how do I fire this thing so it has glaze on all sides?

[Kakes]

I was wondering how I could fire something so it has either glaze or slip on all sides without picking up bits of kiln shelf.

Here's what I'm trying to do. I am making circular discs 5-7" diameter, pretty thin, like1/8", with a 2-3" long hole in it (for a wire). They'll eventually be standing upright on wire posts. I want to be able to have either glaze and/or colored slip on both sides. I'm using slip because I thought it might not stick to the kiln shelf. I tried to fire it on a nichrome wire post, with a little stand that I made,  but they're too heavy and the wire bent over. That's why I'm using slip, so I can fire them laying flat. My problem is that even though they don't stick to the shelf, there are still little scars and bits of kiln wash sticking to them. I haven't tried kiln stilts because I wondered if there would be any little pricks, which happens with glazed surfaces. Would there be any pin pricks if I used slip? I really need their surface to be as flawless as possible. I've fired flat slabs on coils which works, but never with slip on the bottom.

I've heard something about alumina hydrate but have no clue how I would use it.

How do people fire things that need to have glaze (or slip) on all sides??

Any suggestions and advice greatly appreciated!

[PeterH]

1 hour ago, Kakes said:

 

 

[Babs]

What cone?

Low fired can use stilts which leave little rough patches,and can be ground off.

Or can be strung on nichrome wire.

[neilestrick]

What cone? What clay body? What type of slip? What type of kiln?

[Kakes]

1 hour ago, neilestrick said:

What cone? What clay body? What type of slip? What type of kiln?

I fire to cone 5, 5.5 or 6, usually 5.5. I use Standard 420, a sculpture clay, 710 which is 266 w/grog, or 240. these are all stoneware. I don't know the name of the slip recipe, I buy it readymade at a local studio. It contains: grolleg, redart, minspar 200, silica, bentonite, pyrophyllite, red iron oxide, black iron oxide, manganese dioxide, and cobalt oxide. I have a Skutt 1222, a year old.

[Benzine]

You could still potentially use stilts, with the metal tips.  Those points will leave a small mark, in the glaze, but it can be mostly smooth out.

I have never used those stilts, at mid-fire temps, only low fire, in my classroom.  I have seen some say, that you can't use those types of stilts at anything beyond low fire.  And I've seen others say, that they have used them above that.  

[Babs]

You can get small shaep pointed spurs...triangular thing, ceramic toppeds. I used them for a runny glaze  tears ago  . Come in different sizes. Would be ok for most slips but dont know on glazed , only small points of contact.

[neilestrick]

The commercial stilts with metal tips will bend at cone 5/6, unless your pieces are very light. With a wide flat this disc they will also increase your chances of warping.

It sounds like the slip may be fluxing out a bit if it's sticking to the kiln wash. I'd make a slip out of one of your white bodies like the 240 and test that. It could also be that you have bad kiln wash. Commercial kiln washes are not nearly as refractory as they can be. Do a search here on the forum and you'll find info about washes that are high in alumina that shouldn't stick to your clay.

[Kakes]

5 hours ago, neilestrick said:

It sounds like the slip may be fluxing out a bit if it's sticking to the kiln wash. I'd make a slip out of one of your white bodies like the 240 and test that. It could also be that you have bad kiln wash. Commercial kiln washes are not nearly as refractory as they can be. Do a search here on the forum and you'll find info about washes that are high in alumina that shouldn't stick to your clay.

Thanks, Neil. Should I follow the slip recipe with the 240 or try another one? I'm looking for a basic black slip. Sorry, I've never made a colored slip before.