Ann Baker on mon 27 feb 06
I am beginning to increase the height of my sculptures. I have a 1027
Skutt Kiln. I want to make pieces taller than 27" (up to 3 feet?) but
ALSO want them to be one piece. I fire to cone 6. If I built a gas kiln
would I also bisque in it? or once fire? Can I add rings to the electric
kiln? I am working professionally now so I need to find a way to fire
these larger pieces in an efficeient manner. I don't have a big need to
change from electric but I DON"t have many $1000 to buy a front door
electric kiln. Any advice is VERY welcome!! Or technique tips!
Snail Scott on tue 28 feb 06
At 09:20 PM 2/27/2006 -0500, you wrote:
>...If I built a gas kiln
>would I also bisque in it? or once fire?
That depends. Why do you want to bisque?
"Because I'm in the habit" is a bad answer.
Better answers might be: "Because my preferred
glazes don't work well on greenware", or "My
work has delicate bits that are tricky to glaze
green" or, "I'm working in a series, and I want
to glaze them all together, and the breakage risk
is reduced if they're already bisqued when they
sit around while I finish the others", and so on...
If none of these (or any others) apply to you, why
not one-shot? It saves fuel, and firing fewer times
can really free up your schedule. Each firing is
longer than either your bisque or glaze firing would
be by itself, of course, since the first half of the
firing is as slow as a bisque before you 'kick it
into gear' and finish it off.
A well-designed gas kiln can fire as cleanly as you
need it to for either a nice bisque or a single-fire.
If you are going to build a kiln from scratch, and you
prefer electric firing, why not build one of those
from scratch instead? You might need some help with
the wiring and design, but it's not impossible. There
are a couple of good books out there.
>...Can I add rings to the electric kiln?
Not easily. This is a real professional electical
job, to add powered rings. It is do-able, though.
I recall that L&L has a design that's easier than
most to add powered rings to, but if you're willing
to build a whole gas kiln from scratch, rewiring an
electric kiln isn't any worse. Make sure you've got
the electric capacity for your intended design,
though. A new, bigger breaker will be the minimum!
First, ask yourself: Do you really need to fire the
piece all in one? There are a lot of ways to work
sectionally that look great. There are real advantages
to sectional work. One: You can use a small, stock
kiln. Two: You can load it by yourself. And unload
it. And carry it around. Three: you can ship the
piece in UPS-sized boxes for assembly at the other
end. Four: It will fit in a small car. And so on...
Final assembly can be permanent attachment, or
tempoprary. Permanent has obvious virtues, but for
a piece that might need to be shipped and shown a
few times, a disassemblable piece sure is handy!
(Anyone see ALbert Pfarr's work at last NCECA?
Several 10-foot-high sculptures, all about five or
six feet in diameter. They come apart into pieces
that a child could carry. About 3000 pieces, but all
very portable - stack 'em like cordwood in crates.)
If you do decide to fire large unitary pieces,
consider how large a kiln you will need. 'A little
too small' is almost a bigger waste than 'Way too
small'.
-Snail
Stephani Stephenson on tue 28 feb 06
I have also done the following :
make the kiln taller
by improvising an extra ring with softbrick and fiber
remove kiln lid ( unscrew it at hinge)
build up an extra row or so with soft brick, overlapping or using
wadding to fill
in gaps , then set the lid back on .
you have to be able to lift and manage the lid though , as you will no
longer have the hinge.
I have also taken the octagon section from an old Skutt
and placed it on top of my big square Cress, then used the Skutt lid
(or bottom)
to serve as the lid on the whole thing
filled in the corners where the square Cress met the Octo Skutt with
shelving , soft brick.
Not something I do regularly but every once and awhile I do.
and it has worked for me just fine,
and it is nice to have a + or - 3 ft tall piece without sections
since I am firing tall pieces this way , the kiln is relatively
sparsely loaded
no problem reaching temp.
if you are doing tall work a lot, look at getting an expansion ring or,
if possible, a different kiln to suit your work
A lot can be done with sectioning as well
cheers!
