Bisque Started 9/30/13

I loaded a bisque Sunday afternoon (slow bisque with a two-hour preheat).  I was able to fit everything in except for some of Deb's pieces that were still a bit wet (although one was ready to go in). Should be ready to unload on Tuesday. 

If y'all glaze some of these pieces this week, I should be able to load a glaze kiln next Sunday.

Pig Party!

I started a Cone 6 glaze kiln today around 4:30. 

Let me tell you, there was a pig party happening on every shelf.  I hope they don't cause to much trouble in there with their loud music and dancing!

New Greenware Measuring Device is in the Studio

Here's what it looks like!  To measure your greenware piece, place it in the corner of the box (thanks to Solveig for providing the illustrative bowl).

In a nutshell, measure all three dimensions (height, width, and depth).  You may round up or round down, depending on how close the dimension is to the inch measurement marks.  Then, multiply together and multiply that product by .03 cents.

You'll need to place a slip inside your piece with your name, a short descriptor of the piece (this could be "medium bowl with double rim"), the date you placed it on the shelf, and the dimensions.  The Art Center will bill you at the end of the month.

Tommye asked that the new policy start this September.  So, anything placed on the "to be bisqued shelf" from now on needs to have a slip in it.  Previously fired works (that are waiting to be glazed in the bisque stage) and works currently on the shelf are "grandfathered" and you won't be charged for them.

Here's some more photos that give close-ups of the measuring process:

 

"Speed is NOT your Friend."

A recent kiln blow-up in a glaze firing led us to some online searching to try to understand the cause. When I posted a query to Electric Cone 6 & Other Ways w/ Clay, one of the responders referenced the article "Speed is NOT your Friend" and posted its link at Dogwood Ceramic Supply.

The article explains in detail why we don't want to dry pieces too quickly,  fire pieces that aren't bone-dry, or open a kiln too soon after firing is complete. While some of the article gets a little complex (OK, a lot complex), it's worth a read--especially to understand the heating/cooling processes a kiln goes through.

We're still trying to figure out why several of the bisqued "cookies" shattered, damaging a few pieces (shards embedded in glazed surfaces). We know the kiln was fired at medium speed, not fast; the cookies had been used before so they weren't wet; there was no glazed greenware in the load.

We'll keep mulling this over.

Say hello to Hairy Buffalo Aug13 glaze

Kinda fun! :)

Thanks Nancy for providing pic.

 

Studio Policies

The revised clay studio policies are now posted in the blog. We're still working on plans for the daily non-monitored open studio hours and will fill in the details as soon as we can. In the meantime, please review the policies, enjoy open studio time, and check out the new fall schedule for ceramics: you might find a class you'd like!

Glaze kiln started tonight

FYI :)