Jimmy G on thu 19 jul 01
I've read the manual, watched the video, researched two glaze books,
visited the Orton site & any other I could find, but have been unable to
find answers to my questions, so it's up to you wonderful folks.
I've just gotten my first kiln; a nice little Skutt KM1018.
As soon as I get wired for 220, I'll be ready to do the dry run, then my
first load of bisque.
I've heard that bisque is normally fired to ^04, but others have said
that ^06 gives better results when applying glazes. Any thoughts?
Also, before I start bugging the Skutt folks, how can I tell what the
segments are while using the computerized kiln sitter? (How long and at
what temp are the firing stages)
I'd really appreciate recommendations on a good book on electronic
firing methods.
Thanks again for your help
Jimmy
John Weber on fri 20 jul 01
Jimmy, you will probably get a thousand answers to your question, but I for
one just bisque to Cone 05, set my kiln ( a Cress) on the slowest setting
and the limit timer to 14 hours. What all this means to you is you will need
to decide what Cone you want to fire to partially based on what your
ultimate firing temperature will be. I fire my finished work at Cone 10, so
my middle of the road bisque temperature seems to suit me fine. The main
thing you want to accomplish is to fire to bisque as slow as your kiln will
fire in order to burn out all of the carbon. The 14 hours is longer than it
takes (actual is about 12 to 13 depending on the load), but gives you an
idea of the time. I also warm my kiln for an hour or so depending on how
suspicious I am of moisture trapped in the pieces. I usually don't ever fire
anything that I am suspicious of but it has happened getting ready for a
show. Good luck. John Weber
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
> Behalf Of Jimmy G
> Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2001 7:15 PM
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: Firing questions
>
>
> I've read the manual, watched the video, researched two glaze books,
> visited the Orton site & any other I could find, but have been unable to
> find answers to my questions, so it's up to you wonderful folks.
>
> I've just gotten my first kiln; a nice little Skutt KM1018.
>
> As soon as I get wired for 220, I'll be ready to do the dry run, then my
> first load of bisque.
>
> I've heard that bisque is normally fired to ^04, but others have said
> that ^06 gives better results when applying glazes. Any thoughts?
>
> Also, before I start bugging the Skutt folks, how can I tell what the
> segments are while using the computerized kiln sitter? (How long and at
> what temp are the firing stages)
>
> I'd really appreciate recommendations on a good book on electronic
> firing methods.
>
> Thanks again for your help
>
> Jimmy
>
> __________________________________________________________________
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>
Snail Scott on fri 20 jul 01
At 07:15 PM 7/19/01 -0700, you wrote:
>I've heard that bisque is normally fired to ^04, but others have said
>that ^06 gives better results when applying glazes. Any thoughts?
>
It depends on your clay, and your glaze.
^04 is usually recommended by manufacturers because
thay know that most of their customers are hobby/
slipcast greenware types, who use only lowfire glazes.
Many of these lowfire (^06) glazes are very sensitive
to the outgassing from the greenware, especially the
red colors, so it's important that the bisque be fired
higher than the glaze temperature, to make sure all
the outgassing is taken care of before the glaze firing.
For high-fire work, it's mainly necessary to harden
the clay for handling, and to give an appropriate level
of absorption for dip-glazing. Formation of cristobalite
for resistance to quarts-inverson is a lesser factor.
Some people bisque to ^010 or so; it works for them.
Most people prefer a higher temperature, but it all
depends on what works for you. Some glazes stay in
suspension better when thick, so a higher bisque makes
the clay less absorbent, preventing what would otherwise
be a too-thick glaze layer. You get the idea...
If you brush your glazes, it hardly matters at all.
There was a long thread on this topic earlier this month-
you might want to check the archives for those posts.
-Snail
CINDI ANDERSON on fri 20 jul 01
Hi Jimmy
Bisque temperature was discussed recently. You could check the archives.
http://www.potters.org/categories.htm Or you can read a Tip I wrote that
summarizes it. http://www.bigceramicstore.com/Information/tip39.htm
On Skutt controller there is slow, med, and fast. I almost always use slow,
although now and then use medium. Everything just comes out better and is less
risky if you go as slow as possible.
There are books for firing (make sure you're getting an electric one not a gas
one), and a lot of general books discuss it a little. But honestly a lot is
covered in the Skutt manual, and you'll get a lot of tips from the ClayArt
archives. Here are some books specifically on kilns. (Don't have to buy them from
me, but it's a list.) http://www.bigceramicstore.com/Books/kilnbooks.htm A kiln
book is especially useful if you want to learn how the kiln works for repairs,
changing elements, etc.
