Top Loading Kiln - Top Tip

One of our In Bristol trio has some tops tips for unloading a top loading kiln.

 M's brooches have been fired once, and are now having a second firing at a much higher temperature. This is because J thought she had removed all of the shelves when unloading, but left one in at the bottom when reloading. Oops. We live and learn.

Too close

For once I get lovely perky pyrometric cones instead of dribbly slugs, and I've left them too close to the work. Stuck. Not a good look.

Helpful

This kiln is very helpful and informative. At this point of the firing it was hot.

Bit Previous

I have booked a kiln for the end of next week for work that only exists in my head. Bit previous of me? Quite possibly.

Cone Drawings

So much to do. So little time. So spent a while photographing drawings of pyrometric cones. There are some great styles here. They're all very different. I'm quite envious of some of them. Mine are a bit rubbish. And I don't get to draw perky ones very often due to all the overfiring.

Perky...

3D...

Wobbly...

Sad...

Quirky...

Droopy...

Neat...

Tired...

Minimalist...

And more...

Straight to skip

Glaze kiln overfired and all went straight to the skip. I lost lots of porcelain jugs and all of my work from two days of throwing with Simon Hulbert. All my drawings of cones in the kiln record books look like slugs.

Pyrometric cone

Slug

Clever Kiln

Fourth glaze firing went well. Not quite achieved the colours I need yet but getting there.

Third time lucky

My third glaze test firing was a success. No kiln failure. Fourth firing ready tomorrow. Here's hoping...

In the Kiln

Naughty Kilns

Last two kiln firings have both proved to be a little bit disastrous. Element went in both kilns so did not reach temperature. Both glaze test kilns. If I like the glaze...can't recreate it again. If it's grotty...don't know whether to blame the kiln or the glaze recipe. Tut.