Mark C.

Not much ,old, new and brand new batches all doing it. Swapped clay bodies ,changed firing cycles. Stll not got it naild down-all kilns as well.. Its been over a year now and I'm at wits end.My materials are all old as well so not new stuff-big mystery I have had a few other professional potters call me with same deal so its a bit widespread

I vacuum electric when I work on it or it needs it but in last two years I have only fired it once so no need. Glaze get seived whenever I make them thru a 80 mesh talisman. I just mixed 5 gallon buckets last Thursday and seived them into my 30 gallon bucket I'm in the middle of a huge rutile pitting and ugly period so lots of testing going on now for me. In my 50 years never had so many rutile issues this past year.

Sand surface then use Ospho rust neutralizer (hardware store)-apply and wait 24 hours. tape off that fiber rope seal and bricks and spay hi temp/heat auto aluminum/silver spray paint to metal (up to 1,000 degrees) that should work for some time.

This is a beter product but cannot ship in Freeze seasons https://www.axner.com/liquid-latex-.aspx

I have a source in Cental Canada and they will ship it before the Freeze season starts which is soon.I was down yo 6 gallons and just bought 5 gallons more which should do me for sure for life. PM if you want any Crystal CerA Wax Resist info which for me is the best wax ever but has been off market for many years now.Forbes is the next best-also needs to be shipped in the non freeze season. This oplace has a limited supply and sells in the equivalent sizes (metric) to quarts ,1/2 gallons and gallons -a gallon is $79 shipping is by zip code -Ground UPS I'm sure supply will run out soon so hurry if you need some. Seattle pottery sells it for like $250 a gallon now I'm told I'm around until Oct 4th them I'm off this continent for 4.5 weeks but will still check in

I use several types of rubbing stones -I have the 100 grit diamond pads like Min posted above from Tool city .com or Temu.com which has them for low cost also like the pucks from clay Planet https://shop.clay-planet.com/the-puck-hand-grinding-stone.aspx These are easy to hold as well although not as feather light as the diamaond pads which I take to shows I also use the 3 block white stones from tile shops (youbreak them off ) as there are three in a long shape. I do to much production to take pots to a spinning wheel so I never did that. We rub the bottoms as we pull them out of kiln

Rub the bottom of pieces as we unload them with rubbing stones. Feel them and look at them for flaws. The more we handle them the more we can find. Put like forms on tables. I grind any that need it during this unloading time. Brass wire wheel and flat forms that are made with 1/2 and 1/2 to smooth. fill orders from the pots on table and put the rest in like forms boxes for later orders If a show is involved I price and pack the boxes full and put in van

You need the fines from the throwing buckets as much as you can get and the vinagar is also helpful.Adding dryer clay takes some time for all theloarticles to wet whuch means more mixing time.If you are addin g dry trimmings for example that takes longer and produced shorter clay. I as a professional only pug wet clay and toss all dry clay as I do not have time for it to grow legs to throw. If its still short let ot age in bags and rotate the stock.

yes-many around here are using #6 tile in glazes one to one In a clay body it would also be the same

Tile #6 works just as well or Kentucky stone can work as well

Ok my reduced gas line to new kiln was unable to fire the new kiln and it shut off at 2100. I fired the other two kilns. Today I fired that Geil kiln off in 8.5 hours to cone 10. Paul Geil expalned the pipe size issue and my 1 inch flex is on the way from Supplyhouse.com. I will see those pots on friday as that kiln is super insulated and is a two day cool like all my kilns now.

