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-   -   What do people use inside their kiln for garaging? (http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=199098)

Rickster 2011-06-27 6:24pm

What do people use inside their kiln for garaging?
 
Just curious. I have a glass fiber blanket that came with the kiln, but if I garage a moria half-way through the imploding process, the fibers from the blanket stick to the moria and cause a blemish. Is there a pad that won't do that? Do I need to use anything at all?
Thanks.

deb tarry 2011-06-27 6:55pm

I don't use anything but if the piece touches it still can pick up dust and stuff, I just pick clean the spot off, which you can't do for some sculptures. Some people use a stainless steel rod rest and position it so your piece is suspended above the kiln floor, just be careful opening up the kiln door things like to fall out for me. I have also heard of a cloth that is designed to clean the dust off of hot pieces but I don't have any experience with that.

Rickster 2011-06-27 7:05pm

The stainless steel rod rest is a great idea...but I'm not sure if I'd be able to close the door if I raised it up too much.
The inside of the door has a pad on it. This pad doesn't burn. I wonder if it could be used inside of the kiln?
Not even sure if I could find it, as I don't have a clue what it is.

I'm just tired of cleaning a piece that has been garaged.

LePatron 2011-06-27 7:05pm

You can safely use nothing in the kiln. If you get kiln dust, you can wipe it off with a kevlar glove. To prevent/remove the kiln dust in the future though, when the kiln is 100% room temperature just wipe it with a moist cloth. Good luck....

BellaBean 2011-06-27 7:13pm

I sweep out my kiln atleast once a week if I'm just working off mandrel stuff. If I use bead release, I sweep it before starting it up the next time. I put nothing in it at all other than the piece I am garaging.

Kevan 2011-06-27 7:16pm

You can use nothing, but I use two pieces of unglazed chair rail ceramic trim tile. I rest the rod on that. They look kind of like this. This is upright like it would go on a wall. Mine are lying down. I tried something with a sharp edge, but these didn't have the edge which would make the bead higher in the kiln and it might touch the roof.

I don't make dozens of beads a day, though.

http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-1285359...7_2165_2653259

Lizzydee 2011-06-27 7:24pm

I took a class in which they had placed a kiln shelf cut to size in the bottom of a chili pepper. worked great.

Rickster 2011-06-27 7:33pm

Excellent ideas...thanks everyone!

I especially like he naked kiln idea...I can wipe it out daily with a damp cloth before I fire it up!

Rickster 2011-06-27 7:37pm

Kevan,
I really like the chair rail idea! How hot can you fire that puppy to? Sometimes I strike colors at 1175...would that be able to take that kind of heat?

LarryC 2011-06-27 9:22pm

I use a pad of carbon fiber cloth made by these folks

http://www.northernheat.ca/index.html

Best product I have ever found for this kind of thing. They are pricy but I have had one for almost 3 years of heavy use in the hotshop. Throws zero airborn fiber, unlike frax, and takes the heat no problem.

Kevan 2011-06-27 9:39pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickster (Post 3596559)
Kevan,
I really like the chair rail idea! How hot can you fire that puppy to? Sometimes I strike colors at 1175...would that be able to take that kind of heat?

Clay is fired to much higher heat than that. 1600 to 3500 depending on the clay it's made from. Earthenware clays on the lower end and porcelain on the high end. These might be porcelain. I'm not really sure, but it's a very fine white clay and I've had it up to over 1000 and it's been fine. I think they are porcelain, they are like bathroom sinks and toilets. I think we got them at Lowe's or HD.

dragonart glass 2011-06-27 10:40pm

That looks excellent Larry. Thanks for posting it, and thanks for asking Rickster.

I have been using small steel trays I got at Arrow Springs. They are easy to wipe off before I turn the kiln on but that shelf liner looks much better.

maxk 2011-06-28 12:54am

Bend a clear rod into an M shape and weld another rod perpendicular to the end of one side. You've got a quick rod rest and it's elevated off the kiln floor.

Cosmo 2011-06-28 5:19am

If you are getting blemishes from the kiln floor, you are putting the piece in too hot.

If it's just a maria, you don't even need to garage it at all. Just set it on your rod rest and leave it until you are ready to use it again.

If it's a large piece that does need to be garaged, just put it right on the bottom of the kiln. Make sure it's cool enough (all the glow has gone away) before putting it in. If there is any dust or anything left on it when you get it back out, just wipe it off. I have a piece of one of those yellow kevlar sleeves that I use for that purpose.

menty666 2011-06-28 6:09am

I use fiber blanket on the floor of my kiln, but it's mostly to keep marbles from rolling out when I open the door.

