Hulk

Hi V,
Congratulations on big life event!
My guess, for jewelry, a strong, fine, and dense clay that fires to near zero porosity, hence, mid fire (or high)?
Even 04 is nearly 2000°F, which might be too hot to be in a microwave.
I don't know, never gone much beyond cooking in the microwave, where the moisture in food flashing to steam helps keep temperatures down.
There are several clay components that burn away in the firing process, which become superheated gasses.

Here's a thread where clay/porcelain jewelry is discussed:
Porcelain jewelry?? - Studio Operations and Making Work - Ceramic Arts Daily Community
 

There's discussion on operating the FireRight in this thread (frequent Forum contributor Mark C.)
https://community.ceramicartsdaily.org/topic/25431-help-with-aim-automatic-kiln-switch/
and a link to another FireRight doc (which Bill posted)
http://www.fireright.com/docs/frx/Frx2SystemsBooklet.pdf
 

Good call, in the meanwhile, you can read this for a pretty accurate flavor of how these are intended to work http://www.fireright.com/docs/frx/Frx2InstSheet.pdf - and a general help here http://www.fireright.com/docs/frx/AutoMateIIHelpForNovices.pdf - both are on that page addressed above. The second document expands on the use, such as drying things out ……

That's brilliant! Thank you very much!
Lucia

I use telescoping crossbars similar to the ones you linked to. I bought them from a photo supply website too.
 The hooks on the ends are conduit straps, which I spray painted black, then attached them to the ends of the crossbars with some heavy duty wire.
https://www.amazon.com/Morris-19405-Pipe-Strap-Steel/dp/B00VNJQLT6

Short version here, although I'm working on a detailed How To.
I'm printing on acetate, which is completely resistant to ink absorption.  Dusting 50/50 Mason Stain/ Gerstley Borate or Mason Stain/Frit 3124 through a screen onto the wet ink.
Tapping and blowing off the excess and applying to a semi-moist slab.  Carefully burnishing by hand, occasionally lifting a corner to check progress.  Repeating burnishing as necessary.

I had the same thing happen to my kiln sitter,  but the kiln was much older it was made in the 60's.  I took it to my kiln guy,  he took it apart and cleaned it,  he told me I was lucky that it just needed cleaning.   My kiln sitter was so old he couldn't get some of the parts anymore.   I finally had to throw away the kiln a few years ago,  it was crumbling into nothing.   Denice

After seeing the shortcomings of Cyanotype on clay at high temperatures, I've been casting about for another (non-toxic) way to get continuous tone imagery onto the ceramic surface.  I've been fiddling with dusting inkjet outputs with oxides or Mason Stain onto moister than leather hard slabs.  Attached are some recent results.  The process still requires more contrast in the working images than I want to end up with but it's getting close.  They don't photograph particularly well since they change considerably with the viewing angle. I like the 'relic' nature of them.  Sometimes l leave them out in the wild for some adventurous soul to stumble upon with delight and/or wonder ( I hope). 

Hey, I found this forum and, lucky for me, I figured out why my Cress Kiln sitter LT-3K plunger button wouldn't stay plunged... It was a two-tier problem I believe. First, the plunger button has approx 1mm groove in it. Turns out some clay, mud or some other crap dripped onto that plunger button, filling up that groove just enough for the cam not to latch onto it... Ok, problem #1 is fixed. I used a push pin and cleaned that groove out.
The second problem, that cam I mentioned before, turns out it had some sticky crap that dripped in-between that and the kiln sitter faceplate. Made it stick just enough so that the funky spring just below the unit didn't have enough strength to push the cam up and release the plunger button. Hope that makes sense. So I decided to take apart the whole thing, used bike degreaser to clear out that sticky crap, put it all back together and wala, kiln sitter is working once again.
I almost gave up and bought a brand new L&L kiln.... One day but not today, my Cress  FX-27 P made in 1993 still works!
 

Honestly, I think I simplified the end steps, as I could put in packing for shipping, carrying to the post office. However, Mark, I can get it down a few steps by starting with the throwing making and  removing step 8. It is the reason I asked the question, everyone has a different answer.
My point is in the end, there are chances for an accident to happen to a piece at every time you handle the pot. Then again to I wonder about how many times a shelf full of pots gets knocked off, or some other accident that takes out one or more pieces.
 
