Confessions of a Modern Witch: kiln

Throwing Thursday - Kaboom

January 29, 2015

I've been reading several sites that say have separate shelves for your different types of pottery. Greenware, bisque ware and so on. Today even after thinking I had a handle on it I learned the hard way how important it is to keep your pottery separate.

At first I thought my Goddess statue had exploded due to size and thickness but upon further inspection I figured out what actually happened. Earlier this week I threw three new pots. I set them up on the shelf with my other pottery that was waiting for bisque fire. This morning hubby and I were chatting and unloading the glaze fire that had just finished before coffee. (Yes, I'm blaming lack of coffee) In any event I inadvertently put the three new pots that were only 3 days off the bat into a kiln of bone dry pottery. What happens when you put pots that are not properly dried into a bisque fire kiln?

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

So now, going forward, I will have one shelf that is only for items that are bone dry. Period.

Throwing Thursday - Coils

January 1, 2015

Sometimes when you're working with your kiln and you think everything is going all well and good then whamo! Once set of coils fails to heat when you're doing a bisque fire. That's just what happened to me. When that happens you have replace the coil. Here's what that looks like.

Note - Please make sure you read the manufacturer's guidelines for your kiln. This is not meant as an instructional process or directions on how to replace a burnt coil. Please consult professional assistance when dealing with electricity.

First we have to remove the old coil.