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result of overfire

updated tue 9 oct 01

 

Karen and Cliff Sandlin on mon 8 oct 01


Here is what happened as a result of mistakenly programming my Skutt
kiln automatic controller for 15 hour hold instead of 15 min. hold. The
error was discovered after a hold of 7 hours at a cone 5 temp. of 2165.

I just unloaded the kiln and can't believe my good fortune! I have two
shelves that will need to be scraped where glaze ran onto them badly,
but have only 5 pieces that ran and 4 that bubbled and cratered. Some
of the others are really gorgeous--including a set of 8 bowls that had
Opulescence Antique Iron with a top coat of Calico. They are dark brown
with a runny bluey tan and are very nice. Most of the other pieces are
ok, just different than intended. A couple are truly beautiful!

I did wax all the bottoms of my pieces, which no doubt helped. All the
matt glazes are shiny now.

The kiln itself appears to be fine.

Thanks to all of you who replied with helpful and consoling messages.

Karen
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On
Behalf Of Cindy Strnad
Sent: Sunday, October 07, 2001 5:18 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: How to subscribe and HELP with a problem?

Erm,

Bad news, Karen. I'm very sorry to hear it. It
could have happened if you had set the controls
properly, too, because those controls are not
foolproof. A body's got to keep an eye on them.
You will probably have a bit of a mess to clean
up. I expect a lot of the glaze will have run off
the pots and onto the shelves. It probably won't
harm the kiln, but the shelves, well, you might be
able to salvage them with an angle grinder. Hard
to say. Just remember worse things can happen and
it's not the end of the world. Next year you'll
laugh about it. Hope I'm wrong and everything's
fine. I have been know to be wrong.

Best wishes,

Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
USA
cindy@earthen-vessels-pottery.com
http://www.earthen-vessels-pottery.com

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