Merrie Boerner on thu 15 nov 01
Heavy wood ash goes right through every kiln wash that has been tested
here.I grind shelves to be level, but they still are slick with melted ash.
I just spent some time at a peter Callas workshop and he said that he lines
up his shelves and sandblasts them every now and then......has anyone tried
that ? The only other thing I can figure out is to put sand on the shelves
instead of kiln wash.....but that could get messy. Maybe I should fire with
less pine ?
Merrie
Roger Korn on fri 16 nov 01
Merrie,
It's just a question of how. We had shelves that were just used for wood-fire and
I'd grind them smooth after every three or four firings. 40 grit silicon carbide
HEAVY sandpaper on an 8" foam-backed feathering disc from an auto-body paint supply
place. Very messy and you must have a good mask and face shield - but cheaper than
a high volume air compressor for sand blasting. I'm set up for sand blasting, but I
still use the disc sander for cleaning shelves. A good wash helps some, but as you
say, the ash still sticks.
Hey Mel, what do you folks do for shelf maintenance?
We make a 50/50 mix of EPK and hydrated alumina and use this for wadding. All pots
sit on wads, and all contacts in tumble-stacks are wadded. This takes care of the
pots, but the shelves still catch hell. Remember, people fired by tumble stacking
and stacked saggars long before that 20th century invention we know as kiln shelves
came along.
Roger Korn
McKay Creek Ceramics
In AZ: 928-567-5699 <-
In OR: 503-647-5464
Merrie Boerner wrote:
> Heavy wood ash goes right through every kiln wash that has been tested
> here.I grind shelves to be level, but they still are slick with melted ash.
> I just spent some time at a peter Callas workshop and he said that he lines
> up his shelves and sandblasts them every now and then......has anyone tried
> that ? The only other thing I can figure out is to put sand on the shelves
> instead of kiln wash.....but that could get messy. Maybe I should fire with
> less pine ?
> Merrie
>
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Kenneth D. Westfall on sat 12 apr 08
Wire brush on a small angle grinder works pretty good at removing old kiln
wash unless you have had a glaze run off.
Steve Dalton on sat 12 apr 08
I wanted to see if any body has ever tried sandblasting kiln shelves. I'm thinking of this method to remove the old kiln wash.
Thanks,
Steve Dalton
Clear Creek Pottery
Snohomish, WA
clearcreekpottery.etsy.com
jonathan byler on sun 13 apr 08
in a pinch, an angle grinder with masonry wheel works, but you have
to be very careful not to dig in. We used to have a nice cup wheel
in undergrad that was unbearably slow, but it would remove glaze
chunks without digging in so aggressively. I have found that when I
make the kiln wash well for the temperature at which I am firing,
when it gets thick and flakey, I can use the head of a hammer to
scrape it off in big chunks. I push with the handle, the head/claws
are parallel to the shelf surface held at whatever angle works best
to do the scraping (with my current hammer, about 15 degrees from flat).
jon byler
3-D Building Coordinator
Art Department
Auburn University, AL 36849
On Apr 13, 2008, at 7:11 AM, William & Susan Schran User wrote:
> On 4/12/08 2:32 PM, "Steve Dalton" wrote:
>
>> I wanted to see if any body has ever tried sandblasting kiln
>> shelves. I'm
>> thinking of this method to remove the old kiln wash.
>
> Silicon carbide shelves, perhaps.
> Cordierite/Mullite, I would think you'd eat into the surface fairly
> quickly.
>
> I vote for a sharp putty knife, then one of those silicon carbide
> grinding
> blocks.
>
> One of my assistants, who is also a woodworker, used a belt sander
> to remove
> old wash from a number of cordierite shelves. He looked like frosty
> the
> snowman after. Fortunately he wore good eye & lung protection.
>
> Bill
>
> --
> William "Bill" Schran
> wschran@cox.net
> wschran@nvcc.edu
> http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
>
> ______________________________________________________________________
> ________
> Clayart members may send postings to: clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
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> You may look at the archives for the list, post messages, change your
> subscription settings or unsubscribe/leave the list here: http://
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>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots2@visi.com
Snail Scott on sun 13 apr 08
On Apr 13, 2008, at 12:02 AM, Automatic digest processor wrote:
> Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2008 11:32:06 -0700
> From: Steve Dalton
>
> I wanted to see if any body has ever tried sandblasting kiln shelves.
> I'm thinking of this method to remove the old kiln wash.
Be crazy-careful. Kiln shelves are very soft. If
you have lumpy, patchy kiln wash, you may
blast away a good portion of shelf from a thinly
covered area if it's right next to a thickly built-up
patch. I'd rather scrape, grind or use a sander.
Either way, you're gonna need a good respirator.
-Snail
Steve Dalton on sun 13 apr 08
The shelves I have are High Alumina Acme Marls.
I did buy a wire wheel for my drill. Maybe I will also try my Black and Decker Mouse. It's a hand held sander.
Steve Dalton
William & Susan Schran User wrote: On 4/12/08 2:32 PM, "Steve Dalton" wrote:
> I wanted to see if any body has ever tried sandblasting kiln shelves. I'm
> thinking of this method to remove the old kiln wash.
Silicon carbide shelves, perhaps.
Cordierite/Mullite, I would think you'd eat into the surface fairly quickly.
