louroess2210 on sat 3 feb 07
When an accident happens and the shelves end up with fired glaze on
them, how do you get it off?
chipping it off doesn't work, even though there was kiln wash on the
shelves. Not thick enough, I guess. I bought diamond grinder bits
for the drill and by gouging the shelf I can get bits off the side of
the glaze pool but it takes forever.
If I just leave the glaze on and put kiln wash on top of it, will it
eventually ruin the shelf? Will other pieces stick to it during
firing in spite of the kiln wash?
I've never had glaze be this tenacious before.
Any ideas?
Thanks
All the best, Lou
William & Susan Schran User on sat 3 feb 07
On 2/3/07 11:02 AM, "louroess2210" wrote:
> When an accident happens and the shelves end up with fired glaze on
> them, how do you get it off?
> chipping it off doesn't work, even though there was kiln wash on the
> shelves. Not thick enough, I guess. I bought diamond grinder bits
> for the drill and by gouging the shelf I can get bits off the side of
> the glaze pool but it takes forever. If I just leave the glaze on and put kiln
wash on top of it, will it eventually ruin the shelf? Will other pieces stick to
it during firing in spite of the kiln wash?
>I've never had glaze be this tenacious before. Any ideas?
You will need to remove all of the glaze. If any glaze is left on/in the
shelf, it will melt again in subsequent firings, working it's way further
into the shelf, then it's more difficult to remove and you'll have to cut
into the shelf even more. It may also cause other pots to stick to that spot
even with a coating of kiln wash.
With cordierite shelves, I usually used hammer and sharp chisel. Holding the
shelf almost vertical against my legs, I slowly hammer the corner of the
chisel into the glaze drip. Be sure to wear eye protection and you must
strike the shelf at a severe angle. Hitting straight on will break the
shelf.
Another way to quickly remove the glaze is with an angle grinder with
masonry grinding wheel. You can find 4" grinders at Harbor Freight for $20
or less. This tool will work quickly, and once you get the feel for it, you
can remove material with great care.
If you have to dig into the shelf to much and create many pockets, you can
grind off the kiln wash (eye & lung protection) and flip the shelf over.
--
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
Don Goodrich on sat 3 feb 07
Hi Lou,
Perhaps the most convenient tool for removing glaze from
kiln shelves is an angle grinder. If you encounter the problem
only rarely, the less expensive variety should suffice. See
http://harborfreight.com and search for keyword: "angle grinder"
to see examples. You get what you pay for with these. Cheap
grinders have been known to stop for no apparent reason, or to
break when dropped, but you should be able to de-glaze a few
shelves with one of these before the first grinding wheel
wears out.
There are also attachments for electric drills, which do
essentially the same thing. You don't get as much control with
those, because of the awkward angle at which you need to hold
them, but they might be adequate.
If you're not experienced with this type of grinder, be
gentle at first. Fired glaze can be harder than kiln
shelves, and if you're too aggressive you can easily make
deep gouges in the shelf. It's usually best to hold the grinder
close to horizontal, and take several passes at the offending
glaze until it's removed. Of course, you'll want to wear a good
dust mask during this operation. Have a vacuum cleaner or
water hose handy. It's a good idea to wet the affected area
before grinding, but be sure to dry the shelf adequately after
you're done.
It's not a good idea to leave the glaze on the shelf.
Depending on the glaze, it may melt its way right through the
shelf. It will very likely soak through kiln wash that's
put on top of it and could stick to or discolor pots that
are placed there.
Happy grinding,
Don Goodrich
Brenda Funk on sat 3 feb 07
Here's one thing you SHOULDN'T do: have your shelf sandblasted. I thought
I'd try it on a shelf that was pretty much unusable, with spots of glaze and
layers of cracked kiln wash. The sandblast place had never tried such a
thing, but said he'd give it a try. . I thought I was going to get a
perfectly smooth shelf back. Instead, it looked like swiss cheese! And it
broke into two pieces. Luckily, I was going to throw it out anyway, and he
didn't charge me. Lesson learned.
Brenda
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of William & Susan
Schran User
Sent: Saturday, February 03, 2007 2:21 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: Getting glaze off shelves
On 2/3/07 11:02 AM, "louroess2210" wrote:
> When an accident happens and the shelves end up with fired glaze on
> them, how do you get it off?
