Rachael Rice on mon 25 jun 01
I am handbuilding large slab platters about 21 in in diameter with no
legs, flat bottom fired to fire cone 6 in electric kiln. I want to
glaze the bottoms and bought commercial stilts to rest them on during
the firing. They left large dimple pinholes in the bottom and now the
distributor says they are only meant to go to cone 05 low fire and there
aren't any that go to cone 6. Is it impossible to have a completely
glazed bottoms to cone 6 or will I have to wax the pieces. Thanks for
any input.
Rachael
Snail Scott on mon 25 jun 01
At 12:34 PM 6/25/01 -0400, you wrote:
..stilts...left large dimple pinholes in the bottom... Is it impossible
to have a completely
>glazed bottoms to cone 6 or will I have to wax the pieces...
>Rachael
It's tough to avoid this problem, with clay that's
more vitrified than earthenware. If the clay is
actually warped (dented), you might try a claybody
that won't warp as much. Or, use a lot more stilts.
If you only use one three-prong stilt, that's a lot
of weight on each prong. If the pieces are as big as
you say, you've probably got room for half a dozen
stilts underneath. (Hypothetically: 3 lb platter
divided by 3 prongs = 1 lb on each. 3 lb platter
divided by 18 prongs = less than 3 oz on each!)
Distribute the load!
Now, you'll still have prong marks everywhere that
they touch the glaze; you may not want to deal with
that. Doming the middle of the platter up will get
the surface off the shelf, allowing you to glaze
all but the outer circle of contact, without adding
an actual foot. If that's not the look you want, you
might have to just dry-foot the things after all,
or start adding a footring. (Just a coil will do.)
-Snail
Tabbatha Henry on tue 26 jun 01
Hi. I have run into 2 types of stilts....those made only from clay and
those with metal spikes. I would suggest the metal spike ones, as they
leave a smaller dimple than the others and will not chip off onto your
platter should glaze touch them. If you don't like the dimples I would
suggest creating a design on the bottom of your platter with the glaze that
will enable you to stilt it without it being obvious to the non-potting
world.
Tabbatha
----- Original Message -----
From: Snail Scott
To:
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2001 6:53 PM
Subject: Re: ? on how to fire glazed bottoms
> At 12:34 PM 6/25/01 -0400, you wrote:
> ...stilts...left large dimple pinholes in the bottom... Is it impossible
> to have a completely
> >glazed bottoms to cone 6 or will I have to wax the pieces...
> >Rachael
>
> It's tough to avoid this problem, with clay that's
> more vitrified than earthenware. If the clay is
> actually warped (dented), you might try a claybody
> that won't warp as much. Or, use a lot more stilts.
>
> If you only use one three-prong stilt, that's a lot
> of weight on each prong. If the pieces are as big as
> you say, you've probably got room for half a dozen
> stilts underneath. (Hypothetically: 3 lb platter
> divided by 3 prongs = 1 lb on each. 3 lb platter
> divided by 18 prongs = less than 3 oz on each!)
> Distribute the load!
>
> Now, you'll still have prong marks everywhere that
> they touch the glaze; you may not want to deal with
> that. Doming the middle of the platter up will get
> the surface off the shelf, allowing you to glaze
> all but the outer circle of contact, without adding
> an actual foot. If that's not the look you want, you
> might have to just dry-foot the things after all,
> or start adding a footring. (Just a coil will do.)
>
> -Snail
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
mariko cruse on mon 27 aug 01
Hello Eleanor,
Thank you for your post.
