Thanks for the review. The latest video is a redo of this video with a new commentary track. Thank you could take a moment and review it and give me some feedback?
Can you make a suggestion as to where to buy kiln shelves? I just inherited my mom's kiln and some molds, but I don't remember seeing any shelves. I do, however, have a bunch of different stilts, so I know that shelves were used in it before.
Check to see if you have a local ceramic shop. You will need to know if you want half moon, hexagon, or rectangle/slat shelves. Most use the half moon. The local place in Atlanta is Davens Ceramic Center. If you need more help let me know.
This was sooo helpful. Thank you!! I plugged 2 of my 3 holes for my bisque fire. I haven’t fires it for several years! I’m so glad I watched this first!! When you stack the shelves out of the kiln I was told to make sure and put kilnwash sides together so as not to get the wash on the bottom of the shelf. Is that correct? Also I love your idea of using a chair!
I am at a new school with a kiln so its my first time getting do use ceramics with my students - YAY! This video is very informative, but as a complete newb and a visual learner I still have follow up questions: 1. Kiln wash - how do I apply that exactly to the shelves and the stilts? 2. How do I know my shelves need fresh coats of kiln wash? I'm told none has even been applied. 3. The wedge - I don't have one. I have an electric automatic kiln. Do I need to buy one if I absolutely let all pieces dry out for a few weeks? 4. The plugs - With an automatic kiln, do I need to take any of them out for low fire clay and low fire glazes or can I run the kiln with them all in place?
I'm sorry you keep getting comments about the music. I guess I'm good at tuning that stuff out, or I just really wanted to learn this stuff, as I just inherited my mother's ceramics stuff.
i make a lot of mirrors and flat pieces with clay so it takes up a lot of surface area in the kiln, but my pieces barely ever have much height. does that mean i can place more shelves with less space in between them (shorter stilts) in order to fire a lot of flat pieces at once?
Short Answer - Yes, but . . . The pieces can be placed in shorter distances together (I would give about 1/2 - 1" clearance between the piece and the bottom of the shelf. The concern is the atmosphere that is being created while the piece is in the kiln. The glaze has to have a little bit of space to breathe around the piece and the clay will contract and expand during the firing process (not much, but a little). Hope this helps. Keep me posted.
You will need to purchase a kiln furniture kit or separate pieces, but it depends on what and how much you are firing. I go over the basics, but if you would like a more in depth version I can make another video. Let me know.
Information was excellent but the music makes it impossible to keep concentrated.
Thanks for the review. The latest video is a redo of this video with a new commentary track. Thank you could take a moment and review it and give me some feedback?
Great info. Had to stop because of the music
Can you make a suggestion as to where to buy kiln shelves? I just inherited my mom's kiln and some molds, but I don't remember seeing any shelves. I do, however, have a bunch of different stilts, so I know that shelves were used in it before.
Check to see if you have a local ceramic shop. You will need to know if you want half moon, hexagon, or rectangle/slat shelves. Most use the half moon.
The local place in Atlanta is Davens Ceramic Center.
If you need more help let me know.
Could you do a prebake in your kitchen oven?
While you can’t fully bake ceramics in a kitchen oven you can dry them out for easier firing. I have more on this in a few of my kiln videos.
This was sooo helpful. Thank you!! I plugged 2 of my 3 holes for my bisque fire. I haven’t fires it for several years! I’m so glad I watched this first!!
When you stack the shelves out of the kiln I was told to make sure and put kilnwash sides together so as not to get the wash on the bottom of the shelf. Is that correct? Also I love your idea of using a chair!
You can stack them the way I did. As long as the kiln wash has been fired once it won’t matter. Keep me posted if you have questions.
I am at a new school with a kiln so its my first time getting do use ceramics with my students - YAY! This video is very informative, but as a complete newb and a visual learner I still have follow up questions:
1. Kiln wash - how do I apply that exactly to the shelves and the stilts?
2. How do I know my shelves need fresh coats of kiln wash? I'm told none has even been applied.
3. The wedge - I don't have one. I have an electric automatic kiln. Do I need to buy one if I absolutely let all pieces dry out for a few weeks?
4. The plugs - With an automatic kiln, do I need to take any of them out for low fire clay and low fire glazes or can I run the kiln with them all in place?
Margaurita Spear, happy to help. Send me an email at trifirestudios@gmail.com and I’ll work with you on tackling those questions.
I really like your videos, I'm learning a lot. But the music is so distracting that I have to listen 2 or 3 times sometimes.
Thanks for the feedback. I have gotten a lot better with the newer videos. Let me know what you think.
I'm sorry you keep getting comments about the music. I guess I'm good at tuning that stuff out, or I just really wanted to learn this stuff, as I just inherited my mother's ceramics stuff.
i make a lot of mirrors and flat pieces with clay so it takes up a lot of surface area in the kiln, but my pieces barely ever have much height. does that mean i can place more shelves with less space in between them (shorter stilts) in order to fire a lot of flat pieces at once?
Short Answer - Yes, but . . .
The pieces can be placed in shorter distances together (I would give about 1/2 - 1" clearance between the piece and the bottom of the shelf. The concern is the atmosphere that is being created while the piece is in the kiln. The glaze has to have a little bit of space to breathe around the piece and the clay will contract and expand during the firing process (not much, but a little).
Hope this helps. Keep me posted.
Can you buy a kit that has alot of things I'll need, or do you have to buy everything separately? Does the kiln come with shelves?
You will need to purchase a kiln furniture kit or separate pieces, but it depends on what and how much you are firing. I go over the basics, but if you would like a more in depth version I can make another video. Let me know.
That background music is annoying. But thanks for the info.
Good info. Music tiresome.