Stephani Stephenson
steph@revivaltileworks.com
http://www.revivaltileworks.com
Frank Colson on tue 28 feb 06
Ann- I'm betting that your can build and operate my 12 cu.ft. catenary
(CATERINA CATENARY) updraft kiln for well within 1G! You can
fire pieces up to 3' in the stack area and be on a flow!
Frank Colson
www.R2D2u.com ...for complete blueprint of CAT!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ann Baker"
To:
Sent: Monday, February 27, 2006 9:20 PM
Subject: large work, small kiln
> I am beginning to increase the height of my sculptures. I have a 1027
> Skutt Kiln. I want to make pieces taller than 27" (up to 3 feet?) but
> ALSO want them to be one piece. I fire to cone 6. If I built a gas kiln
> would I also bisque in it? or once fire? Can I add rings to the electric
> kiln? I am working professionally now so I need to find a way to fire
> these larger pieces in an efficeient manner. I don't have a big need to
> change from electric but I DON"t have many $1000 to buy a front door
> electric kiln. Any advice is VERY welcome!! Or technique tips!
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> 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.
William & Susan Schran User on tue 28 feb 06
On 2/27/06 9:20 PM, "Ann Baker" wrote:
> I am beginning to increase the height of my sculptures. I have a 1027
> Skutt Kiln. I want to make pieces taller than 27" (up to 3 feet?) but
> ALSO want them to be one piece. I fire to cone 6. If I built a gas kiln
> would I also bisque in it? or once fire? Can I add rings to the electric
> kiln?
You'd probably be better off sticking with electric as it will be easier to
control the temperature and loading in a sectional kiln will also be easier.
You can load the sculpture on the floor of the kiln then lift each section
over it.
Check with Skutt to see if it is feasible to add another section and have it
plug into your controller.
Also check into other manufacturer's to see what they have available in
expandable sectional kilns.
You need to be aware that a larger expanded kiln will require more
power/increased amperage.
-- William "Bill" Schran
Fredericksburg, Virginia
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
Michael Wendt on tue 28 feb 06
Ann,
remove the lid from your kiln.
buy another kiln.
best if it is in sections.
put your pot in the existing kiln.
stack the new kiln rings onto the
top of the old kiln as tall as needed.
replace the lid.
connect the rings to a second
computer controlled power source.
fire the tall piece.
let cool.
unstack in reverse order.
Regards,
Michael Wendt
Wendt Pottery
2729 Clearwater Ave
Lewiston, Idaho 83501
USA
wendtpot@lewiston.com
www.wendtpottery.com
Ann wrote:
I am beginning to increase the height of my sculptures.
I have a 1027
Skutt Kiln. I want to make pieces taller than 27" (up
to 3 feet?) but
ALSO want them to be one piece. I fire to cone 6. If
I built a gas kiln
would I also bisque in it? or once fire? Can I add
rings to the electric
kiln? I am working professionally now so I need to
find a way to fire
these larger pieces in an efficeient manner. I don't
have a big need to
change from electric but I DON"t have many $1000 to buy
a front door
electric kiln. Any advice is VERY welcome!! Or
technique tips
Arnold Howard on tue 28 feb 06
If your pieces are tall and narrow, you could fire an 8-sided kiln. Use
extension collars for the extra height. The smaller diameter kiln would use
your existing electrical circuit. If you add height to a wide kiln, you may
need a bigger circuit.
Sincerely,
Arnold Howard
Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
ahoward@paragonweb.com / www.paragonweb.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ann Baker"
>I am beginning to increase the height of my sculptures. I have a 1027
> Skutt Kiln. I want to make pieces taller than 27" (up to 3 feet?) but
> ALSO want them to be one piece. I fire to cone 6.
