tomhumf Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 I'm making a few sets of drinks coasters, and trying to find a way to fire efficiently - obviously laying them on the shelves with a massive space above them is silly. I've seen some tile/plate setter accessories from amaco which look ideal. My local supplier doesn't stock them though, and they also cost money! So I was wondering if I could just make some out of clay. I can't see any problems in the production, just wondering what would happen after a few firings. I guess proper ones are made from a resistant ceramic which doesn't go brittle or weak or something? Just done some more reading, I guess I would have to add something refractory to my clay - I'm firing to cone 6. In fact, forget it, I've found a different supplier, I'm just going to buy some Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 I posted a picture of home made plate setters from a pottery in Muel , Spain a while back. Should be available. They were basically 2" wide cylinders about the outside size of a paper towel tube, clay rods slid into holes cut into the sides. Found it. http://community.ceramicartsdaily.org/topic/2518-home-made-plate-setterstile-setters/?hl=%2Bplate+%2Bsetters Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 Firing a clay body that vitrifies on anything but a flat surface is likely to warp. Using a setter that supports on points would have to have many points, and even then I wouldn't trust it. The problem with making your own shelf type setters is that they will either warp or crack, possibly within several firings. There are some things industry can do better than homemade, and plate setters is one of those things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 why not use sand on your shelves so the coasters can move, and one inch posts to save air space above? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomhumf Posted October 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 Firing a clay body that vitrifies on anything but a flat surface is likely to warp. I did consider warping, but for such small items - they are about 3 inch diameter do you think it would be a problem? I'd plan to use 3 or 4 of the tile setter posts to support them. Like these kind For larger plates I can see the plate setters would be better suited. Edit : I've just thought these are probably intended for tiles that are already vitrified, and are being fired for glaze decorations...? I posted a picture of home made plate setters from a pottery in Muel , Spain a while back. Thanks Marcia, think I've been put off making my own though due to worries about durability. why not use sand on your shelves so the coasters can move, and one inch posts to save air space above? Hmm I had though of this, would cost me quite a bit in shelves and posts though, not sure what you mean by using sand? Do you mean so they don't warp or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Min Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 Sometimes you just gotta go with what will fit on the shelf and can't do anything about wasted space. Since the coasters are only 3" I would just glaze them and place them on the shelves, having an element between shelves. Silica sand (or grog) acts like ball bearings under the tile (coaster) so it can move on the shelf as it shrinks, for something as small as coasters I wouldn't bother with it if your shelves are in half decent shape. Plate setters, or cranks, are great things but way overkill in this situation. The tile setter you linked to is for glaze firing to a low temp after the tiles are vitrified and are not at risk of slumping or for raku where the temp doesn't come close to vitrifying the clay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 i fire this kind of thing very often, usually fitting them into spaces that are available around other, bigger things. when i needed a lot of them recently, i fired shelves of just these and some smaller things. i do have 10 full size shelves and usually use only 1 1/2 in posts. to avoid the thermocouples that stick into the kiln at different levels, i am careful to leave an inch below and an inch above these so that is where i put taller things. all of my shelves have silica sand on them so very large pieces can slide when they shrink. the only problem is putting the shelves into the kiln takes some skill to not drop sand onto the shelves already in place. keeping the sand to the inside by about 3 inches helps. lowering them past the thermocouples is a test of control. i cover the control box with a denim fabric while loading so nothing drops into the wiring controls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomhumf Posted October 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2014 Ok thanks for all your replies I guess I will just invest in a couple more shelves and some small posts next time I go shopping. I wasn't aware of using sand in this way, something to bear in mind for the future, I'm not making any big things at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusty Posted October 8, 2014 Report Share Posted October 8, 2014 not sure if this helps you out but might be worth a look. https://www.kentuckymudworks.com/items/tilestandholds5-2408.htm https://www.kentuckymudworks.com/items/stackingtileholder-2409.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted October 8, 2014 Report Share Posted October 8, 2014 not sure if this helps you out but might be worth a look. https://www.kentuckymudworks.com/items/tilestandholds5-2408.htm https://www.kentuckymudworks.com/items/stackingtileholder-2409.htm Good for low fire, but I would expect warping with cone 5/6. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firegirltoo Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 I once tried to make my own bead supports out of a cone 10 clay so that I could fire my beads in a shared kiln without the massive bricks I usually use. The did not work and ruined most of my work due to slumping during their first use. Kiln shelves, supports and tile setters are a special refractory material that does not warp. Maybe someone knows whether fireclay fired to cone 12 would work, but then, who can fire that hot in most kilns?! Deb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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