Chuck and Tamara Schulz on tue 9 jul 02
Hi all,
I'm getting ready to bisque fire in my gas kiln for the first time and I
have some questions.
The kiln manual says that I should be able to bisque fire(^08-06) in 4-6
hours.
I checked the archives though and it seems that most people are bisque
firing MUCH slower than that. So, how long should it take?
Also, about "candleing", I have read that I should candle overnight.
Well, my studio is not in my home and I'm more than a little squeamish
about leaving it on and unattended overnight, and I don't want to stay
overnight with it. How necessary is candleing if the ware is bone dry?
Tamara -Okinawa
Dale Neese on tue 9 jul 02
I wouldn't go by the number of hours that you read. You shouldn't have to
candle cause it is a waste of time and gas. Start the kiln early in the
morning before breakfast. When I bisque a load I leave the damper wide open.
Peeps too. Set the burners for oxidation. Leave the burners on the lowest
setting possible and let it go for 2 to 3 hours to make sure all the
moisture is removed. Then start your turn-ups every hour or so until you
reach your final cone. Depending on how much ware I have in the bisque
firing I may go longer between turn-ups. Sometimes 10 hours or more to
finish the bisque firing. When the final cone is over cut the gas, seal it
up until I can unload pots with bare hands. I apply wax to warm pots when
unloading. Goes on much smoother.
Dale Tex
Steve Dalton on tue 9 jul 02
on 7/9/02 4:50 AM, Chuck and Tamara Schulz at schulzc@II-OKINAWA.NE.JP
wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I'm getting ready to bisque fire in my gas kiln for the first time and I
> have some questions.
> The kiln manual says that I should be able to bisque fire(^08-06) in 4-6
> hours.
> I checked the archives though and it seems that most people are bisque
> firing MUCH slower than that. So, how long should it take?
> Also, about "candleing", I have read that I should candle overnight.
> Well, my studio is not in my home and I'm more than a little squeamish
> about leaving it on and unattended overnight, and I don't want to stay
> overnight with it. How necessary is candleing if the ware is bone dry?
>
> Tamara -Okinawa
Tamara,
Without knowing the actual size of your kiln, it would be hard to say if the
time given is too short or just right. It would also depend on the actual
size of the load and how thick the pieces are. etc etc etc. For the first
time, I would go with the longer time but better yet, double the time
listed. It's better to go slow and long with bisque. Also, make sure you
keep a detailed log of your firing, especially the first time.
Never leave a kiln unattended, especially firing something new or trying
something new for the first time. Cancel the candleing, it's not needed.
All it is is just a waste of gas.
Remember, you can never go too slow with bisque and make sure you are in
complete oxidation all the way up. I would suggest getting an oxygen probe.
When I started with gas, I picked one up and now I know where the kiln is at
without guessing. It's been said before, oxygen probes are worth their
weight in gold.
Hope this helps.
--
Steve Dalton
Clear Creek Pottery
Snohomish, Wa
sdpotter@gte.net
Hildy Licht - Hildy Licht Co. Inc. on tue 9 jul 02
Bisque firing in a gas kiln:
Candling dries the ware out more, slowly and heats the kiln up
slowly. Remember, the whole purpose of the bisque fire is to dry the
clay out...so even when its "bone dry," its still pretty wet compared
to what it will be once its fired.
You might try candling the day before, turning the kiln off at night,
sealing it up overnight, candling again for several hours in the
morning and then fire. You will have dried the ware out further and
the kiln should hold the heat til morning....
My gas kiln bisque fires in 5-6 hours. If it is not candled
overnight for a high fire, the instructions call for just one of the
burners to be on for the first hour or so of firing to heat the kiln
up slowly.
Hildy
>Hi all,
>
>I'm getting ready to bisque fire in my gas kiln for the first time and I
>have some questions.
> The kiln manual says that I should be able to bisque fire(^08-06) in 4-6
>hours.
>I checked the archives though and it seems that most people are bisque
>firing MUCH slower than that. So, how long should it take?
>Also, about "candleing", I have read that I should candle overnight.
>Well, my studio is not in my home and I'm more than a little squeamish
>about leaving it on and unattended overnight, and I don't want to stay
>overnight with it. How necessary is candleing if the ware is bone dry?
>
>Tamara -Okinawa
>
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