Sand advice during bisque and glaze firings

[dAO]

I am having a bit of trouble with warping  during bisque firing and / or  glaze firing.  I'd like to try sand for movement but not sure about how to use it.  Can I use it for  both bisque and glaze firings?  Do you just put a layer on a shelf and keep using it, or do you need to clean it up after each firing?  Any advice or tips on this are welcome! 

[Cherry]

I weave coils of clay into lace and had a lot of cracking and breakage before I started using sand.

I use it for both firings. I keep it in a metal can made for sprinkling cinnamon sugar or flour- it is bigger than a salt shaker, with bigger holes.  After I  fire and take my work off the shelf, but before I take the shelf out of the kiln, I use a mini dust pan to pick up the sand. This sand will go back in the shaker for reuse. The shelf gets a more thorough brushing to make sure there is no sand left to fall onto later work.

[Mark C.]

sand is a last resort,coils for movement work better and are cleaner. 

Sand can and will get in your glaze wares and that will ruin them.

I would make sure your shelve is coated with a good HOMEMADE kiln wash.

I would also think about a better clay body that does not warp-as this will cure all your concerns.

If you use sand your must be fastidious about keeping it off glaze wares and out of element groves.

[AndreaB]

I thought that the sand being silca would melt onto the ware, creating unwanted jagged bits on the bottom

[dAO]

22 hours ago, Cherry said:

I weave coils of clay into lace and had a lot of cracking and breakage before I started using sand.

I use it for both firings. I keep it in a metal can made for sprinkling cinnamon sugar or flour- it is bigger than a salt shaker, with bigger holes.  After I  fire and take my work off the shelf, but before I take the shelf out of the kiln, I use a mini dust pan to pick up the sand. This sand will go back in the shaker for reuse. The shelf gets a more thorough brushing to make sure there is no sand left to fall onto later work.

Thank you.  That's exactly the information I was looking for.  Appreciate your time.

[dAO]

18 hours ago, Mark C. said:

sand is a last resort,coils for movement work better and are cleaner. 

Sand can and will get in your glaze wares and that will ruin them.

I would make sure your shelve is coated with a good HOMEMADE kiln wash.

I would also think about a better clay body that does not warp-as this will cure all your concerns.

If you use sand your must me fastidious about keeping it off glaze wares and out of element groves.

Mark, thank you for this advice.   I think I'll try this first.  If you have any tips about using or making coils, I would welcome the information.  

[Marcia Selsor]

I make 1/4" coils on my extruder. I just mentioned this a few weeks ago with photos.

I'll try to find a link. 

coils not only move and are clean as Mark  points out ,

but let the moisture out of the bottom of the piece. Bisque before using,

Marcia