vince pitelka on thu 9 may 02
This is based on never having had one of my cone packs explode in thirty
years of firing. I don't believe in using vermiculite in cone packs,
because I have seen those cone packs explode. Roll out a coil of any
appropriate-temperature claybody a little over 1/2" thick. If you are doing
a body reduction, form a basin at one end to catch the low cone when it
melts to liquid, so that it doesn't run all over your pots and your shelves.
The choice of the body reduction cone is up to you. For carbon traps and
copper reds, cone 012, for firings with neither of the above, cone 010 or
cone 08.
Stand up a cone with it's base firmly against a table. The tilt angle and
direction that you see is what should be there when you imbed the cone in
the cone pack. Press the lowest cone into the coil directly adjacent to the
melt basin, with the tilt facing directly towards the basin. Press it in as
far as you can, so there is only a thin film of clay beneath its bottom.
Press each adjacent cone DIRECTLY NEXT TO the previous one, with no space at
all, maintaining the same position and tilt with each cone. When all cones
are in place, pinch off any extra clay, and then gently pinch the clay
together between each cone, locking the cones in place. Take your needle
tool and poke lots of holes all along the cone pack, especially in the
thicker sections between each cone. If you have pushed each cone in as far
as they will go, then there will be no thick sections beneath the cones
where you cannot reach with your needle tool.
It is still a good idea to dry these cone packs out before firing, but I
have never had one blow up, even when I put them in damp and start the kiln
right away.
Good luck -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/
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