Lois Ruben Aronow on sat 3 feb 07
I do the same: hammer and chisel, and angle grinder.
ALWAYS WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES!!!! I can't say this enough.
***
Lois Ruben Aronow Ceramics
232 Third Street - # B202A
Brooklyn, NY 11215
p: 917..561..2854
f: 718..246.0819
www.loisaronow.com
www.craftsofthedamned.blogspot.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of William & Susan
Schran User
Sent: Saturday, February 03, 2007 2:21 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: Getting glaze off shelves
On 2/3/07 11:02 AM, "louroess2210" wrote:
> When an accident happens and the shelves end up with fired glaze on
> them, how do you get it off?
> chipping it off doesn't work, even though there was kiln wash on the
> shelves. Not thick enough, I guess. I bought diamond grinder bits
> for the drill and by gouging the shelf I can get bits off the side of
> the glaze pool but it takes forever. If I just leave the glaze on and
> put kiln
wash on top of it, will it eventually ruin the shelf? Will other pieces
stick to it during firing in spite of the kiln wash?
>I've never had glaze be this tenacious before. Any ideas?
You will need to remove all of the glaze. If any glaze is left on/in the
shelf, it will melt again in subsequent firings, working it's way further
into the shelf, then it's more difficult to remove and you'll have to cut
into the shelf even more. It may also cause other pots to stick to that spot
even with a coating of kiln wash.
With cordierite shelves, I usually used hammer and sharp chisel. Holding the
shelf almost vertical against my legs, I slowly hammer the corner of the
chisel into the glaze drip. Be sure to wear eye protection and you must
strike the shelf at a severe angle. Hitting straight on will break the
shelf.
Another way to quickly remove the glaze is with an angle grinder with
masonry grinding wheel. You can find 4" grinders at Harbor Freight for $20
or less. This tool will work quickly, and once you get the feel for it, you
can remove material with great care.
If you have to dig into the shelf to much and create many pockets, you can
grind off the kiln wash (eye & lung protection) and flip the shelf over.
--
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
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Chris Groat on sat 3 feb 07
I use an angle grinder. There are two types of discs that I use. One is a
masonry SiCarbide disc, and the other is a flap disc. The flap disc is
great for removing kiln wash from the shelves. It leaves a perfectly
smooth surface and absolutely will not goudge the surface. The SiCarbide
disc will easily goudge the surface. You need to be very careful with it.
It will eat right through the glaze... and the shelf. If you can't seem to
control the SiCarbide disc, use a flap disc, it's very forgiving. When I
do this I wear eye, lung, and ear protection, and if it's your first time
with the angle grinder you might want to wear a pair of thin gloves, and
don't wear baggy clothes.
moonrider28000@juno.com on sat 3 feb 07
Hi lou, washing the shelves again, with glaze underneath the wash, is
not a good idea. The glaze turns into molten glass when fired, you
should know this. When this happens, the wash will do no good to keep
pieces sitting on top of the glaze+wash from fusing the the shelf
below. My suggestion for you, is to get a disc for a hand held grinder,
and take it off that way. Make sure you use safety goggles, and full
arm and body protection. Because, as you grind through the glaze, it
will actually heat back up, and can fly at you. Hot, flying shards of
glass is nothing you want to take lightly. Then i suggest washing your
shelves every time you fire your kiln, and build up a nice thick coat,
no more than a 1/4" thick. This should keep any runs, drips, or
explosions from ruining the tops of your shelves. Sam Hitchman
________________________________________________________________________=
Interested in getting caught up on today's news?
Click here to checkout USA TODAY Headlines.
http://track.juno.com/s/lc?s=3D198954&u=3Dhttp://www.usatoday.com/news/f=
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Snail Scott on sun 4 feb 07
At 09:02 AM 2/3/2007 -0700, you wrote:
> When an accident happens and the shelves end up with fired glaze on
>them, how do you get it off?
