Andrew Douglas on sat 18 mar 06
I could do with some advice on my kiln. I've had a disasterous firing of my
very small L&L Fuego kiln. I tested some glazes and chose one I liked -
then fired some pots. They've all stuck to the kiln shelves as the glaze
has run really badly (I fired differently to my test, although still up to
1280).
But it would appear that some of the glaze 'jumped' off the pots and my kiln
shelves don't cover the whole of the kiln, and some has landed on the
extremeties of the base and corroded the fire bricks on the base.
Questions - is this going to get worse the more I fire? Is there anything I
can do other than replace the base?
Perhaps it's time to build a kiln - I was thinking of a small gas kiln in
the garden but I have no supply. What kind of bottles do I need to fire a
kiln?
I've put a picture here (along with pics of the pots):
http://potterboy.blogspot.com/
Any comments on what to do about the kiln would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Andrew.
PS Loved the pics from NCECA - some lovely pots - I have such a long way to
go.
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Hank Murrow on sat 18 mar 06
On Mar 18, 2006, at 5:57 AM, Andrew Douglas wrote:
> I could do with some advice on my kiln. Some glaze has landed on the
> extremeties of the base and corroded the fire bricks on the base.
>
> Questions - is this going to get worse the more I fire? Is there
> anything I
> can do other than replace the base?
DEar Andrew;
You will need to dig out the glaze from the softbrick and patch the
holes with some refractory patching material. Others on this list will
advise as to suppliers. If it is left the way it is, the glaze will
continue eating the brick each firing.
Other than the delay, you have little to worry about.
Cheers, Hank
www.murrow.biz/hank
Marcia Selsor on sat 18 mar 06
Dear Andrew,
I looked at your pics. I would chisel the glaze out of the bottom and
remove all of it. Then get
some kiln patch and fill the holes. You could mix a little home made
castable, from the recent
recipes posted or fiber soaked in ITC. Fill the holes and cover with
kiln wash...or ITC. I have repaired many floors
from drops of glaze over many years of teaching. Don't worry. Just
get the glaze off the bricks
even if you make big holes. It is going to make bigger holes if you
don't.
Marcia Selsor
http://marciaselsor.com
William & Susan Schran User on sat 18 mar 06
On 3/18/06 8:57 AM, "Andrew Douglas" wrote:
> some of the glaze 'jumped' off the pots and my kiln
> shelves don't cover the whole of the kiln, and some has landed on the
> extremeties of the base and corroded the fire bricks on the base.
>
> Questions - is this going to get worse the more I fire? Is there anything I
> can do other than replace the base?
Had this happen a few times with kilns at school when glazes were applied
too heavily and pots set too close to edge of kiln shelf.
You want to get the glaze out before any more firings. I just used a slotted
blade screw driver to carefully dig out the glazed brick. Most area were
rather small and not too deep, so I didn't do anything to fill in the hole.
One rather deep hole I did cut out a squared wedge shape and replace with a
similar wedge of new fire brick.
-- William "Bill" Schran
Fredericksburg, Virginia
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
Snail Scott on sun 19 mar 06
At 01:57 PM 3/18/2006 +0000, you wrote:
>...some of the glaze 'jumped' off the pots and my kiln
>shelves don't cover the whole of the kiln, and some has landed on the
>extremeties of the base and corroded the fire bricks on the base.
>
>Questions - is this going to get worse the more I fire? Is there anything I
>can do other than replace the base?
The bits of glaze will melt deeper into the
softbrick with each firing, so dig out the
chunks of glaze. Then use a refractory paste
(thickened kiln wash, i.e. 'kiln putty' will
do) to fill the divots if they are annoying.
Filling the divots won't strengthen the holes,
it'll just keep them from being holes, so if
they aren't a problem (like right under a post),
you can just leave them as holes. You could
fire for another decade like that. If you want
to replace the bottom, you can, but I don't
see the need. Your car drives fine with a
few dents in it, too. It ain't pretty, but
that's not the important part.
-Snail
Ron Roy on sun 19 mar 06
I used to fill such excavations with a mixture of grog and kaolin - fill it
over full - rub flush when dry - do again if it shrinks too much.
I'm trying to remember how much grog and how much kaolin 25 to 50% grog I
guess - i can't remember.
RR
Ron Roy
RR#4
15084 Little Lake Road
Brighton, Ontario
Canada
K0K 1H0
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