[CPT]

Hi Everyone:

I'm stuck on what to do here. I will be decorating this rather large bisqueware bread platter just on the top portion (24" L) and then glaze fire to Cone 06. Trouble is, I can only set it at an angle in my little kiln.

Can I do this? Will this piece be ok touching the sides of the fire brick?

Thanks for your advice in advance.

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[Denice]

I think having it that close to a coil could cause many problems over fiing, glaze changes even cracking because of uneven shrinkage and you would have to use a real stable glaze. It looks like you could put a piece of bisque ware to lean it against to get it away from the wall. If I get carried away with size I take it to a ceramic supply store that does firing, I know that most people aren't that lucky to have a retail buisness like that near by. Good Luck Denice

[CPT]

Thanks Denice:

I'll keep looking around. I may look into a kiln timeshare with someone.

This is so frustrating.....

http://www.bigcerami...timesharing.htm

[neilestrick]

That would be bad to have it against the side of the kiln. Search for someone with a big enough kiln for it.

[Benzine]

Perhaps, if time isn't a factor, build some type of holder out of clay, that would hold the platter at an angle, but not touching the kiln walls, or even more vertically. Build it, bisque it, and there you go.

[Marcia Selsor]

I have often said Ceramics is only limited by your imagination and the size of your kiln.
I hope yo find a way to fire tha t piece...or in the future you need a bigger kiln.
Best wishes,
Marcia

[JLowes]

I didn't have as extreme an example as yours, but I had a piece that I wanted to fire in my smaller kiln rather than having a lot of empty space in my larger kiln. So, I propped it on an angle blocked up and supported so it couldn't move around during firing. Not having to worry about glaze on the bottom may allow you to do something like that. Mine did NOT touch the walls, but was very close. The Cone 06 is in your favor. Still, if you can find a place to fire it normally would be the best.

John

[SmartsyArtsy]

I recently used my tall kiln posts to prop up a "got carried away and made it too long" piece. It wasn't a critical form, though, so I didn't worry about warping. I would find a larger kiln for your piece.

[perkolator]

i fire pieces like that all the time. i don't do it often and it's usually just test tiles to test flow of the glaze -- and it will most likely warp unless it's fully supported across the bottom of the form. there's also the concern that your glaze decoration might shift because of the vertical position. another problem with supporting a piece such as this, is that you'll have to leave a bare spot where it contacts the floor shelves and wall of kiln, or use bar stilt.

i've got lots of shelf shapes/sizes to play around with supporting pieces like this, but for you you'd most likely have to construct a support like Benzine and others have mentioned. if well supported, there shouldn't be much pressure on the soft brick wall so the only real concern there would be glaze sticking to it if it's touching.

safest way is find someone with a larger kiln.

[Pres]

CPT, on 11 November 2012 - 10:01 AM, said:

Hi Everyone:

I'm stuck on what to do here. I will be decorating this rather large bisqueware bread platter just on the top portion (24" L) and then glaze fire to Cone 06. Trouble is, I can only set it at an angle in my little kiln.

Can I do this? Will this piece be ok touching the sides of the fire brick?

Thanks for your advice in advance.

I have seen someone fire this type of thing once in a small electric kiln. They made a wedge shaped foundation of soft fire brick that had a stop edge at the bottom where the piece did not touch the kiln floor. It was completely supported on the wedge shaped firebrick. They did not glaze the outside of the piece only stained it. You have a definite problem-good luck.

[ClayByMck]

Easy! lol. Heres the solution. You are only up against warping, glaze running everywhere, staining from the backside being unfinished and worst of all, breaking in half and sticking to your evements and bricks, but heres an idea. From my experience I would lay it face down on a pillow. Use a dremmel, hack saw, or metal file to score an interesting line down middle short-wise. Be sure to make the score deeper where the footing rises. Leaving it face down on the pillow, tap the score line with a hammer. I would tap first on the footing. You will have 2 beautiful 12 inch beautifully finished pieces to attach after theyre fired. I would stylize the line where the two pieces meet with a fancy painted border to make the break look intentional. While breaking your beloved platter in half may not be fun. It will be liberating. Good luck. Hope to see pics.