Antoinette Badenhorst on tue 28 feb 06
Ann what I've done in the past, is to break (build) the pieces up in
sections and fire those separately. I've done that in areas where one =
can
find a "logic" break, like from the neckline to the shoulder. Depending =
on
the kind of clay you use, the pieces can loose its shape at the bottom,
because of piro-plasticity in the clay, but if you bed it into sand, =
that
should not happen. Just fire the kiln very slowly to allow the shelve =
areas
under the sand to catch up with the heat in the rest of the kiln or else =
you
may get your shelves cracked or broken because of uneven heat spreading. =
If you glaze your sculptures, you will have to make a different plan to
support your bottoms. By building a pseudo to follow the contours of the
bottom might be a solution. Of cause if it is just a flat bottom, you =
will
not have that problem and can just let it sit on the shelves as if it is =
the
bottom of your piece.=20
Do you need sharp trimming tools that will not wear out quickly? Contact =
me
for information.=20
Antoinette Badenhorst
105 Westwood Circle
Saltillo MS, 38866
662 869 1651
www.clayandcanvas.com
www.southernartistry.org
=20
=20
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of Ann Baker
Sent: Monday, February 27, 2006 8:20 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: large work, small kiln
I am beginning to increase the height of my sculptures. I have a 1027
Skutt Kiln. I want to make pieces taller than 27" (up to 3 feet?) but
ALSO want them to be one piece. I fire to cone 6. If I built a gas =
kiln
would I also bisque in it? or once fire? Can I add rings to the =
electric
kiln? I am working professionally now so I need to find a way to fire
these larger pieces in an efficeient manner. I don't have a big need to
change from electric but I DON"t have many $1000 to buy a front door
electric kiln. Any advice is VERY welcome!! Or technique tips!
_________________________________________________________________________=
___
__
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.
Antoinette Badenhorst on wed 1 mar 06
Michael, would she not end up with too much heat at the top and to =
little in
the bottom?
Do you need sharp trimming tools that will not wear out quickly? Contact =
me
for information.=20
Antoinette Badenhorst
105 Westwood Circle
Saltillo MS, 38866
662 869 1651
www.clayandcanvas.com
www.southernartistry.org
=20
=20
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of Michael =
Wendt
Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 1:25 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: large work, small kiln
Ann,
remove the lid from your kiln.
buy another kiln.
best if it is in sections.
put your pot in the existing kiln.
stack the new kiln rings onto the
top of the old kiln as tall as needed.
replace the lid.
connect the rings to a second
computer controlled power source.
fire the tall piece.
let cool.
unstack in reverse order.
Regards,
Michael Wendt
Wendt Pottery
2729 Clearwater Ave
Lewiston, Idaho 83501
USA
wendtpot@lewiston.com
www.wendtpottery.com
Ann wrote:
I am beginning to increase the height of my sculptures.
I have a 1027
Skutt Kiln. I want to make pieces taller than 27" (up
to 3 feet?) but
ALSO want them to be one piece. I fire to cone 6. If
I built a gas kiln
would I also bisque in it? or once fire? Can I add
rings to the electric
kiln? I am working professionally now so I need to
find a way to fire
these larger pieces in an efficeient manner. I don't
have a big need to
change from electric but I DON"t have many $1000 to buy
a front door
electric kiln. Any advice is VERY welcome!! Or
technique tips
_________________________________________________________________________=
___
__
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.
Snail Scott on thu 2 mar 06
>-----Original Message-----
>...stack the new kiln rings onto the
>top of the old kiln as tall as needed.
>replace the lid.
>connect the rings to a second
>computer controlled power source.
>fire the tall piece...>
At 08:51 AM 3/1/2006 -0600, you wrote:
>Michael, would she not end up with too much heat at the top and to little in
>the bottom?
>
This is the simplest and most elegant solution I've
encountered. Just add another entire kiln, with
its own integral wiring and it's own breaker.
Good one, Michael!
It requires a whole 'nother kiln, of course, and
enough power, but simple, for sure! And it won't
get too hot on top. People often forget how little
convection there is in an electic kiln. Heat can't
rise unless there's cold air to displace it at the
bottom, thus an evenly heated box will remain even.
Stack two such boxes on top of one another, and
nothing changes except the total volume.
-Snail
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