neilestrick

With a commercial glaze it's complicated because you don't know the formula of the gaze. So you can either fire it hotter, or add a little frit  to it. 1-2% frit 3134 may be enough to get it to bleed, but you'd have to estimate the amount of glaze material if you're working with a premixed wet glaze and do a lot of testing. By adding frit you'd be voiding any food safety labeling, so you'd need to test it for durability and safety. That little bit of frit shouldn't make much of a difference, though. To make it less fluid you could add equal parts EPK and silica.
Zinc free is always a good choice when working with colors.

No worries.  The kiln is out in a shed.  I'll try to show results when I have them which won't be soon.  Lin

You want to get up to red heat for the carbon trapping to work well. Too hot and it'll just burn out, though. For horsehair firing we always went up to about 1300F, which should work for this, too.

You want to get up to red heat for the carbon trapping to work well. Too hot and it'll just burn out, though. For horsehair firing we always went up to about 1300F, which should work for this, too.

You want to get up to red heat for the carbon trapping to work well. Too hot and it'll just burn out, though. For horsehair firing we always went up to about 1300F, which should work for this, too.

You want to get up to red heat for the carbon trapping to work well. Too hot and it'll just burn out, though. For horsehair firing we always went up to about 1300F, which should work for this, too.

I also think that your customers don’t need the gory details of your pricing formula. Its not that I think we need to lie about things or not be transparent when necessary. It’s that presenting any additional charges, whether it’s adding shipping to checkout or sales tax or credit card fees, is drawing unnecessary attention to something no one really likes. It generates a feeling of misrepresentation when you keep adding things to the price tag, and that can be really frustrating (or worse) for some. I don’t want my customers frustrated, I want them happy so they come back. I don’t want to generate more opportunities for myself to have to smooth ruffled feathers.

I agree. Make it easy for your customers to give you money.
I had a neighbor at a show who refused to take credit cards. She only did 4-5 shows a year so she didn't want to mess with it, and said many times that the 3% fee was highway robbery. All weekend long I saw people asking if she took cards and and then walk away when she said no. She could have sold another $500 of her work for $20 in fees.

I agree. Make it easy for your customers to give you money.
I had a neighbor at a show who refused to take credit cards. She only did 4-5 shows a year so she didn't want to mess with it, and said many times that the 3% fee was highway robbery. All weekend long I saw people asking if she took cards and and then walk away when she said no. She could have sold another $500 of her work for $20 in fees.

I have shows that are 80% CC sales, and other shows that are 80% cash sales. It just depends on the area and clientele. I find that a good percentage of people at art fairs understand that using a CC costs us 3%, and they try to use cash as much as possible. But by early afternoon most people are out of cash and if they really want something they're going to use a card, although they tend to apologize. At least 75% of the money that goes through my business is via credit cards, and always has been.

It's 2022, and no business should be complaining about credit card fees at this point, or adding to the price IMO. Fees have been steady at roughly 3% for years and years, so I don't know why they're suddenly having a fit about it. It's a given at this point that the vast majority of one's customers are going to pay by credit card, so you set your prices with that in mind. If someone pays cash, great, you make any extra 3% on that sale. Nearly every kiln I sell to anyone other than a school is paid for by credit cards, which means up to $200 in credit card fees with each kiln. Any discounts I give take that into consideration. I sold a large kiln last year that had over $500 in credit card fees, so that greatly affected the discounts I could give. It's a cost of doing business in the modern world, no different than the cost of shipping, packing materials, overhead, etc.
The better option to encourage cash sales is to raise your prices to cover the credit card fees and then offer a 3% discount for cash. People respond better to rewards than punishments.

Foundation is poured, now waiting for it to cure.

My insurance (Hartford) covers my shop/studio, product liability, art fair liability, and my kiln repair work, for $235 a month. A lot of that cost is the kiln repair work, because it's considered high liability since I'm working with things that use a lot of power and get really hot, and could in theory do a lot of damage if I do something wrong. My insurance broker said a lot of insurance companies won't even cover me because of the kiln repair work. They just don't want to take on the liability, even though there's never been a claim on my policy in the 18 years I've been in business (knock on wood).

It's 2022, and no business should be complaining about credit card fees at this point, or adding to the price IMO. Fees have been steady at roughly 3% for years and years, so I don't know why they're suddenly having a fit about it. It's a given at this point that the vast majority of one's customers are going to pay by credit card, so you set your prices with that in mind. If someone pays cash, great, you make any extra 3% on that sale. Nearly every kiln I sell to anyone other than a school is paid for by credit cards, which means up to $200 in credit card fees with each kiln. Any discounts I give take that into consideration. I sold a large kiln last year that had over $500 in credit card fees, so that greatly affected the discounts I could give. It's a cost of doing business in the modern world, no different than the cost of shipping, packing materials, overhead, etc.
The better option to encourage cash sales is to raise your prices to cover the credit card fees and then offer a 3% discount for cash. People respond better to rewards than punishments.