Did you know you should fire the kiln empty once first?
Cindi
Jimmy G wrote:
> I've heard that bisque is normally fired to ^04, but others have said
> that ^06 gives better results when applying glazes. Any thoughts?
Lowell Barron on mon 2 feb 04
Clear DayHi Everyone, =20
I have just fired my kiln for the first time in years. Years ago when I =
did fire it more often I fired to cone 10 but will fire to cone 6 now. =
It is a small electric kiln but seems to fire quite hot. I have read Ron =
and John's book and was conscious of firing slowly and had to keep =
slowing it down. I guess I will figure out what I need to set the knobs =
at with a little more experience. I sure did not know what I was doing =
way back then - guess I was just lucky to get half-way decent pots! =
Can't remember much anyway of what I did!
Two questions I have:
1. Should I perhaps leave a peep hole open for all or most of the =
firing? For both bisque and glaze firing? Does it produce a better =
result to have the peep(s) open? I did a search on this but could not =
find anything.
2. How long should I soak? Should I just turn it to medium after the =
kiln sitter has been triggered? I have read many different ideas on how =
to fire and am having trouble deciding the "right" way.... if there is =
one.
3. Is it possible to fire it too slowly? A friend with a bigger version =
of the same kiln - PV Enterprises (Waterloo, ON) - tells me that after =
warming the pots she turns hers on 7 (10 is low, 1 is high) and then =
lets it fire slowly all night and it is almost ready in the morning. =
Then she turns it up to finish it off. Sounds a lot easier than what I =
was doing!
Yesterday and today my firend and I have made up a bunch of glazes from =
"Mastering Cone 6 Glazes" and we are really excited to fire up again and =
try them out. A bit apprehensive too!
Thank you so so much for the wealth of information that all of you so =
freely share.
Lowell Ann Barron=20
Ron Roy on thu 5 feb 04
Hi Lowell Ann,
I would certainly consider leaving a spy open during a bisque firing to aid
in getting extra oxygen in to help burn of impurities.
Those of us who use kiln vents certainly need to have an opening somewhere
to admit fresh air.
It is the same with glaze firings - the venting draws in air.
Perhaps having a spy open at the beginning of a glaze firing - up till 500C
would help exit burnt wax fumes - remembering that those fumes will be in
the kiln room and they should be ventilated out as much as can be -
certainly you should limit as much as possible breathing them.
If you have a pyrometer you will be able to find how to soak by turning
down say one switch to medium and then seeing if the heat is still rising.
It would be very helpful if you knew which part of your kiln is the coolest
- cones on each level will help you find that out - the switches that
control the heating in the coolest parts should be left on longest.
Soaking should start as your glaze cone starts to bend - lets say 2 oclock
- as the soaking proceeds the cone will drop further - the soaking should
stop when it has dropped to the level you want - 4 or 5 oclock would be
normal for most circumstances.
Firing fast in the beginning - unless you are having crawling problems - is
acceptable - slowing down near the end of a firing will help make up for
that. Just remember - slower firings help the melt better and make for more
even firings.
Slow firing over night to say 800C makes for an easy firing day -
especially if you are planning to slow cool. The trick is to have proper
safety in place - kiln hard wired to a breaker - no plugs - and a fail safe
system so that if something goes wrong the kiln shuts off itself.
I always make sure I check a kiln one hour after I turn it on - to see if
everything is progressing in a normal way.
RR
>Two questions I have:
>
>1. Should I perhaps leave a peep hole open for all or most of the firing?
>For both bisque and glaze firing? Does it produce a better result to have
>the peep(s) open? I did a search on this but could not find anything.
>
>2. How long should I soak? Should I just turn it to medium after the kiln
>sitter has been triggered? I have read many different ideas on how to fire
>and am having trouble deciding the "right" way.... if there is one.
>
>3. Is it possible to fire it too slowly? A friend with a bigger version
>of the same kiln - PV Enterprises (Waterloo, ON) - tells me that after
>warming the pots she turns hers on 7 (10 is low, 1 is high) and then lets
>it fire slowly all night and it is almost ready in the morning. Then she
>turns it up to finish it off. Sounds a lot easier than what I was doing!
>
>Yesterday and today my firend and I have made up a bunch of glazes from
>"Mastering Cone 6 Glazes" and we are really excited to fire up again and
>try them out. A bit apprehensive too!
>
>Thank you so so much for the wealth of information that all of you so
>freely share.
>
>Lowell Ann Barron
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>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.
Ron Roy
RR#4
15084 Little Lake Road
Brighton, Ontario
Canada
K0K 1H0
Phone: 613-475-9544
Fax: 613-475-3513
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