[clay lover]

I've either made a deal or been made, don't know which. Opinions or knowledge appreciated.

Found a yard sale with a huge amount of old slip pouring plaster molds, a pouring table ,3 decrepit kilns and a pile of kiln furniture. Since I need some furniture, I took a gamble and bought 8 half shelves one small hexagonal 18" and lots of posts.

How do I know if the shelves and furniture will tolerate ^6? The various shelves had COSCO 455, ACF 456 and one said Thorley. Some had dates as old as 1966, but were clean and not cracked. I chose the larger diameter posts. There was a pile of 06 glazes and those funny stilt things with the tiny wires that things sit on in the kiln. The owner bought the whole pile and knew nothing about anything there.
Anybody venture a guess as to whether it's a deal or a bust?

[bciskepottery]

Here's a link to Thorely kiln shelves. http://www.ceramicss...elves-posts.htm

[clay lover]

Thanks, I went to that sight, but did not find info as to ^ rating. Should I assume they are to ^10?

[Mark C.]

We really need more info on the shelves-a photo helps as well. Thickness is key. Thorley is out here on the west coast in Ca. It was bought up by Laguna Clay a few years back. They made 1/2 inch 5/8th and 1 inch shelves in many different pattens. What are your thickness of said shelves ?The 1 inch ones can take cone 10 but will warp over a short time at cone 10 . The thinner ones will work at cone 06 well and as I have no cone 6 experience I'll let others who do fire mid range answer that. My guess is yes but the thicker the better as to warping over time.They are mullite shelves
The posts can be square or round or triangular They will work at all temps.
Your description of sale items points me to a low fire operation years ago.
Mark

[clay lover]

Thanks, Mark.
The Thorley is a 15" octagon, 1/2" thick. The rest are the same thickness , size and weight as the new half shelves I recently bought from Baileys that go with my Skutt 1027. 3/4" thick, 21" half rounds.

The half rounds have dates , 1965 !! And the stamp COSCO 455 and ACF 456 can't find anything ablout those marks on any of the kiln furniture sites.

[bciskepottery]

clay lover, on 27 April 2012 - 07:36 PM, said:

Thanks, I went to that sight, but did not find info as to ^ rating. Should I assume they are to ^10?

from below one of the tables

"Thorley Kiln shelves and posts are manufactured with superior quality body formulations, well regulated production, quality control, and an exceptionally long and tightly controlled firing cycle. They are composed of 50% cordierite and 35% mullite, with lesser amounts of corundum and other combined mineralogical forms. These shelves posses a remarkably high resistance to thermal shock. . . .

"5/8" shelves are recommended to cone 5, although some users find they are adequate to cone 10 when used in electric kilns. Use 1" shelves for firings from cone 5 to 10 and in gas kilns. Discretion should be used when using these shelves in gas kilns as heavy reduction can cause shelves to warp and sag even at lower temperatures."

[Mark C.]

Sounds like you will get some use at cone 6 from bciskepotterys post above but that 1/2 inch will warp over time-if you do not wash it you can flip it every fire and that will buy you more time as far as warping.I would say you did good at the sale.
If you run into a pile of cash you can always buy advancers for electrics-they only take up 5/16" and will go to cone 10 and never warp-they just cost a lot.
Mark

[Marcia Selsor]

Your shelves should be fine. Just don't put really heavy pieces on the 1/2" shelves.

I have Thorleys for my electric kilns. They work well and have not warped at ^6. Good job on scoring such goodies. Posts have really gotten expensive lately.


Marcia

[clay lover]

Nutical, on 05 September 2012 - 04:11 AM, said:

SalazarPickettes, on 07 May 2012 - 07:20 AM, said:

Marcia Selsor, on 28 April 2012 - 07:28 AM, said:

Your shelves should be fine. Just don't put really heavy pieces on the 1/2" shelves.

I have Thorleys for my electric kilns. They work well and have not warped at ^6. Good job on scoring such goodies. Posts have really gotten expensive lately.


Marcia

Thanks, was useful for me too.

I have used them all several times to 2200* and no warping. Very happy shopper!

[TJR]

As with everything in life, it's a deal if you can use it. Old kilns are old kilns. They take up space and are difficult to get rid of unless you can use them for a raku kiln . Sounds like the posts are a good deal at cone 6. I would test them all without too much weight on them and see if they warp.The kiln shelves can be flipped, as Mark says, if you don't use thick kiln wash. Ain't garage sales great.I have never seen ceramic equipment at a garage sale.
Looks like you scored big time.
I use those little props with the metal pins for my highschool pottery classes. Students frequently get glaze drips on the bottoms of pots. If you fire on these you don't have to wash the bottoms. I have only used these props up to cone 04. Don't know if they would go to cone six because of the metal pins.
TJR.

[LilyT]

TJR, on 05 September 2012 - 07:06 AM, said:

As with everything in life, it's a deal if you can use it. Old kilns are old kilns. They take up space and are difficult to get rid of unless you can use them for a raku kiln . Sounds like the posts are a good deal at cone 6. I would test them all without too much weight on them and see if they warp.The kiln shelves can be flipped, as Mark says, if you don't use thick kiln wash. Ain't garage sales great.I have never seen ceramic equipment at a garage sale.
Looks like you scored big time.
I use those little props with the metal pins for my highschool pottery classes. Students frequently get glaze drips on the bottoms of pots. If you fire on these you don't have to wash the bottoms. I have only used these props up to cone 04. Don't know if they would go to cone six because of the metal pins.
TJR.

I know the props with the metal pins (stilts?) or often sold with the recommendation that they
not be used at mid to high range because steel softens at high temps. I still use them
with children's things because they want to glaze bottoms... and as long as the items
are not too heavy (or you use more of the little points) it works well. I fire to cone 5
with a long soak that essentially tips cone 6 over. So I think if you want to use them to
mid range, maybe test a few with some pieces you won't be sad about losing. Be
careful about avoiding tipping and rolling off if the pins soften and bend (support them
at the outside edges of the piece).
-Lily