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firing a tightly stacked kiln?

updated fri 15 dec 06

 

Kathy Stecker on sat 9 dec 06


Hi -I've loaded a kiln today which is rather tightly stacked with tiles
-lots of shelves with 1 and 2 inch furniture in between. These are going to cone
6.

Are there modifications in the firing that need to be done to get the heat
work to be even towards the center of the kiln? Does it help to fire more
slowly so the heat can migrate ? I'm concerned that the kiln sitter will be ready
but the center won't...As if you put the pie in the oven at a high temp and
the crust burns but the pumpkin filling isn't cooked.

What type of a ramp do you tile people use?

Thanks,

Kathy Stecker
Winter Springs FL

Paul Lewing on sun 10 dec 06


On Dec 9, 2006, at 8:23 PM, Kathy Stecker wrote:
Are there modifications in the firing that need to be done to get the
heat
work to be even towards the center of the kiln?
Kathy, I think that, if you're going to fire a lot of tiles in the
future, investing in tile setters is a really good idea. Vertical
stacks of setters heat up much more quickly and evenly than
horizontal layers of shelves. I typically fire me cone 4 firings
with 3 stacks of setters and a few shelves on top. I've noticed that
each additional shelf adds about 12 hour to the firing.
Paul Lewing
www.paullewingtile.com

Kathy Stecker on wed 13 dec 06


Thank you Paul Lewing on your reply on my tightly stacked kiln question.I
was in the oh no these aren't my tiles-oops stacked the kiln too full mode-as I
understand they turned out fine-I didn't do the unloading.Now my refired
floating blue glazed pieces that were on the top level did the brown thing but
duh should've known better-no fast cooling on that kiln and I usually fire
those at cone 5 not cone 6.

And congrats on completing your book, a wonderful addition to the clay world!

Kathy Stecker
Winter Springs, Florida
USA