best,
Pres

Lets see today I started picking up 5 tons of clay
Power loaded (forklift into truck) Hired a kid to unload truck
Lets see how many times I have to move it to sell it
1-bring it as needed into studio-usally 700-1,000#s at a. time
2-cut and weigh it put it on a  bat to carry it to wheel
3-take to wheel and throw it
4 carry it on ware boards to sun or heat
5 pop it off plaster bats and put on larger ware bats back into shop
6 if it needs trimming nows the time (this step is a zero if its a no trimmer )
7 if its gets handles its now-mugs etc
8 after handles onto larger bats and covered  with plastic to even out on shelves for the night
9 load into bisque fire-at this time I wet sponge or dry stick  cracks or clean whats needed
10 unload bisque fire onto larger ware bats
11-wax either hand or hot dip
12 glaze it and move to kiln area
12 load the glaze and fire it
13 unload the glaze fire and either price for show or packa nd store for sale (wholesale-consignment-or gallery  /shop order
14 pack it to sales event (show) or outlet /gallery order or a wholesale order
15 drop it off-a gallery /shop or sell it at a show (wrap and bag it)
16 does not sell at show box it into van and leave till next time
Pres I do not know how to get it to 12 steps
 
 

That’s a nice, efficient list, @Pres! Probably close to the minimum for most of us. I wondered whether to count trips on the wareboard when the pot isn’t handled but is moved. Doing a lot of glaze detail can stretch out intermittently for days.
I really do enjoy handling my pieces and pots as I’m working with them. After all, we only have them for a short time   and there’s often something to learn. 

Hi folks, 
QotW: After throwing/making: How many times do you handle a pot?
I have tried to cut down on the times I handle a pot, it used to be I would handle it when trimming; then when assembling or adding handles; then go over each piece on a ware bat to assure no rough spots, little nits, or sharp edges; loading the bisque; unloading the kiln; washing; glazing; washing the bottom before loading; unloading the glaze load; sanding the bottoms; taking pictures; and packing for shipping of storage these days. That's 12 times that I have handled the pot! 12 times that if it slipped out of my hands I could have lost it! Too much, so now I try to combine some steps by smoothing edges and such just as I put it on the ware board, but that is still 11! 
 
best,
Pres

Thank you everyone for all the feedback. 

That is pretty close in rates I doubt it will matter. As with everything though, best to test before you commit to a ton of production work.
I make a slip out of a clay body that I dry and then grind down into a powder form so I can mix it with other additives. All of my work uses this slip over another clay body.
I love slipping pots this way, it adds a lot to the final form if done right. I am not sure exactly what you are after, but the best thing to do is try applying you slip to different stages of the green ware in the drying process. Find which one you get the best results with for what you are after, and then repeat that process a few times before committing it it.

This years event will also have a  book  signing on The Humboldt State Potshop-known as the Laundry on Friday the 28th. I'll be there for that . Its at the John Natsoulas Gallery in Davis 7pm-8pm
This is a large multi gallery ceramic  art shows all over town. Much to see and its a two day affair. I have business in Sacramento that day so I'm combining the trip with the Humboldt Alumni book signing. I also wrote a piece in this book  as well.
Never seen the book buts its on 50 years of the Laundry. Which sadly is slated for demo within the next few years.
Humboldt now is Cal poly Humboldt and got  a large grant to build out science stuff (building /parking lots /staff/ etc) and since the Liberal Arts is on the decline in enrollment across the USA those depts are shrinking.  Looks like the ceramic potshop will continue at the school after they tear down the pottery builing for a parking lot. They are planning I found out to move it to an old building on campus -not sure when or if it will take a few years to get it done but there is a plan of sorts. Last tenured Professor retried and its all temporary lecture hires so they are cutting costs in many other fields except science .
Here are some links
https://www.natsoulas.com/ccaca-2023/
 
https://www.facebook.com/CCACA2020/
The event was well attended and the last 3 pottery professors where there to sign the books as well as a few of us HSU alumni.Good to see the old teachers as well for me at least.Only one is left from my time long ago and he looked great still.

"... silica and alumina kind of act the opposite to boron?"
This is a good question!
It's been almost five years since I first started reading about glazes ...I'll circle back with recommendations for reading in a day or three.
Silica is a main glass former, and the main glaze ingredient, but it doesn't melt at typical pottery kiln temperatures, hence "fluxes" are required to lower the melting point.
Boron is both a flux and a glass former. Most of us working in mid fire (cone 5/6) depend on Boron; those working at lower temperatures depend on Boron more!
Alumina is important for glasses/glazes (glaze is, essentially, glass) for toughness/strength and, as you point out, to stiffen the melt.
Here's an article on fluxes
Flux (digitalfire.com)
Edited to add ("a day or three" slipped to two weeks):
I like Susan Petersen's book The Craft and Art of Clay, particularly the glaze section, which includes an entry on each important ingredient (including colorants) and clear discussion of unity.

I have 2 pieces of Mark Cortright's work that I got from him when I met him at a UC Davis art fair. One is a mug that I traded one of my bowls for and the other, a French butter dish that I bought, both of which have fantastic glaze work! Old Lady traded one of her beautiful serving platters for some carving tools I made for her. The bad news here is that nothing is getting served on the piece...the good news is that it is sitting in our display cabinet for many to see!

