Mark C.
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Posts posted by Mark C.
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Are these kilns made only for The Plus teachers?? Maybe thats a new cert level?
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Heres the car kiln load from Mondays post on glaze day. Today it came out and was all distributed to 6 outlets and my booth (on Friday ). I reloaded the kiln today with a loose bisque and am firing late tonight for a quick turnaround -Have 210 mugs and 50 tumblers in load as well as bowls and candle holders sponge holders and 1/2 glasses . It will be two kilns worth as I have a lot of glazed pots laying around. Last two fire of the year on Saturday .Trying to stay ahead of demand but its been tough thios year due to sales over the top.7 more days 7 more days just 7 more days
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They are what I call door skins-the light weight interior doors .You can find used ones for free or a 1$ They hold a lot. When I have more than one kiln I need the space and since my dry space is also doing some doble duty right now and it was not raining I took advantage and spread out today 47 cubic feet of glaze ware takes a lot of space. I can usually easy do the 35 cubic. I l;ike all the ware out of studio next to kilns before loading. Going in and out is to much .I carry the wares on those 18 inch bats and use a stoll next to kiln to load from. Less walking .Whats funny is today all the space is jambed tonight its all empty. the cycle is weekly right now. until next week when its just deklivery and taking care of my own booth selling . Break down is xmas eve. Put it all away on xmas day(the special xmas booth only made fro xmas sales) unless it raining. I have killed xmas for my wife about 25 years ago.I do not have much xmas sprint left in me.
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This is what almost every Monday looks like on Glaze day-its whats on the workbench which is every flat surface I can find in kiln loading area. These are all the pots we glazed today(my assistant and I ) and I loaded the small 12 cubic kiln and the large 35 cubic car kiln(I forgot to take that photo but I have posted it more times than I can recall.This may be my last workbench shot this year not the last fire but the workbench is always looking like this every week since Sept when sales took off. As in above post my back hurts as do my feet and arms. These long days are killer on the body. I lit the kilns for a slow rise and will finish firing on Tuesday -unload them both on Thursday. I start throwing agin in am and this week is the last cycle this year for me. 98% of this glaze ware fit in the two kilns and I got it done by 6 pm. Out of a bath now feeling sore like i do every Monday night.Pottery is a contact profession and at my level it can wack you.I loaded over 50 advancer shelves in the se two kilns this afternoon. We cheated a bit and waxed a the load and I glazed a hour yesterday to get a jump on todays madness.My booth is closed for Monday and Tuesday so I could work without distractions of going and coming twice a day to booth.
I'll get the burners up later tonight to go thru quartz slow and get up at 5 am and kick both kilns up hard and go back to sleep a few hours.Fires will be over in afternoon at a soft 1/2 cone 11. Slow two day cool. All pots are porcelain .I;m out of a few items right now and need some of these for orders NOW.
The beat goes on. Its days like this I wonder when folks ask about being a potter and how much do you have to work every day.I strongly feel if you ask that question you are not cut out for it. Time for some more Queens Gambit on Netflix.-Mea I'm putting my feet up tonight.
- LeeU, Mark_H, Callie Beller Diesel and 1 other
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I put up some extra tables to handle all the bisques ware and one glaze kiln unloading today.It's finally raining (more than 1/4 inch) and dry space is at a premium-studion will be full of wares as well.Today bedsides dropping pots of at market this am and seting up my sales booth will be unloading and waxing all tghe bisqueware. (also one small 12 cubic glaze fire to unload and box up. No firing today so its a day off.Its a warm storm so its now 50 degrees out.Much better to wirk in than the low 40s
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I will condider shorting the 1000 foot pier I was dreaming of to say 500 feet
As to the ceramic tec i'll give up the kiln controlers on an electric (I do not have one) But am willing to finish without one
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The marketing of midrange was cone 5 at first-I'll go look at some 80s and 70s catalogs I have but I recall cone 5 was the magic number. Of course I never cared as I was all in at cone 10. still am all in at cone 10 reduction. I love it and feel its my groove. I have made it work well in glazes and a following.
Now back in the day energy was cheap as well. We made kilns of hard brick back then before the shortages and spikes in costs.
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As to the workbench I'm overloaded with demand currently. I open my booth on the 11th -build it on the 10th same day I unload two glaze fires. Every outlet is selling like crazy -one gallery sent a email today as they sold all the tumblers today to one customer (48 of them) . I called them back and said more on the 12th. My organic markets are outselling last year by a bunch. This years xmas season is nuts and since it my 40th something season thats saying something. To top it all off covid is on the rise now even here behind the redwood curtain.
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Mondern Tec for ceramics
beside faster easier could also mean things like catalitic converters and thermo proof ceramics
Need more time to think about that statement. -its xmas production time-will revisit later
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Back in the day pots where made all by handbuilding/coiling etc or a kick wheel driven with a foot or a stick or a treadle (later invention) or by someone else
handles where rolled or pulled or slabbed
Indoor plumbing came along as well
Since those days and much of this has been in my lifetime its all changed.(not the indoor plumbing)
Power wheels extruders slab rollers pug mill and clay mixer and combo machines-they even come all with electric power now
Pres story on extruder dies sums up how far this has come-I cut my pulled clay handle in 1/2 traced it on the aluminum die and cut it with my jewelers saw from collage jewelry class.