Well I spent 5 weeks this summer getting ready ,pouring a 2.5 yards concrete pad ,moving kilns around and bringing a new used 18 cubic foot Geil into the mix -got it all vented and organized did the 1st bisgue in the Geil a few days ago and today I have all three kilns glaze firing a 12 cubic and 18 cubic and a 35 cubic car kiln. I'm a bit worried the gas system may be streched to thin volume wise (all two inch supply) and we shall see later today.I have not had a new gas kiln here for about 4 decades. I have a few unresolved issues with the Geil like new 14x 28 advancers that I yet do not have. I'm firing 3 typrs of sheles in that geil thaty came with it. The hollow core type -4 brand new and they will warp soon at cone 11,4 old style silicone carbide which will warp soon as well . (I fired this style alot in the 70s -80s but not since then have I used them and the cheap Chinese recystilized sic shelves which will warp soon as well.I need to order about 14 of the advancers which will cost as much as the kiln did (6K). I keep reminding myself I'm slowing down. all this will equal 664 cubic feet of glaze wares-I hope the Geil helps with my rutile pitting issue I have been fighting with all year. On the pitting issue many I know are struggling with the same rutile issues as well currently . I have used rutile for 50 years an seen alot of woes with it but nothing like now. all three kilns have oxy probes and I can tell easy about reduction atmospheres in each. I have my only art fair this year coming up this weekend (its my 49th annula show there) and am almost done packing up a huge wholesale order (20 banana boxes which will fill our Forester Subaru). I'm working hard to get out of the country for 4 weeks of diving in Indonesia soon-I know tough life

I have been a full timer makin g full time income on pottery money for most of my 50 years. I have had some other interests also which brought in income but its minor (diving jobs ,underwater photo sales ,writing .My wife and I have had separate finances with a joint account to run the home/food. Clay can be a great gig but you have to be motivated more than most .

For me its a peter Pugger all the way-the 20 VPM is best for classroom size wise I own a SS VPM20 and an aluminum VPM30 If you are using low fire clay get the Stainless model as it will pit the aluminum model

1-Make it bigger a lot bigger 2 -add lots of LED 4 foot fixtures and a central vac system 3 -wire in tons of outlets not all at floor level-heck I have a few on low celling inb glazs are for my mixer drills-outlets for electrics or at least one for me since I'm a gas guy 4-some key windows next to wheel throwing area 5 -gas kiln area attached to studio can be open ona few sides away from prevailing winds

True high firebricks are stamped with a name and the demensions are 2.5x 4.5x 9 inch or they have splits and soaps and 3 kinds of arch bricks (books like Olsens kiln building show all the sizes). Then there are chimney firebricks which are lesser temperature and not stamped and are a bit irregular for house chimmney building. They can take heat just not cone 10.Lumber stores often carry them.. These red ones are new to me-and I'm guessing they are chimney brick.

ever heard of a red brick that was high fire??? Kiln bricks are more tan or light not red can you show a photo of red brick?

no photos

On that note I just got a new to me Geil Kiln and shelve size is 14x28-baily has 5 in stock (I need more) They come from Germany and none are on order-so If say I bought 10 the wait is 2.5-3 months . Just another fly in the ointment. since I live about as far away as both suppliers are the ship cost is a big deal. Kilnsshelve.com is working up a quote as well on advancers-they foam smaller boxes and shipping is way less as it's UPS -Bailey is truck rate and 5 shelves shipped Truck is $485 to me. -So the lesson is not what they cost but also what the shipping and packing cost to see what the bottom line is.

The cost posted would help a buyer decide?

Here is start-if its not in any of the videos call amaco Brent and ask-We would need to see the photos of controller and what brent wheel it a ,B ,c D egg well you get it. There are som many years and types more info. You sure the outlet is good and is live and is 110V? tester would be a start as well.The fuze is a special ampreage did you replace with same?

I rarely try new bodies and stick to ones i have used for many decades. I have tried a new to me porcelain in past few months to see if my rutile pitting was body related. I liked the Ardvark Nara Porcelain but at twice the cost it was not worth it. The pitting was not cured

They still are in business -ask them with a phone call. My Peter Pugger is all O,ring seals. The pumps can easily be replaces and I'm guess so is the sealsn that are bad.

I like the Bailey Nitrate bonded shelves -they are as good as the advancers -I have tested them now with a over 80 cone 11 fires and they are in every way the same if not better as the corners are nicely rounded. I always buy the best shelves that never warp. In my 50 years at this I have a stacks of what was best at the time-thick mullit shelves-silicone carbide -the 70s and 80s) -then 1 inch heavy english dry pressed (mid 80s) and then advancers and Baileys Nitrate bonded (early to mid 90s to present). Once you buy these you never buy another shelve and they save so much space and are so light.

weight always-digital scale for speed