Being a dumb neophyte, I've got a couple of dumb questions to ask: Do you
put your 'sweet' kisses on your plates/slabs for bisque-firing,also? (I was
thinking of better heat circulation at the bottom.) Another question: If
the peak of your stilts are touching the glazed bottom, don't they get
stuck with the glaze? (May be, I mis-understood.) . What clay do you use to
make your stilts? Thank you in advance. Mariko
----- Original Message -----
From: "Eleanora Eden"
To:
Sent: Monday, August 27, 2001 11:11 AM
Subject: Re: ? on how to fire glazed bottoms
> Hi Rachael,
>
> I know this exchange was months ago but hey, hope this helps anyway. I
> fired all my stuff on stilts at cone 9-10 for years. No problem. This
was
> stoneware, no special body or anything. The deal was to place the stilts
> at the strongest place on the bottom, more important as the size and
weight
> increases. I fired major large pieces on homemade hershey's-kisses-shaped
> stilts. Individual stilts. This is vital because then you can place the
> stilts for maximum effectiveness under each pot. It also allows you to
> have substantial enough stilts to keep large work nicely off the
> shelf...the anemic little droplet stilts I used to be able to find were
not
> tall enough to be any use to me....I made them different sizes but usually
> about 5/8" diam and height up to an inch for large stuff.
>
> For a tall-sided pot the location for maximum effectiveness is as close to
> the outer edge as possible where the wall is directly over the stilt. For
> such a platter as you describe it would be at the point where the
> upward-and-outward angle, however slight, meets the flat of the bottom,
> same place the foot would be if there was a foot.
>
> Every so often I would have something deform the bottom where it was too
> thin, but it was not a common event at all. I would say that it was a
very
> successful way of firing for me and I highly recommend it.
>
> Eleanora
>
> At 12:34 PM 6/25/01 -0400, you wrote:
>
> >I am handbuilding large slab platters about 21 in in diameter with no
> >legs, flat bottom fired to fire cone 6 in electric kiln. I want to
> >glaze the bottoms and bought commercial stilts to rest them on during
> >the firing. They left large dimple pinholes in the bottom and now the
> >distributor says they are only meant to go to cone 05 low fire and there
> >aren't any that go to cone 6. Is it impossible to have a completely
> >glazed bottoms to cone 6 or will I have to wax the pieces. Thanks for
> >any input.
> >
> >Rachael
>
>
>
> Eleanora Eden 802 869-2003
> Paradise Hill eeden@vermontel.net
> Bellows Falls, VT 05101 www.eleanoraeden.com
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Eleanora Eden on mon 27 aug 01
Hi Rachael,
I know this exchange was months ago but hey, hope this helps anyway. I
fired all my stuff on stilts at cone 9-10 for years. No problem. This was
stoneware, no special body or anything. The deal was to place the stilts
at the strongest place on the bottom, more important as the size and weight
increases. I fired major large pieces on homemade hershey's-kisses-shaped
stilts. Individual stilts. This is vital because then you can place the
stilts for maximum effectiveness under each pot. It also allows you to
have substantial enough stilts to keep large work nicely off the
shelf...the anemic little droplet stilts I used to be able to find were not
tall enough to be any use to me....I made them different sizes but usually
about 5/8" diam and height up to an inch for large stuff.
For a tall-sided pot the location for maximum effectiveness is as close to
the outer edge as possible where the wall is directly over the stilt. For
such a platter as you describe it would be at the point where the
upward-and-outward angle, however slight, meets the flat of the bottom,
same place the foot would be if there was a foot.
Every so often I would have something deform the bottom where it was too
thin, but it was not a common event at all. I would say that it was a very
successful way of firing for me and I highly recommend it.
Eleanora
At 12:34 PM 6/25/01 -0400, you wrote:
>I am handbuilding large slab platters about 21 in in diameter with no
>legs, flat bottom fired to fire cone 6 in electric kiln. I want to
>glaze the bottoms and bought commercial stilts to rest them on during
>the firing. They left large dimple pinholes in the bottom and now the
>distributor says they are only meant to go to cone 05 low fire and there
>aren't any that go to cone 6. Is it impossible to have a completely
>glazed bottoms to cone 6 or will I have to wax the pieces. Thanks for
>any input.
>
>Rachael
Eleanora Eden 802 869-2003
Paradise Hill eeden@vermontel.net
Bellows Falls, VT 05101 www.eleanoraeden.com
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