I vote for a sharp putty knife, then one of those silicon carbide grinding
blocks.
One of my assistants, who is also a woodworker, used a belt sander to remove
old wash from a number of cordierite shelves. He looked like frosty the
snowman after. Fortunately he wore good eye & lung protection.
Bill
--
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
______________________________________________________________________________
Clayart members may send postings to: clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list, post messages, change your
subscription settings or unsubscribe/leave the list here: http://www.acers.org/cic/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots2@visi.com
William & Susan Schran User on sun 13 apr 08
On 4/12/08 2:32 PM, "Steve Dalton" wrote:
> I wanted to see if any body has ever tried sandblasting kiln shelves. I'm
> thinking of this method to remove the old kiln wash.
Silicon carbide shelves, perhaps.
Cordierite/Mullite, I would think you'd eat into the surface fairly quickly.
I vote for a sharp putty knife, then one of those silicon carbide grinding
blocks.
One of my assistants, who is also a woodworker, used a belt sander to remove
old wash from a number of cordierite shelves. He looked like frosty the
snowman after. Fortunately he wore good eye & lung protection.
Bill
--
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
Loren JOnes on mon 14 apr 08
The best thing I have tried is a 4.5 inch angle grinder with a masonry wheel. It is best to round the edge of the wheel on concrete before you use it on shelves. The Acme Marls shelves are quite soft so be very considerate of the angle on attack. Go easy, not too much pressure, let the tool do the work. I have ground hundreds of these shelves, well the same 36 of the over and over again! Respirator, ear protection, goggles!!!
----- Original Message ----
From: Steve Dalton
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Sent: Saturday, April 12, 2008 12:32:06 PM
Subject: sandblasting shelves
I wanted to see if any body has ever tried sandblasting kiln shelves. I'm thinking of this method to remove the old kiln wash.
Thanks,
Steve Dalton
Clear Creek Pottery
Snohomish, WA
clearcreekpottery.etsy.com
______________________________________________________________________________
Clayart members may send postings to: clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list, post messages, change your
subscription settings or unsubscribe/leave the list here: http://www.acers.org/cic/clayart/
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David Woof on tue 15 apr 08
Hi folks, could it be that some are asking the wrong question or not the =
alternative
questions regarding kiln shelf upkeep. =20
=20
Because it is such never ending housekeeping to maintain "shelf washed"=20
kiln shelves, I quit doing it years ago except for beginning student work=20
at cone 5/6 in electric kilns.
=20
With clean bare shelves, flipping to control warpage is a snap of the wrist=
,=20
as you advancer users know, and no white crud falling into platters and=20
bowls worth hundreds of dollars lost.=20
=20
When I figured the lost dollars and time spent on washing, removing wash,=20
and wasted pots (do your own math) I went to bare shelves and attach, to
the pot bottoms, the alumina, epk, sawdust, balls we usually only use in wo=
od,salt,=20
soda firing, to seperate, lift, level, and allow heat and kiln atmosphere c=
irculation=20
beneath the pots I fire in gas, electric, and wood fire.
=20
Occasional blemishes chip, grind or wire brush off and if I am not confiden=
t=20
about a particular glaze, that piece goes on a catch pad. =20
Glazes are tested on little bowls hump thrown with the "flower pot" water=20
saucer base attached. =20
These catch runs and drips and can be made with no extra trimming at the tu=
ne=20
of two or three per minute. =20
=20
These balls are also the best prevention for cracked kiln shelves and platt=
er=20
bottoms and serve in some cases the same function as a shrink pad.=20
=20
Which incidently, when I use a shrink pad I put the balls under the shrink =
pad so that=20
the kiln shelf doesn't develope a crack causing cold spot.=20
=20
Yes it does take some time to make those little "smart pills" but aside fro=
m all=20
the alternative kiln wash hassels this is also offset by a meditative refle=
ctive=20
relaxation where I enjoy the loading process and the anticipation of a kiln=
opening.
=20
And if things seem to feel slow, you can always invite that cute neighbor o=
ver to=20
help make the balls whereas he/she would never come over=20
to grind shelves. Right?
=20
Enjoy,
=20
David
=20
=20
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More immediate than e-mail? Get instant access with Windows Live Messenger.
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Jim Willett on tue 15 apr 08
Hey Steve,
I would avoid sandblasting but if you have someone in your area who does
soda-blasting it might be worth a try...uses bicarbonate of soda crystals
and is much easier on surfaces than sand blasting, as well as
environmentally friendly. I have not tried it on shelves but have seen it
used in industry for some fairly delicate operations.I've also heard of
corn cob blasting. Supposed to be able to take the paint off an aliminum
drink can without making a hole in the can..should work for shelves. Just
a thought.
Jim
Out of the Fire Studio
Edmonton, Alberta
http://www.outofthefirestudio.com
Snail Scott on wed 16 apr 08
> Date: Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:44:27 -0700
> From: Steve Dalton
> ...Maybe I will also try my Black and Decker Mouse. It's a hand held
> sander...
I would opt for big old ugly belt sander. The Mouse
won't cover much territory, and the little sanding
pads are expensive for the amount of work they do.
It's better as a detail sander in tight spaces. A belt
sander will work quickly but the large surface area
will keep it from biting too deep in any one spot. Get
a second-hand one for under $10.00; silica dust
kills motors.
-Snail
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