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need help with slip cast firing

updated sun 26 mar 06

 

F. Parker on sat 25 mar 06


I'm using a relative's Skutt 1227 automatic kiln for now. He is not a
clay person, but has recently gotten interested in slip casting and asked
me for help. I know very little, but did manage to get him some lo-fire
casting slip, which he has been using in molds inherited from someone.

Today, I called to see if it was convenient for me to come over and load
the kiln with some stoneware pieces (^6 maturity) that I need to ^04
bisque fire. Thinking they both bisque at ^04, I offered to also bisque
the few slip-cast pieces he has now finished.

After spending an hour or so loading the kiln (with the slipware on the
bottom, of course,) I decided to glance at the Skutt manual just to be
sure I had everything right. To my dismay, it says to cone fire "cast
earthenware" using the "medium speed" setting instead of the "slow"
setting I normally use for stoneware. If I do this, I have to completely
unload the kiln to get his castings out.

Question: will it hurt low-fire slipware to bisque on the slow speed? It
takes 12 hours instead of the seven hours the medium speed requires.

Many thanks,

Fred Parker

Lynn Goodman Porcelain Pottery on sat 25 mar 06


Go ahead and fire it at "slow" speed.
They recommend "medium" speed for slip-cast ware because it is
generally thinner, doesn't have thicker/thinner spots or air bubbles,
and it CAN be bisqued at a faster rate than thrown/handbuilt ware
without fear of explosions or impurities not being burned off.

Lynn



On Mar 25, 2006, at 1:45 PM, F. Parker wrote:

> I'm using a relative's Skutt 1227 automatic kiln for now. He is not a
> clay person, but has recently gotten interested in slip casting and
> asked
> me for help. I know very little, but did manage to get him some
> lo-fire
> casting slip, which he has been using in molds inherited from someone.
>
> Today, I called to see if it was convenient for me to come over and
> load
> the kiln with some stoneware pieces (^6 maturity) that I need to ^04
> bisque fire. Thinking they both bisque at ^04, I offered to also
> bisque
> the few slip-cast pieces he has now finished.
>
> After spending an hour or so loading the kiln (with the slipware on the
> bottom, of course,) I decided to glance at the Skutt manual just to be
> sure I had everything right. To my dismay, it says to cone fire "cast
> earthenware" using the "medium speed" setting instead of the "slow"
> setting I normally use for stoneware. If I do this, I have to
> completely
> unload the kiln to get his castings out.
>
> Question: will it hurt low-fire slipware to bisque on the slow speed?
> It
> takes 12 hours instead of the seven hours the medium speed requires.
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Fred Parker
>
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Lynn Goodman
Fine Porcelain Pottery
548 Court St.
Brooklyn, NY 11231
718-858-6920
Cell 347-526-9805
www.lynngoodmanporcelain.com