It's 2022, and no business should be complaining about credit card fees at this point, or adding to the price IMO. Fees have been steady at roughly 3% for years and years, so I don't know why they're suddenly having a fit about it. It's a given at this point that the vast majority of one's customers are going to pay by credit card, so you set your prices with that in mind. If someone pays cash, great, you make any extra 3% on that sale. Nearly every kiln I sell to anyone other than a school is paid for by credit cards, which means up to $200 in credit card fees with each kiln. Any discounts I give take that into consideration. I sold a large kiln last year that had over $500 in credit card fees, so that greatly affected the discounts I could give. It's a cost of doing business in the modern world, no different than the cost of shipping, packing materials, overhead, etc.
The better option to encourage cash sales is to raise your prices to cover the credit card fees and then offer a 3% discount for cash. People respond better to rewards than punishments.

Lots of possibilities here. Start with seeing if all the elements glow when you put them on high for a bit. If a section isn't working, then you'll have to figure out where the power flow is stopping in the system, either in a wiring connection or a switch.
If the bricks are in good condition, then it's generally worth repairing. Chances are it's just one part that is the problem.
If it's in an environment where it could get rained on or be subject to dewy mornings, I would definitely not upgrade it to a digital controller unless you do a wall mounted controller and bring it inside when not in use, however that doesn't help any of the issues with the current system because it would all still be in use as well.

Yes, Skutt used to be Thomas Stuart. The Prodigy is their budget model, lacking in several features like the large splash pan and reversing. However, if you always throw in reverse, you can just switch the leads on the motor. But I don't think it's worth buying a Skutt without getting the big splash pan. Skutt 1/3hp models can handle what most 1hp wheels can handle. They have a ton of torque, and their motors are much larger in physical size than most wheels. I've got 10 of the 1/3hp models, and I've never bogged them down, even centering 25 pounds and working on 50 pound planters. They have better speed control than Brent wheels IMO, and 6 different controller adjustments to dial in how you want the wheel to feel.

I do not do as many shows as many of you, but my average is 1/2 cash 1/2 CC.  Pretty much everywhere I do shows.  I think the urban areas may be higher in CC sales.  I agree with Neil.  CC fees are simply a cost of doing business.  
r.

I have shows that are 80% CC sales, and other shows that are 80% cash sales. It just depends on the area and clientele. I find that a good percentage of people at art fairs understand that using a CC costs us 3%, and they try to use cash as much as possible. But by early afternoon most people are out of cash and if they really want something they're going to use a card, although they tend to apologize. At least 75% of the money that goes through my business is via credit cards, and always has been.

It's 2022, and no business should be complaining about credit card fees at this point, or adding to the price IMO. Fees have been steady at roughly 3% for years and years, so I don't know why they're suddenly having a fit about it. It's a given at this point that the vast majority of one's customers are going to pay by credit card, so you set your prices with that in mind. If someone pays cash, great, you make any extra 3% on that sale. Nearly every kiln I sell to anyone other than a school is paid for by credit cards, which means up to $200 in credit card fees with each kiln. Any discounts I give take that into consideration. I sold a large kiln last year that had over $500 in credit card fees, so that greatly affected the discounts I could give. It's a cost of doing business in the modern world, no different than the cost of shipping, packing materials, overhead, etc.
The better option to encourage cash sales is to raise your prices to cover the credit card fees and then offer a 3% discount for cash. People respond better to rewards than punishments.

Yes, Skutt used to be Thomas Stuart. The Prodigy is their budget model, lacking in several features like the large splash pan and reversing. However, if you always throw in reverse, you can just switch the leads on the motor. But I don't think it's worth buying a Skutt without getting the big splash pan. Skutt 1/3hp models can handle what most 1hp wheels can handle. They have a ton of torque, and their motors are much larger in physical size than most wheels. I've got 10 of the 1/3hp models, and I've never bogged them down, even centering 25 pounds and working on 50 pound planters. They have better speed control than Brent wheels IMO, and 6 different controller adjustments to dial in how you want the wheel to feel.

Soldner wheels have small motors but lots of power. Something to do with the pedal design. They are very smooth, very nice to throw on. By far the smoothest wheels I've ever used. Pricey, though.
I'm a big fan of Skutt wheels. Lots of power in even the 1/3hp wheels, and the big splash pan keeps the studio much, much cleaner than wheels with small pans.

As a consumer, I am insulted when I am charged an additional fee for using my credit card. Credit cards are not a novelty, so sellers should expect that the majority of their customers will be paying with cc.  I feel that the establishment should build this into their expenses. I know what to expect in terms of sales taxes, but I don't want to arrive at the cash register with my credit card out and then be told that I need to pay more, which to me feels like a penalty for using my credit card.
My two cents, which I'll be paying by credit card please.  
Betty
P.S. it use to be that credit card companies prohibited the seller from penalizing the customer and could take away charing privileges, is this no longer true? 

I can't see that being any problem.  If you throw on batts you are not on the wheel head.  If you throw on the wheel head there is not enough damage to matter.  I have been throwing on a wheel head in much worse shape than that and have had no problem.  Lin

Al U Minium  and  Al K Li  have been in a feud since the beginning. 
The issue here is corrosion of the metal from the wet clay body and the slips that develop during throwing sessions;, not just depositing lime from water.  
The alkali mostly comes from porcelain type clay bodies, but not necessarily always; depends on clay body recipes.  Cast iron wheels does not have that problem (iron wheels will just become iron rusts).  There are a few aluminum alloys that will not corrode in certain alkali environments, but the cost is very high.   
hard water will crust on the surface as lime and lime carbonate, but is not by its self a significant corrosion problem. 
LT