An inexpensive angle grinder can be
purchased for $25-$30 at hardware stores,
and they can be found even cheaper at a
discount tool outlet. A masonry grinding
disc for it will cost only a few dollars
and last for years, even if you have
glaze accidents in every firing. Cleanup
will be fast and easy; the hardest part
is to keep a light touch and not go too
fast! Keep the disc at a low angle to
the shelf, and 'stroke' the glaze blob
in a backward motion until it is gone.
Don't 'dig in' forward with the edge of
the disc. A small amout of practice will
get you adept at this quite quickly.
Much, much, faster (and neater, too) than
a grinder bit on a drill!
Wear goggles and a dust mask; lots of
silica-bearing dust will be produced, and
little chips of flying glaze are generally
bad for the eyes!
-Snail
louroess2210 on sun 4 feb 07
> At 09:02 AM 2/3/2007 -0700, you wrote:
>> When an accident happens and the shelves end up with fired
>> glaze on
>> them, how do you get it off?
Well, the concensus seems to be the best way is an angle grinder. We
are going to the big city (Grand Junction) on Tuesday so I'll stop at
Harbor Freight and pick one up.
Thanks to everyone who responded with advice and caveats. Most
helpful.
All the best,
Lou
Vince Pitelka on wed 7 feb 07
Snail -
There are several things in your articulate and mostly well-informed post
that I need to respond to.
You wrote:
"Electrical failures are annoying, but not often injurious. You can't see it
coming, though, so they're more annoying than a tool which simply wears out
in a visible and predictable (if rapid) manner."
On the contrary, among the failures that happen with cheap power tools are
failures of electrical isolation, resulting in electrical shocks, and the
failure of mechanical components, which can result in parts flying in all
directions - both very dangerous situations.
You wrote:
"It's got to suit your needs. Who cares how long it will last if you never
want to use it?"
Thanks for stating the obvious. Of course the designs vary in different
tools, and it is essential for each user to select tools that are
ergonomically and functionally appropriate fror them.
You wrote:
"It's also worth asking if you really will use a pro-grade tool enough to
need that extra quality. Most household-grade tools are just fine for
occasional use. Using a DeWalt to grind shelves is like taking a
Humvee to the supermarket. If you need it for other reasons, fine, but I
don't think that 'the best' is always needed."
No, I don't think that really is worth asking. Household tools are more
cheaply made, and will not hold up as well or perform as well. No matter
the use, a high quality tool will always give better service, results, and
longevity. And DeWalt is not top-of-the-line - certainly not the quality of
Milwaukee or Bosch. DeWalt is absolutely appropriate for grinding shelves.
A DeWalt 4" or 7" angle grinder is a good tool, ideal for any grinding
application.
You wrote:
"I also still suspect (though without proof) that ceramic dust will kill a
good tool as quickly as a bad one."
I am curious why you would suspect that. It's unfounded, because
high-quality power tools have better seals and bearings, and are far less
subject to the effects of the kind and concentration of ceramic dust you
would encounter in most shelf cleaning or refractory grinding applications.
In a situation where high concentrations of very abrasive dust gets inside
the machine, any power tool will fail, but that takes an extreme situation.
In such a situation, the cooling fan on the tool will carry the dust
throughout the interior, and will cause extreme wear on the armature
commutator. This will wear out the brushes and commutator surface very
quickly, and the tool will fail. That happened with a beautiful Sioux 7"
angle grinder I bought new and had owned and used for 30 years. Several
years ago at the Craft Center I used it with a cutoff blade to cut the nuts
off of the studs anchoring the frame of a defunct salt kiln to the concrete
slab. There was a lot of loose refractory around the nuts, and I was
careless and didn't clean all that debris away. I also should have just
used a cutting torch. So, it really contaminated my beautiful old Sioux
with abrasive dust, and the brushes started to fail, the machine slowed
down, and the armature wiring burned out. It was a sad loss. Sioux tools
are legendary - the very highest quality industrial-grade power tools. I'm
not sure whether the Sioux company is even still in business.
In the clay studio at the Craft Center we have three DeWalt angle grinders
in the tool cabinet (two 4" and a big 7") that we use for all grinding tasks
in the clay studio. The 7" DeWalt has been in service for about ten years
now. It's used for all refractory grinding applications. It works as well
now as when it was new. The two 4" DeWalts are not as heavy-duty, but have
been in service for seven or eight years with no problems at all. Cheaper
grinders would have failed long ago.
