Stacking pots for bisque firing

[docweathers]

I have seen pictures of pot stacked in  the kiln in all kinds of strange ways for bisque firing, but never been brave enough to try it.

What guidelines can you give me for how I can stack greenware  for a bisque firing and be sure that I don't get some cracks from the contact between pieces.

At this point, I have a large  backlog of small platters ( 14 inches) that are about 1/4 of an inch thick.  How dare I stack them for bisque firing?

[Babs]

Are they footed, when placed one on top of other what is taking the weight?

Prob got to know your own ware and clay body a bit...

If weight is taken foot on foot and rims have no pressure on them I'd put fine grog on shelf to allow movement not stickibg and dragging, and stack them, one inside other, I go 3 or 4 max. with my clay.

[liambesaw]

I stack bowls for bisque, you can stack rim to rim if you want, or what I do is just put nesting bowls inside each other, mugs I don't stack.  I'll fill empty spaces with test tiles

[RuthB]

Plates, platters, tiles can be stacked on edge leaning against the kiln wall, avoiding the element. Or a kiln post can be leaned first as a buffer. In this way, quite a few can be leaned, including leaning stacks against stacks Cracking problems are reduced as well.  Check YouTube for some good videos on stacking flat pieces in this way all around the kiln wall, staggering stack against stack.  Use the top shelf if post height is a issue. I stack anything that reasonably sits in or on top of another, bowls, mugs, etc. Three pieces max, unless it’s rim to rim or foot to foot. This guideline must have made its way into my DNA by now. 

[docweathers]

thanks for all the sagely  advice. I will experiment with these ideas.

[Rex Johnson]

Rule of thumb for myself, usually no more than three stacked of any item, especially thick pieces like platters. Bus stiff can definitely touch but allowing airspace between pot walls.

3 stacked plates

3 stacked mugs

3 bowls 'nested' inside each other

[Mark C.]

 

heres a post I did on this topic in 2012 Doc

[docweathers]

Mark

How deep are you stacking the pots, i.e. how many shelve are down below what we can see in the pictures? Does this ever cause cracks and if so what configuration causes it?  Has this ever gone wrong and what caused it?

[Mark C.]

Doc

You can stack slip cast pots to the moon as they are a super strong with even wall thickness .Thrown pots are another story. Well made mugs for example can be stacked lip to lip foot to foot a few feet tall.It all depends on the form.Most folks never experiment with this enough to find the limits.The limits will vary with the form and the thermo shock of whatever firing cycle you are using. I tend to use two or three  layers of shelves in that  10 cubic foot electric and tumble stack the top.Just keep the feet and lips holding the weight. I often toss platters on top of pots with only a few touch points in bisque fires as well.In a bisque if the pots are dry, warpage is rare.

[docweathers]

that is very helpful.. thanks