I most likey would still do that way as I like the craftsmen ways still. sure I have power wheels and electric slab rollers but filing it smooth and completing it feels good still to me.
I embrace the parts that save time and my body as a professional potter.Even with all that stuff I'm still been beat up by clay. I'm missing 3 bones in one wrist from overuse after a fall injury long ago I do not recall. Soon to have a bone removed from my other thumb (later in January) no cartilage between bones from overuse.. (centering I think )as that hurts the most
I will add that clay has also kept me in shape. Moved 1/2 ton today into studio. Keeping moving at my age is a good thing.
The part of clay that has not changes much is how much we have to move it. At least 12 times for me before its sold or dropped off. That adds up over the decades .Especailly when it 10 tons a year. I would love this to be different but even If I had a better studio set up it still would be 10 moves at least .
If I made less stuff -non production potter I would not think about this.I learned long ago not to make my own clay as it was killing my body when I did.Now its more a slow death by clay.
Griffen grips power mixers and wheel all add up to time and body savings. I'll all in for that. I sponge up all labor saving I ever see from other potters no matter how small from glaze tongs to hot waxing-it all adds up to less time.I do not claen my throwing wheel much anymore whats the point it gets used to much to bother time wise. I keep my trimming wheel clean as its easy.
Leanring from others was and is a high priority for me. Technology for me is all about Time/labor saving .
I still like paper and lists so some old school left in me.
- Pres, Hulk and blackthorn
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22 hours ago, Bill Kielb said:
It’s crazy expensive now but it definitely works. How much? Never measured it really, I have used it strictly to extend the life of soft bricks / soda fire but liked it so much just started using it on reg gas firing soft brick for the energy benefit. Looks good on the IR camera but never really formally measured . Sorry to hear your guy is gone.
His wife died If I recall and his heart was not in the business anymore. That was years ago.
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3 hours ago, Bill Kielb said:
I have measured after refractory coating with the flir (gas kilns) but only anecdotally it is so hard to correlate one firing to another objectively.. Always wanted to paint the inside of a lid and bottom of a regular electric kiln which would have provided a good platform to get real data. Had the ITC 100 left over too. Just too chicken at the time or worried it would eventually flake off the kiln lid.
Bill
I sprayed a Skutt 1027 -inside walls and lid-it was a sitter no timer kiln I just bisqued in it . At that Time I had just bought a 1227 and never fired that 1027 but a few times after that. I sold it last spring to a person who is doing low temp. Bisque on pots to be used for a wood fire -perfect use for a kiln that manuel and that low temp. The lid and walls where pristine after all those decades .
I also sprayed my car kiln soft bricks -I'll look to see if I did the inside arch. The walls where sprayed and then put a layer of fiber inside the wall over the brick and sprayed that. Back in the Day Fritz (ITC invented and long ago owner who sold out) used to give me a great deal on his products. That layer on the bricks is still holding well as some of the fiber in bag wall came off after 20 years and the bricks are still holding the materials well (thin coats are key)
My car kiln wall is 4.5 inch hard brick (I like that look) and 4.5 inches soft brick-mostly k26 and some k28s and in some areas 1 inch high temp fiber over the soft bricks.. Maybe 750 -1000 fires
in 3.5 decades -average 25-30 cone 10 glaze fires -not counting the exact same number of bisque fires (I never count bisque fires in totals)
I also sparked at least 60 shelves with it top and bottoms and sides-Those where English dry pressed 1 inch thick 12x 24s. Never had any ITC come off. I also sprayed at least 20 -20 advancers top and bottom maybe more. I used to use that stuff everywhere as it reflects radiant heat very well. Its main use in in industry to select heat in huge kins and such. I also have my own special coatings now that holds well. I use a zircon mixture in firebox area on any material(fiber -soft and hard brick) and it never comes off. That mixture is milled zircon added to a small amount of liquid colloidal silica. I have another mixture that resits salt as well but it proprietary to me at this time (not sure what my future plan are with that)
I have been thru more gallons than I care to recall. The new owners priced it out of site now. I still have some. I coated a salt kiln in Molokai a few years ago with some of my old stash of it.
Now I only wash the tops sides of advancers . The its after about 300 cone 11 fires tends to bead up like salt pebble up on advancers-then I grind it smooth. Never comes off
I loved the rejectivity of this material-that was mostly in the 90s and early 2000s for me. The love affair is over now after Fritz sold the company.
I still use the ink pens and hat he sent me long ago. ITC is good stuff
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The big innovations since I started in clay are good electric wheels (ones that have power and variable speed control)-this was a. GAME CHANGER in the early 70s
Electric wheels in the 60s where horiable comepared to whats out there now.They where mostly AC with bad speed control.
The switch to Dc motors was a major improvement-I credit Robert Breent for this at that time. Soon they all followed.