Bamboo sticks can do the job but you get ice cream with the wooden spoons.   Denice

Favorite needle tool is a small screwdriver that my Dad had ground down to a point.
I like the handle - it's shorter than the typical pointer/needle tool - and larger in diameter. The entire tool is also rather short, which I prefer (except when a long one is needed).
It's also easy to find and doesn't roll far when dropped.
Taking inspiration from some of Hsinchuen Lin's early video clips (afore he began marketing his own line of stainless tools), I've an assortment of trimming and chattering tools made from hack saw blades. I've ground off the teeth, heated and bent the blade, then ground the profile. From there, I touch them up with a file. Some of the tools have been repurposed, as the original profile is long gone via sharpening. I don't mind the few moments it takes to resharpen them*.
My favorite (and only) cut-off wire was just the right length (it had been shortened several times!), then it was too short after the last break.
I'd tried several replacement wires, bah!
Now I'm using the core of a bike derailleur cable, which is holding out great. It's very slim, yet resilient.
Derailleur cables (the type I've been using for some time, by Jagwire) have filaments of metal wound around a core cable; I'm unwinding the outer filaments to reveal the core, boom!
Repurposed! Another use for replaced bike cabling! They're also handy for picture frame hanging wires - be sure to completely remove any grease first tho'.
A frosting spatula is so handy! At first I just used it to lever off batts, however, the small arc at the end is just right for mug lip recurve smoothing.
I'm trimming strips off the (automobile) chamois for lip smoothing.
Less often used, I've: several twist drill bits I use for making holes and dressing the holes' edges; a few small kitchen knives for cutting clay; a razor knife that's especially handy for trimming spouts; a few wooden knives/turning tools; a few wooden spoons for extending the inside hand when the hand won't fit; trimmed brushes for slip, glaze, and other stuff too.
At glazing time, there's a few soup ladles (one is a favorite), turkey baster, ear syringe, inexpensive electronic scale, masking tape**, kitchen whisks (one is fitted with a rod, which chucks up to the drill), blade tools for mixing in that bottom bucket edge ...and more, I'll have to take a look, it's been a long slog with no Studio time since October last!
 
*It's easier to keep them sharp then to re-sharpen when totally blunted.
Side note, dressing off the sharpened edges of frequently used metal ribs also doesn't take long; a square-ish edge can also cut, however, the honed razor thin/sharp by clay edge is so much more dangerous!
**plain half or three quarter inch tape makes a sharp clean straight line.
For curvy, I cut the tape into strips.
The pinstriping tape is nice, however, heh, masking tape is inexpensive, and works just fine, given it is cut with a sharp tool.

@Hulk Thank you very much for the explanation and the link. I realise I have a very long way to go, but I'm grateful that I'm starting to understand things a bit more. So I'll be depending on Boron quite a lot then, given my low temps!

@LaChell
Just in case it is never found - Cress produced a general manual for their ABC kilns here: https://cressmfg.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/BASIC-KILN-MANUAL-FOR-ABC-KILNS-1.pdf

Try bisque firing slower, and don't glaze fire above cone 5. It won't hurt the white clays to go slower, too.

@Min Oh my goodness thank you so much. I am beyond grateful, thank you thank you. And yes, the colours of the program are hideous but seeing everything there side by side helps an enormous amount, whatever colours they are. Thank you.

So having looked some things up, would I be correct in thinking (roughly) that silica and alumina kind of act the opposite to boron? I know I'm hugely oversimplifying here, but yes: boron melts, they stiffen. So looking at those, the 1254 mix is higher in Si and Al than the FR8 mix, but it's also higher in B which might make up for that? Anyway I will try all of these and see what happens, thank you so so much. My last resort was going to be ordering another batch of GB from a different supplier, praying, and then ordering loads if it works (enough to keep me going while I try more alternatives), but fingers crossed something will work here.
Honestly, thank you _/\_

I compared your original Gerstley Borate recipe with nepheline syenite to ones with Solargil FR8 frit and the Ceradel 1254 frit then tried to come up with something as close as possible using what you have available. Roadblock I ran into was getting the silica and alumina as low in the fritted formulas as the original Gerstley Borate recipe.
I found a blend of the two frits, FR8 and C 1254, got the boron (melter) okay but the silica and alumina are a fair bit higher. I could take the kaolin out of the recipe to lower the silica and alumina but then it will be back to sinking like a stone in the bucket so I kept it in. This means it might not melt quite as well but if you are testing glazes it might be worth a try. Other thing to try would be to fire a bit hotter if it appears not quite melted enough.
I also included what the chem looks like if you use just FR8 or C1254 at 90% with kaolin at 10%. I find the format and colours of the glaze calc program I use very jarring, these are not easy to look at. Also, what looks okay on paper doesn't always work in reality so if you try the blended version please just test a small amount first.