probably =
went to 8 or beyond. My question is about whether the cups are now safe =
for use. The glaze (Amaco Sahara) is kind of bubbly and not a pretty =
color, but I think someone would buy the goods for half price. Is there =
a safety issue here??? Thanks for your help!=20
Priscilla in Sautee, GA
Cindy Strnad on mon 19 feb 01
Priscilla,
This depends in part on just how overfired this ware is. Try filling the
cups with water and see what happens. If it's really bad, water will leak
out just about everywhere.
If not, well, you can use the cups. If they're still pretty, you can give
them away. If the clay is just a little bit bloated and looks "cool", people
will like the cups. I've given away quite a few of them--to the clay
delivery guy, the plumber, the electrician, the postman, the UPS man, OM
kids out to do a clay project (and their parents), Cheri's
buddies--everybody in town has my seconds. (Okay, don't everybody shoot at
once. Give me a chance to dig in here) Many of the people come back to buy
firsts. They say things like, "I still don't understand why you think those
mugs were seconds.", so I figure they're enjoying them.
If the glaze color is ugly, but the integrity of the glaze and clay are okay
(Test them in the microwave, maybe, to see if they heat up after a soak
overnight in the kitchen sink, but do it 10 seconds at a time, and
carefully. Have a cup of water in there with them. If they don't heat up too
much, they're likely all right in that respect), you might try re-firing
with a bisque load. This will sometimes change the color of an overfired
glaze to something spectacular. It's worth a try.
As to whether you sell seconds, and especially seconds you're not too sure
of, well, that's another subject entirely, and we don't want to open *that*
one up again.
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
USA
earthenv@gwtc.net
http://www.earthenvesselssd.com
DEBBYGrant@AOL.COM on mon 19 feb 01
Priscilla,
You've just gotten some good advice from Cindy Strand and I won't repeat
what she said about selling seconds. But I do want to warn you so that
this does not happen again. Never rely completely on a kiln sitter or
pyrometer.
Always place some witness cones in the kiln as back up. It is very likely
that the rod in your kiln sitter needs to be replaced. Also the prongs that
the cone sits on. There are many reasons for a kiln sitter to fail but those
are the most likely.
Good luck,
Debby Grant in NH
Lili Krakowski on mon 19 feb 01
Sorry indeed. Doubly sorry because I would worry with bubbles in food
related ware. I assume these are bubbles on the surface when a clank from
a spoon or such could burst the bubble? If something like tomato or an
soup, or cocoa is drunk out of it, I would feel mighty unsafe about the
wash getting it out; after several burst bubbles I would worry about the
unpleseant feel to the touch.
My motto is: do I feel happier with myself throwing out a
defective pot, or lying awake feeling guilty that I foisted a bad pot on a
trusting customer. (Hint: I love to sleep.)
And this: a satisfied customer comes back;l a deceived on not only stays
away but tells everyone to, and slanders the whole craft community.
I know a lot of people sell defective pots (S cracks in bottom, etc) as
first. My firsts are "perfect" ; my seconds are "unsatisfactory: a design
blurred, a glaze applied badly etc. Anything cracked, blistered etc goes
in the scrap heap in the field behind the woodburning kiln.
On Mon, 19 Feb 2001, Priscilla Wilson and/or Janice Lymburner wrote:
> I just had my first kiln disaster. The kiln sitter didn't trip, and everything overfired. I kept checking the pyrometer, which never went beyond 2150 - but it obviously isn't accurate. Finally I turned the kiln off manually, but too late. The firing was supposed to be 6 and probably went to 8 or beyond. My question is about whether the cups are now safe for use. The glaze (Amaco Sahara) is kind of bubbly and not a pretty color, but I think someone would buy the goods for half price. Is there a safety issue here??? Thanks for your help!
> Priscilla in Sautee, GA
>
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Lili Krakowski
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