Anne K. Wellings on mon 17 dec 01
I need to make a few more pots to round out a glaze firing before
Christmas. I don't have time to make a whole bisque load for my 31.5"
high electric kiln (3 wired rings and one blank below the top ring). Can
I fire it half or two-thirds full and just turn on the bottom two rings,
or will leaving the top ring turned off cause problems ? I'm afraid
firing a loose or partial load with all the elements would make it fire
too fast, and since it has manual switches I can't easily control that.
Thanks for any advice.
Anne
Jennifer F Boyer on tue 18 dec 01
When I fire a partial bisk load I just load it looser, speading
the pots around to fill up as much space as I can towards the
top. Then fire as usual. I don't think leaving the top element
off is a good idea since heat from the lower part of the kiln
would spread up into the empty part.. Firing loose, but using
as many shelves as you can manage should keep the firing close
to what you are used to. The shelves provide a lot of mass.
Take Care
Jennifer
"Anne K. Wellings" wrote:
>
> I need to make a few more pots to round out a glaze firing before
> Christmas. I don't have time to make a whole bisque load for my 31.5"
> high electric kiln (3 wired rings and one blank below the top ring). Can
> I fire it half or two-thirds full and just turn on the bottom two rings,
> or will leaving the top ring turned off cause problems ? I'm afraid
> firing a loose or partial load with all the elements would make it fire
> too fast, and since it has manual switches I can't easily control that.
> Thanks for any advice.
>
> Anne
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
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Jennifer Boyer mailto:jboyer@adelphia.net
Thistle Hill Pottery
95 Powder Horn Glen Rd
Montpelier, VT 05602 USA
802-223-8926
http://www.thistlehillpottery.com/
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Cindy Strnad on tue 18 dec 01
Dear Anne,
If you're worried about the kiln firing too fast
with fewer than usual pots in it, then load it up
with the full compliment of kiln furniture. I have
an old kiln with each element switched
individually, either on or off. I don't use it
much, but when I fire a glaze load, I usually do
so with only 4 elements. Even with the kiln full
up to the gills and one element turned off, it
still fires too fast. With two elements turned
off, it won't reach temperature. So you just have
to work with it.
I'm not sure exactly which of the fast firing
concerns is bothering you. I assume you don't want
the kiln to start too fast. For that, I turn on
one element (bottom or 2nd) and leave the lid
propped. Because the prop doesn't quite open it
far enough to suit me, I use a wrench or something
to prop it at this stage. I may candle the kiln
overnight this way. In the morning, I'll turn on
another element, then another and another. You
know the drill here. As for the speed at the top,
I don't think this is going to make a lot of
difference with bisque. I like to give my bisque a
nice soak, so I prop the kiln switch up so it'll
stay turned on, then turn off an element or two.
After an hour, remove the prop. (Don't forget!)
Actually, I did forget once on a glaze load, but
all it did was produce a nice, long, slow cool. I
had beautiful colors in that load.
Best wishes and Merry Christmas!
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
USA
cindy@earthen-vessels-pottery.com
http://www.earthen-vessels-pottery.com
Tony Ferguson on tue 18 dec 01
Anne,
Heat all the rings to ensure even heating. Heating the only the two will
get you up to temp, but it will take much longer and may possibly cause some
uneven bisque.
Tony
Thank you.
Tony Ferguson
315 N. Lake Ave. Apt. 401
Duluth, MN 55806
USA
218.727.6339
Stoneware, Porcelain, Raku
http://www.AquariusArtGallery.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anne K. Wellings"
To:
Sent: Monday, December 17, 2001 10:48 PM
Subject: half-loaded bisque
> I need to make a few more pots to round out a glaze firing before
> Christmas. I don't have time to make a whole bisque load for my 31.5"
> high electric kiln (3 wired rings and one blank below the top ring). Can
> I fire it half or two-thirds full and just turn on the bottom two rings,
> or will leaving the top ring turned off cause problems ? I'm afraid
> firing a loose or partial load with all the elements would make it fire
> too fast, and since it has manual switches I can't easily control that.
> Thanks for any advice.
>
> Anne
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> 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.
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Tommy Humphries on tue 18 dec 01
you can do as Cindy says and just load up on the kiln furniture, or you can
just stack the kiln top heavy.. leaving the load light at the bottom. When
I fire my small electric , and have only a few pots to fire that is what I
do. This seems to work better than leaving the top empty for some reason. I
always follow my usual firing procedure... bottom switch on overnight with
the lid open about 3", next morning close the lid, and turn the next switch
up, on for 2 hrs. , then the next switch on for 2 hrs., then the top 2
switches on till the cones drop.
If you leave one of the zones dead in the kiln you probably will reach temp.
but it will take much longer, and might cause uneven firing.
Tommy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anne K. Wellings"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2001 12:48 AM
Subject: half-loaded bisque
> I need to make a few more pots to round out a glaze firing before
> Christmas. I don't have time to make a whole bisque load for my 31.5"
> high electric kiln (3 wired rings and one blank below the top ring). Can
> I fire it half or two-thirds full and just turn on the bottom two rings,
> or will leaving the top ring turned off cause problems ? I'm afraid
> firing a loose or partial load with all the elements would make it fire
> too fast, and since it has manual switches I can't easily control that.
> Thanks for any advice.
>
> Anne
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> 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.
>
Alisa og Claus Clausen on wed 19 dec 01
Dear Anne,
I would fire the kiln as usual, to make sure it reaches temperature. But the
difference is in firing a half load, is placement of your ware.
You would want to place the ware as much in the middle of the kiln
as you can. I usually use high stilts under the bottom shelves, to
lift up the first layer, and layer up from there, leaving an equal or so
amount of empty space at the top. Also, leave an even margin around
the pots from the walls.
I have also needed to fire orders or what have you without really a full
bisque,
and this is what I have done with fine results.
Best regards, Alisa in Denmark
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