Cosmo's right, make sure it's not too hot when you put it in and it won't tack to the fiber; I've done that too many times.

If I'm doing beads and want to keep them elevated, I use a piece of 12mm clear glass I put half round "marbles" onto each end to make a rod rest.

AcidFly 2011-06-28 6:23am

folded piece of paper towel works fine to wipe of the kiln dust and like Cosmo said let it cool till all the glow is gone before you out it in the kiln. :)

AcidFly

breeze22 2011-06-28 6:44am

I'm so glad this thread came up, thank you for starting it.

I was wondering what people use to stop marbles wandering around the kiln?

Monique
https://bodaciousglassbeads.wordpress.com

LePatron 2011-06-28 8:33am

Quote:

Originally Posted by breeze22 (Post 3596925)
I'm so glad this thread came up, thank you for starting it.

I was wondering what people use to stop marbles wandering around the kiln?

Monique
https://bodaciousglassbeads.wordpress.com

I use Sherlocks. Stops them from moving around every time. :)

J.Meader 2011-06-28 10:38am

When I am making marbles or pendants, I have a stainless steel tray filled with salt that I place in the kiln. This keeps the marbles from rolling around or out of the kiln. Other wise I just lay my pieces on the kiln floor and just give them a quick wipe with a towel when I pull them out of the kiln to remove any dust or fiber.

gmkcpa 2011-06-28 11:04am

Years ago I took a rod of 1/2" clear and bent it into a square with 4 sides each about 5"
long. Put it on the floor of your kiln, or on a shelf in your kiln. Marbles won't roll out!

Or, just put a little shim under each front leg of your kiln so that it tilts back just a little. Marbles won't roll uphill.

I'm curious, though, as to the distribution of heat within the kiln - how even is it? If the side of the kiln where the thermocouple pops in is 1050, is the left rear bottom corner of the kiln also 1050? Or 1020? etc.

BellaBean 2011-06-28 12:55pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmkcpa (Post 3597217)
Years ago I took a rod of 1/2" clear and bent it into a square with 4 sides each about 5"
long. Put it on the floor of your kiln.

I made one of these to keep marbles in check too.

Juln 2011-06-28 3:42pm

The smoothest thing to use is graphite kiln liner. Only problem is, it breaks down slightly above boro annealing temp...

Here's an old thread about it: http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=51780

Rickster 2011-06-28 4:09pm

Wow! I never expected such a response! Thanks everyone!

Cosmo 2011-06-29 12:28pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by breeze22 (Post 3596925)
I'm so glad this thread came up, thank you for starting it.

I was wondering what people use to stop marbles wandering around the kiln?

Monique
https://bodaciousglassbeads.wordpress.com

I put a 1/4" shim under the front of my kiln, so all my marbles roll to the back.

Fine Folly Glassworks 2011-06-30 12:39pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by menty666 (Post 3596891)
I use fiber blanket on the floor of my kiln, but it's mostly to keep marbles from rolling out when I open the door.

If I'm doing beads and want to keep them elevated, I use a piece of 12mm clear glass I put half round "marbles" onto each end to make a rod rest.

That's a neat idea... I can picture it.

Rickster 2011-07-13 6:52pm

Update.
Thank you to LarryC for turning me on to:

http://www.northernheat.ca/index.html

I ordered the shelf liner and have been using it for over a week now. EXCELLENT results! No marks at all, and the shelf liner seems very durable despite the fact it looked a little fragile when it arrived. It was easy to cut to size, and I can't tell you how great it is not to have to clean off anything after being garaged for a bit.
Thanks again, Larry!

Rickster 2011-07-19 4:22pm

Update:
Each of the liners last only for about 8 firings, then disintegrate to carbon ash. Way too expensive for my budget! I'll try a 'naked' kiln next, with a rod inside to allow me to rest my moria against it if I need to garage it.
When the liner is new, it works great!

LePatron 2011-07-19 4:54pm

That sucks, Rickster.... Thanks for updating us on those........ What temperature are you generally at in the Kiln? I'm usually at 1050(f) for the day and then annealing goes to 1115(f) max for 15 minutes................, curious if you work hotter?

LarryC 2011-07-20 8:08am

Hmmm. Not sure which liner product you are using. I get crack off pads from them that I use in the hotshop. Had one for almost 3 years and I have been using bits of it to line my kiln. Its had zero degradation so far over months at 1050 top end. The outer shell is a fine woven black cloth.

Playing with Fire! 2011-07-20 10:02am

We use coarse salt in the bottoms of all the kilns in the studio. It stops marbles from rolling into each other, and in general keeps things separated and in their own little nests. We've been doing this for over 6 years now, and have found no disadvantages.
-Ed-


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