Computerized kilns -both in gas and electric. Now its more of control and time saving-Zone control really is sweet for those who need it.-(not me)
You can argue griffen grips as they sped me up about 30% -50% in trimming-another game changer for us production potters
Kiln shelves which is really a major deal with the this strong non warping shelves-like advancers -huge game changer for me as I have piles of all the earlier shelves from mulite to sicone carbide to dry poressed English ones. They all where thick -heavy-and warped over time at cone 11. now its lite and flat and take up 1/3 the space-maybe the most game changer in terms of more wares in the kiln.
Now many of these really are not needed in hobby market but all are beneficial to us all.
The last mention iare vacuum combo mixer /puggers. Really another game changer fro production potters-time and ease of working with clay that you make to fit your needs.
I will think of more later after this expresso sinks in -back to the shop now as its xmas crazy production now
full speed ahead dam the torpedoes
On those older wheels that where not very good-The names I recall as I thre on them all when learning where-
Skutt-had a string out the side witgh a piece of wood for the foot pedal-poor speed control but buildt in spolash pan as oart of unit
Amaco -looks like a Buck Roger space wheel-super gear box but speed control was poor.
Oscar Paul--white enamel metal reminded me of a bicycle-poor speed control
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There are no reviews on ceramic equipment
there are options and I personally like L&L kilns
hopefully Neil will chine in and talk about this model for you.
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After 45 years now throwing pots I think I'll order a 3 d printer and run it from the couch. No more getting hands wet and muddy.
I will also match it with one of the new Geil or Bailey auto fire car kilns. I'm just waiting for the auto glaze machine and then I can operate it all from my phone from a tropical Island while diving. Maybe an autonomous vehilce to deliver the wares. Just a few months away from the big investment of Ai stuff.
finally after 10,000 yaers of Manual ceramics I'll be free of actually touching the clay. No more dry cracked fingers -worn out bones, worn out cloths and shoes. No more aching back, no more dust . Just a few swipes on an I phone 18 small enough phone to fit thru an airline door.
No more pesky watching the kiln. Soon I will have to call the fire department to come and flip me when I weigh 400#s on the couch and have run thru all of netflix content.
I can for once be free of that clay desease that invected me in 1969.Finally a cure
Somehow I'm wondering if this is all linked to corona virus cure???
- Pres, karenkstudio and Bill Kielb
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On 11/13/2020 at 7:55 AM, Pres said:
@Bill Kielb, you may not realize that I fire without any controllers or setters. My L&L was ordered without them in the 80's. I have fired almost entirely with heat color and cone packs. However, am considering a controller to make life easier as I get older.
best,
Pres
Seat of your pants firing Pres-its what many of us old timers do. I fire all bisque without cones in gas kilns.Color is key.
One needs to know what the real process is and not take for granted all the time modern convinces .
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Since all my shows where cancelled it was an easy decision but the one sale I put on for the weeks before xmas I was on the fence about . It is the most low key sale I do and is usually only one or two customers at a time. I was waiting to see where our county is before green lighting it. My usual sale gal did not want to do it so I would nbeed some new younger sales staff. I still have a young person that does weekends (there will be two of those) . Last week I decieded since our county is in tier 4 the most open you can get I am going ahead with sale. I will put a large table in front of sales area with plexiglass hanging in front to keep folks away as we wrap and sell pots. . (space below glass to put purchase and use cfredit card reader.)
In terms of actual shows I'm not yet ready to jump in.Beside the health risks I have no financial reason to as all my local sales are doing great without shows. When Covid is no longer a factor for everyone I'll get back to a few shows.
I have a friend who is doing two shows in AZ one in Nov. and one in Dec/ I did thoss shows for 25 years myself twice a year.
One show he said you sign a paper stating you took your temp before the show that day and if its over 100 you will not open your booth. (this is super sketchy really)The other show is requiring vendors to come to the setup table and get your temp taken and get signed off everyday -the beter way to do that. Either way I feel its best for evderyone not to have the shows.
The public well they can be and will be spreaders.
Tempe show got canceled today (11/13/20) just heard that
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Denice Hopefully you are finding a top notch hand surgeon. I consulted with one for 1 hour last week near SF for second opinion and she is now my 1st choice on bone removal this winter.I want to rehab this winter.
My number one surgeon moved from SF to take over orthopedics in hand surgury teaching at Yale and I would have her do it but flying for me is out now for some time.Find good people it worth it.Check to see how long they have been doing it. The best only operate from the elbow to the finger tips-nothing else .Kansas must have a good one
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Today a little production for Saturdays bisque fire
Mugs (1 1/4 #ers) and some meduim bowls as well as cereal bowls
all porcelain -mugs got finished today as did the cereal bowls ,all trimmed, larger bowls will be trimmed in am tomorrow .
The sun is loosing its heat and will not be able to dry pots outside by Halloween -then its cook them and me until xmas inside.
- Chilly, Min, Callie Beller Diesel and 2 others
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offer them less say 400$ and negotiate as you need some room to fix it up cost wise.
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Help with using a Duncan Automatic Teacher-Plus Kiln
in Equipment Use and Repair
Posted
A plus moment sound more like a hallmark greeting card. I guess now with automation controls all that is behind us.