Firing Electronic Kiln

[Lmcabinets]

I'm new to ceramics, we're making tile backsplashes. I have a cress electronic kiln and was wondering if I can program it with a long ramp up and place tile to bisque fire in the kiln before the clay is completely dry.

Then let the clay dry during the ramp up.

 

Thank you

[bciskepottery]

Air drying is "free"; drying in the kiln with a long ramp up cost $$$ for electricity.

 

Can it be done . . . yes.  Do you want to, depends.  Are you stacking the tiles on top of each other or a single layer on each kiln shelf?  If you stack, the ones on the inside and on bottom of the stack may take longer to dry out during your preheat as the top tiles will hinder the evaporation of moisture.  Stacked, you are looking at a long preheat (and more $$$).  Don't know how firm your tiles would be when you load  the kiln, but the more you handle tiles while they are still damp/moist/not bone dry, the more prone they are to warping. 

 

Personally, I'd let them air dry . . . then load and fire.

[Chris Campbell]

This is another "it depends ..." Questions.

Some clay bodies are so easy and forgiving that you can do almost anything to them with no ill effects. Others are so quirky that you have to watch every single step. The rest fall In between.

You are new to this so might not know how your clay behaves under stress. Is it worth the sort term time savings to up your odds of cracked or broken tiles as well as unevenly fired tiles.

[Lmcabinets]

Thank you

I was going to do a loose stack, I'll probably let them air dry

[Bob Coyle]

 

Thank you

I was going to do a loose stack, I'll probably let them air dry

 

There is more too it than that... Watch out for warping. Do some internet research on making ceramic tiles.