[shayes]

Just ordered a new L&L E23T, a huge investment for a young potter, and I would like to invest in some shelves as well. What are the best shelves to buy? I heard advancers are good because they are thin. please let me know what you think!

[bciskepottery]

Starting out, I'd recommend plain old kiln shelves or the corelite honey-comb shelves that are more light weight. Unless shelf weight is really a factor to you and loading the kiln, or you are in serious production mode, I'd hold off on the Advancers. They require a fair amount of care to prevent dampness, etc. and are rather pricey. Better to make your glazing mistakes on shelves that are less costly.

[Iforgot]

I like the corderite shelves from axner.com because they are pretty lightweight, sturdy, and very inexpensive. a 13" round (the size I use in my tiny kin) is only like $13! plus if there is a glaze drip you can sand it off in seconds.



Darrel

[Marcia Selsor]

I agree with corderite shelves for a new electric kiln. Ususally you can get a kiln furniture kit with new kilns.

Marcia

[Mark C.]

If cost means nothing advancers are the best-But if cost matters go with the corelite honey-comb shelves-put a good quality homemade wash on one side and use them.If they are 1/2 shelves I stack them on the long side on blocks of wood to keep them off floor at an angle so they cannot fall over-On full size shelves I also keep on end in a spot they are trapped and cannot fall over.
You can always get advancers later if you become full time and fire a lot.
Mark

[Benzine]

Phew, I just looked up the Advancer shelves. They sound great, but you're right Mark, they are pricey. They are a little out of my price range for my school or home studio, but still nice.

Why is it, that you don't have to use kiln wash on them?

[OffCenter]

Benzine, on 04 February 2013 - 10:18 PM, said:

Phew, I just looked up the Advancer shelves. They sound great, but you're right Mark, they are pricey. They are a little out of my price range for my school or home studio, but still nice.

Why is it, that you don't have to use kiln wash on them?

They don't need kiln wash. Glaze doesn't soak in so you can just wipe (or at least knock) it off.

Jim

[Mark C.]

Advancers work great but they are very sensitive to moisture so they need to be kept dry not stacked on concrete which has moisture in it. They do not need kiln wash but porcelain feet can fuse to them and I have to put a thin wash on my advancers shelves to keep that from happening  or add alumina to wax. If I recall they call it plucking?
I know some potters who fire B-mix on advancers and had some stick and use alumina in the wax to keep that from happening.I think its easier just to wash them and be done.
Glaze knocks right off most of the time-it never can soak in as the surface is smooth not like any other shelve-I've been using them since sometime in the 90s and they pay for themselves if you fire enough because of the space saved every fire.
They are to fragile for most school situations. I gained over 16-18 inches of horizontal stacking space when I switched over from 1 inch dry high alumina English shelves which I now use in the salt kiln.
This 16-18 inches is every bisque and every glaze in my car kiln and adds up fast for production potters.I average about 35 shelves per fire.A little less in the bisque.
These shelves also do not like thermal shock so no quick cooling and they need to be taken care as they are thin and fragile when cool..
Mark

[shayes]

bciskepottery, on 02 February 2013 - 10:44 PM, said:

Starting out, I'd recommend plain old kiln shelves or the corelite honey-comb shelves that are more light weight. Unless shelf weight is really a factor to you and loading the kiln, or you are in serious production mode, I'd hold off on the Advancers. They require a fair amount of care to prevent dampness, etc. and are rather pricey. Better to make your glazing mistakes on shelves that are less costly.

[shayes]

thanks for your input! I am still working on glazing so i think i should go with the cheaper shelves for now!

[shayes]

Iforgot, on 02 February 2013 - 11:18 PM, said:

I like the corderite shelves from axner.com because they are pretty lightweight, sturdy, and very inexpensive. a 13" round (the size I use in my tiny kin) is only like $13! plus if there is a glaze drip you can sand it off in seconds.



Darrel

[shayes]

great website! by far the cheapest prices i have found. thank you so much!!!!