search  current discussion  categories  kilns & firing - shelves & furniture 

clayart digest - advancer shelves

updated sun 30 dec 01

 

gshaffer on thu 27 dec 01


I have been using 6 advancer shelves, 14 x 28, for 6 months or so and
love them so much I ordered 10 more. The high alumina shelves I
purchased from Bailey Ceramics are 1 inch thick vs 5/16 inch on these
advancers. The high alumina shelves have served me well for many years
but definitely warp and need to be 4 posted and flipped often to avoid
uneven and uncorrectable warping. I fire cone 10 down flat in heavy
reduction which puts more stress on any material in the kiln than
oxidation I think. It is my understanding that the advancers are meant
to be set on posts that allow the shelf to sort of float on setters
instead of stacked with the type of posts we studio potters use on top
of each shelf, compounding the load on the shelves below. I use the
regular posts and have had no problem 3 posting each shelf, as I
learned to do early on at school. More pots per load fit in the
kiln........less heat needed to fire the furniture each firing......less
stress on my back.......I am sold, but would never try to sell anyone
else, as we all know different materials, tools, and methods work for
different people in different ways and to each his or her own.

Gary Shaffer

van den Broeck Jeff on fri 28 dec 01


I'm very puzzled by your explanation. Perhaps it's just a question of
semantics, but could you explain what the difference is between setters and
posts? And how the shelves sort of float?
Many thanks, Jeff

At 11:35 12/27/2001 -0500, you wrote:
. It is my understanding that the advancers are meant
>to be set on posts that allow the shelf to sort of float on setters
>instead of stacked with the type of posts we studio potters use on top
>of each shelf, compounding the load on the shelves below. I use the
>regular posts and have had no problem 3 posting each shelf, n.
>
>Gary Shaffer

Jeff van den Broeck
P.O.Box 1099, Baguio City 2600
Philippines
jvdb@skyinet.net

gshaffer on sat 29 dec 01


Jeff.....

The way I normally stack shelves are with posts set upon each shelf
supporting the shelf above. Therefore each shelf supports not only the
weight of the pottery but the compounding weight of each set of posts
and shelves stacked thereupon. It is my understanding that advancer
shelves are meant to be used with setters that allow each shelf to be
slid into kiln supports that make each shelf only hold the weight of the
pottery set on each shelf. The posts or setters have ledges that the
shelves slide into so as not to compound the weight of the next higher
shelf on the one under it. I may not be clear on this explaination and
maybe someone else here can make this clearer than me, if so please
chime in.

Gary Shaffer