You wrote:
"Among angle grinders, I've seen some ugly cheap monsters that kept on
ticking, and so-called 'quality' that had drawbacks. Skip the ultra-cheap,
maybe, but don't feel that you need the top of the line to grind a shelf. In
any case, handle it, try it out, and feel how it is to use. Heft the weight.
Comfort counts for a lot, and it's not always easy to predict."
Forgive me if it sounds like I am doubting you, but I am having trouble
envisioning those "ugly cheap monsters" among angle grinders. The cheap
angle grinders look pretty much the same as the expensive ones, and lots of
the good ones are "ugly," depending on your sense of tool aesthetics. But
there's no getting around the fact that the cheap ones are almost always
made from cheaper materials, with smaller bearings and shoddy mechanical
construction. There are always exceptions - the thing about tools made in
China, Korea, Pakistan, and India is that even the ones that sell for cheap
at flea markets and online sites are sometimes beautifully made. So, when
you buy a cheap Asian-made power tool, it's not a sure thing that it's going
to be a piece of crap, but there's a very good chance that it will be.
You wrote:
"So, I'm not advocating cheap tools across the board, but selectively. For
some things, quality may be wasted. For other things, only quality will do.
Which is which will depend very much on your own needs."
I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree here. For what it's worth,
I've been using fine hand and power tools while repairing, designing, and
building machinery and equipment for almost 40 years. When adapting hand
tools for other uses, inexpensive tools can sometimes be very useful, like
the dental picks and prods you speak of. Cheap wood chisels and carving
tools work great on leather-hard clay. There are many similar examples.
But when you buy a particular tool designed for a specific task (especially
a power tool), you are always best off bying the finest, best-designed,
sturdiest tool available. In such a case, you loose money, time, and
satisfaction in buying and using a cheap tool.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
Fred Parker on thu 8 feb 07
On Wed, 7 Feb 2007 21:11:05 -0600, Vince Pitelka
wrote:
>Come on Fred. Don't be insulting. You're making a fool of yourself.
>- Vince
Heh, heh, heh.
Well, mebbe you gotta point there, Vince. I apologize.
That damn Harbor Freight grinder so diminished my self esteem! One
drunken indulgence with a ten-dollar whore, and now, just look at me!
Making a fool of myself! Glaze drippings on shelves! Neighbor saw cheap
crap tool in truck! Gossip everywhere! They know! They ALL know! Need
confidence! Need reassurance! Need a pricy grinder!
How, HOW did it come to this?...
Fred
Vince Pitelka on thu 8 feb 07
> That damn Harbor Freight grinder so diminished my self esteem! One
> drunken indulgence with a ten-dollar whore, and now, just look at me!
> Making a fool of myself! Glaze drippings on shelves! Neighbor saw cheap
> crap tool in truck! Gossip everywhere! They know! They ALL know! Need
> confidence! Need reassurance! Need a pricy grinder!
You got it, Fred. All you need to do is appear at NCECA with a 4 1/2" Bosch
grinder hanging around your neck, and all will be forgiven.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
Snail Scott on fri 9 feb 07
At 09:57 PM 2/7/2007 -0600, Vince wrote:
>Snail -
>There are several things in your articulate and mostly well-informed post
>that I need to respond to.
>
>You [I] wrote:
>"Electrical failures are annoying, but not often injurious...
>
>[Vince wrote]
>On the contrary, among the failures that happen with cheap power tools are
>failures of electrical isolation, resulting in electrical shocks...
This is a valid point. Most of my experience=20
has been with 'it-just-quit-working' failures,=20
though.
I've seldom seen a manufacturing-based electrical=20
hazard, except twice (ironically) with 'high-
quality' brands, where manufacturing flaws went=20
undetected. In one case, the outer housing of=20
a circular saw's handgrip was incomplete (the=20
plastic injection mold hadn't filled completely),=20
but in a hard-to-see spot. Sawdust crept through=20
the gap for five years and packed around the=20
switch, preventing it from turning off one day=20
in the hands of a panicked freshman student.
(When I contacted the manufacturer, I was=20
refused a replacement switch, on the grounds=20
that liability issues with non-factory-installed=20
electrical components prevented them from=20
supplying replacements to any but an authorized=20
service center (though they did agree to send a=20
new handgrip). I told them that I wasn't much
overwhelmed with the quality of their factory=20
installation, either, and they hadn't begun to=20
approach the full potential of 'liability'=20
until they considered a power tool without a=20
working off-switch in the hands of a student.=20
(They sent the switch.))=20
I will grant your greater experience and a=20
longer time-line in dealing with such issues,=20
and the better statistical data pool that it=20
represents. Electrical hazards are serious,=20
(though rare in my own experience), and are a=20
valid reason to avoid tools of suspect=20
workmanship.
>You [I] wrote:
>"It's also worth asking if you really will use a pro-grade tool enough to
>need that extra quality..."
>
>[Vince wrote]
>No, I don't think that really is worth asking. Household tools are more
>cheaply made, and will not hold up as well or perform as well. No matter
>the use, a high quality tool will always give better service, results, and
>longevity...
Not much argument here. Even allowing for=20
such(admittedly freak) events as the story=20
above, quality brands have generally=20
earned their reputation, and quality tools=20
are a joy. But, when resources are limited,=20
some hard decisions have to be made, and=20
deciding which tools truly need to be good=20
quality and which might work well enough=20
if mediocre is part of that necessity.
I would love to have all the best tools,=20
and I treasure those of mine that are: my=20
old Rockwell circular saw, my Bosch sawzall,=20
my Skutt kiln, and more. I don't love my=20
no-name grinder, or my Craftsman jigsaw, or=20
my Campbell-Hausfeld brad gun. But until I=20
can allocate money to replace them with=20
better, they will do well enough. And I may=20
decide that what I've got is adequate. I am=20
a champion scrounge, and none of the above=20
tools (good and bad) cost full price; most=20
weren't even new. But decisions must be made.=20
Sometimes if the choice is to go with=20
inferior quality or do without, the inferior=20
tool is the better choice. And sometimes,=20
it's as good as it really needs to be.
I don't need a Sub-Zero fridge, or a Dyson=20
vacuum cleaner. I also don't really need a=20
Hitachi drill or a Soldner wheel. Nice to=20
have, no doubt, but there is a level of=20
quality which is adequate to meet my basic
needs for the task at hand. It may not be=20
the finest available, but it's good enough=20
for those purposes.=20
Some purposes need the best, but not all.
>You [I]wrote:
>"I also still suspect (though without proof) that ceramic dust will kill a
>good tool as quickly as a bad one."
>
>[Vince wrote]
>I am curious why you would suspect that. It's unfounded, because
>high-quality power tools have better seals and bearings, and are far less
>subject to the effects of the kind and concentration of ceramic dust you
>would encounter in most shelf cleaning or refractory grinding=
applications...
I base my supposition on watching the grinders=20
at my old job. We had some set up for metal=20
ginding, and some for masonry. The metal=20
grinders were all sorts - Milwaukee, Makita,=20
DeWalt, and several no-names. The masonry=20
grinders were a no-name and a Makita of similar=20
ages. They were used mainly for cutting ceramic-
shell investment in the foundry. This shell is=20
a material mainly made of alumina, silica, and=20
zircon flour, and silica and zircon grog,=20
mixed with sodium silicate and fused at 1500=BAF.=20
Both masonry grinders died after a few years,=20
and though the no-name went first, the Makita=20
followed shortly thereafter. All the metals=20
grinders were still working. Thus, my basic=20
conclusion: ceramic dusts kill grinders, and=20
quality is not much protection. This is, as=20
with the above discussion, a very limited=20
statistical sample, but until more data is=20
presented, my working hypothesis remains. I'm=20
open-minded, though, and would be grateful for=20
more information which might confirm or=20
overturn this notion.
>You [I] wrote:
>"So, I'm not advocating cheap tools across the board, but selectively. For
>some things, quality may be wasted. For other things, only quality will do.
>Which is which will depend very much on your own needs."
>
>[Vince wrote]
>I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree here...when you buy a=20
>particular tool designed for a specific task (especially
>a power tool), you are always best off bying the finest, best-designed,
>sturdiest tool available.
I don't think we really disagree on the
value of excellent tools, merely on=20
whether it's OK to settle for less.
-Snail=20
Vince Pitelka on fri 9 feb 07
Snail wrote:
"I base my supposition on watching the grinders at my old job. We had som=
e=20
set up for metal ginding, and some for masonry. The metal grinders were a=
ll=20
sorts - Milwaukee, Makita, DeWalt, and several no-names. The masonry=20
grinders were a no-name and a Makita of similar ages. They were used main=
ly=20
for cutting ceramic-shell investment in the foundry. This shell is a=20
material mainly made of alumina, silica, and zircon flour, and silica and=
=20
zircon grog, mixed with sodium silicate and fused at 1500=BAF. Both mason=
ry=20
grinders died after a few years, and though the no-name went first, the=20
Makita followed shortly thereafter. All the metals grinders were still=20
working. Thus, my basic conclusion: ceramic dusts kill grinders, and qual=
ity=20
is not much protection. This is, as with the above discussion, a very=20
limited
statistical sample, but until more data is presented, my working hypothes=
is=20
remains. I'm open-minded, though, and would be grateful for more informat=
ion=20
which might confirm or overturn this notion."
Snail -
You have a sound understanding of tools, and your experience has obviousl=
y=20
served you well. As you know from our mutual involvement in Clayart, I=20
never insist that I am right, because to do so would be unthinkable, but =
I=20
do stand by my experience with tools and machinery, which is extensive. =
I=20
am curious about your experience with ceramic shell casting. At=20
UMass-Amherst, where I did my grad work, our ceramic shell molds were mad=
e=20
from silic flour, grog, and colloidal silica. They worked perfectly almo=
st=20
every time, and when the casting was cooling, the mold was easily fractur=
ed=20
and removed from the casting. Thus, in grinding away the sprues and vent=
s,=20
there was no refractory present. Grinding ceramic shell molds would=20
certainly be hard on any grinder, but when properly done, the ceramic she=
ll=20
material is long gone before the grinder ever touches the casting.
In the UMass foundry we had Makita and Milwaukee angle grinders, and I do=
=20
not recall any of them ever failing during the six years I was in=20
Massachusetts. In the smithy here at the Craft Center we have a Hitachi =
and=20
several other high-end angle grinders, and again, I have not seen any of=20
them fail, even under very heavy use. In the foundry at Humboldt State=20
University we had exclusively Milwaukee 7" angle grinders, used for all=20
sorts of grinding in metal sculpture and foundry, and again, no failures.=
=20
The quality tool aways wins out in the end.
I think we agree on almost all of this. I just cannot help advocating=20
quality tools with missionary zeal.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/=20
Lee Love on sat 10 feb 07
I have been using the same Chinese made angle grinder (the dyslexic's
"angel grinder") for 7 years. Put a diamond blade on it early
on,(cost more than the grinder) and cut all my bricks with it.
When you only got $35.00 (like many people who ONLY make
pots for a living), then a Chinese grinder, like this one has been, is
a mighty fine tool.
Now, circular saws seem to be a different story. I have
gone through two in 7 years. But then, they get more use because I
cut all my chipboard with it.
--
Lee in Mashiko, Japan
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
http://potters.blogspot.com/
"To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts." -
Henry David Thoreau
"Let the beauty we love be what we do." - Rumi
Neal on sat 10 feb 07
Perhaps I've been lucky not to have many instances
of glazes running onto my kiln shelves. When
testing new glazes, I place the test pieces on
tiles so that if they do run the glaze won't reach
the shelf.
I have to put in a plug for Axner's super kiln wash
(aka Lee's Super Incredible Kiln Wash). It's the
only one I've used on my shelves. The few times
glaze has gotten onto a shelf, it's popped right
off. No chisel or grinder needed.
http://tinyurl.com/36qj7b
I used to help out at one of the city arts centers
when it came time to clean the shelves and reapply
kiln wash, so I know what a pain it can be. We
used chisels--no power tools.
Neal O'Briant
neal126@yahoo.com
____________________________________________________________________________________
Get your own web address.
Have a HUGE year through Yahoo! Small Business.
http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/domains/?p=BESTDEAL
Snail Scott on sun 11 feb 07
At 07:34 PM 2/9/2007 -0600, Vinve wrote:
>...I
>am curious about your experience with ceramic shell casting. At
>UMass-Amherst, where I did my grad work, our ceramic shell molds were made
>from silic flour, grog, and colloidal silica. They worked perfectly almost
>every time, and when the casting was cooling, the mold was easily fractured
>and removed from the casting. Thus, in grinding away the sprues and vents,
>there was no refractory present. Grinding ceramic shell molds would
>certainly be hard on any grinder, but when properly done, the ceramic shell
>material is long gone before the grinder ever touches the casting.
We didn't use grinders for the after-casting
de-vesting process, but in preparing the shells
for burnout. In this particular shop, they
formed pour cups from paper cups capped off
with a circle of stiff paper. When the form was
dipped, the cup base was covered as well, so
this end-cap would have to be removed before
burnout. When I arrived, angle grinders were
also used to cut relieving vents in the
thicker wax sections, to reduce pressure from
the expanding wax inside. I modified this
practice to be done with masonry drill bits
instead, as is done in other facilites, since
I believe it keeps the shell stronger, and
the cleanup on the casting is also reduced.
Angle grinders were also used to true up the
contact surfaces of shell which were burned
out in two pieces (because of the size
limitation of our burnout) but reassembled
for casting.
>I think we agree on almost all of this. I just cannot help advocating
>quality tools with missionary zeal.
Can't argue with religion! ;)
-Snail
Rick Hamelin on fri 13 jun 08
Hi everyone;
I have available these Norton grinding wheels http://www.americanredware.com/grindingwheel/
which I have used to keep my shelves clean. Several Clayart members have bought these through the years. Please comment on how these have worked for you. I am selling these at $30 each, shipping extra.
Thank you
Rick Hamelin
www.americanredware.com
--
"Many a wiser men than I hath
gone to pot." 1649
--
William & Susan Schran User on fri 13 jun 08
On 6/12/08 9:40 PM, "marianne_eshleman" wrote:
> In
> your estimation - which piece of equipment would work best and HOW do
> I go about using it to get glaze off the shelf? Any suggestions
> and/or direction in this would be greatly appreciated.
An angle grinder with a masonry grinding disc has always worked well for me.
Slowly having the edge of the disc carefully removing only as much as
necessary, making sure to remove all glaze that has migrated into the shelf.
Do be careful - the disc will cut into the shelf very easily.
Be sure to wear proper eye and lung protection.
Most likely, trying to remove with hammer & chisel will result in breaking
the shelf.
Probably want to remove all kiln wash and flip the shelf over.
Bill
--
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
marianne_eshleman on fri 13 jun 08
Hi Guys!
I was just reading through this thread as I had made some glaze that
ran terribly onto the kiln shelves and despite the kiln wash being on
the shelves, I now have beautifully glazed spots as well. I am new
to this and needless to say, am learning lessons the hard way. So,
after trying to grind it off (that didn't work), chisel it off (that
didn't work either! OK, quit grinnin' :), and using a masonry bit in
the drill (oh, and as you already know - that didn't work either); I
turned to my trusty Clayart group website to look for my next
possible experient. I read through the threads when I found the
heading "Getting glaze off shelves" and enjoyed reading it but I'm a
little confused. You talk about several pieces of equipment. In
your estimation - which piece of equipment would work best and HOW do
I go about using it to get glaze off the shelf? Any suggestions
and/or direction in this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Marianne - Mountain Top, PA
--- In clayart@yahoogroups.com, Vince Pitelka wrote:
>
> > Guess I'm missing something here. If I want a therapist I'll go
hire
> > one. What I'm talking about is getting glaze drips off my kiln
shelf. If
> > I need reassurance, or just want to join hands with that special
someone
> > by the campfire, and maybe hum a few bars of Koom-Ba-Yah, my
Makita is
> > pretty much the last thing I turn to...
>
> Come on Fred. Don't be insulting. You're making a fool of
yourself.
> - Vince
>
> Vince Pitelka
> Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
> Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
> vpitelka@..., wpitelka@...
> http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
> http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
>
>
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