tinafenske Posted May 22, 2016 Report Share Posted May 22, 2016 Alright, I'll get straight to the point. I have a wheel, and would love to start creating. However, the kiln i bought will not be available/functioning for 2 weeks-2 months (need to upgrade my electrical box). How long can my greenware sit before it NEEDS to be fired? Is it OK for pieces to dry for that long? I can't imaging why not, but I would hate to put in a bunch of hours/make something I really like, only to have to scrap it. Side note: this will be my first time firing my own pieces, so I'm sure I'll have lots of questions in the future! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxden Posted May 22, 2016 Report Share Posted May 22, 2016 The clay and its ingredients are millions of years old. A few more months drying it will not have any effect other than it being really dry which is a good thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancylee Posted May 22, 2016 Report Share Posted May 22, 2016 Yes, what Foxden said, and I'll add that the danger is in firing pieces that are too wet. I just had a piece I thought was dry enough explode in the kiln on me. Ugh. When in doubt about the dryness of pieces, do a long preheat - I usually do 12 hours, but yesterday I skimped and did 7 hours and I paid the price, Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Bridge Pottery Posted May 22, 2016 Report Share Posted May 22, 2016 The only problem I have found with them sitting around in my studio for a long time is the clumsy potter bumping into the delicate pots and breaking them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Fireborn Posted May 22, 2016 Report Share Posted May 22, 2016 The only problem I have found with them sitting around in my studio for a long time is the clumsy potter bumping into the delicate pots and breaking them. This this and this. I have chipped so many rims of pots on accident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerdry Posted May 22, 2016 Report Share Posted May 22, 2016 Wow, Nancylee, it's hard to imagine a 7 hr preheat not being enough to dry a pot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Fireborn Posted May 22, 2016 Report Share Posted May 22, 2016 If you want to dry green ware quickly. After it has dried naturally for like a day or so, put it on a wire rack with a box fan blowing on it, and turn it every 2 hours. It will dry out much cheaper this way as you don't have to use your elements do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiselleNo5 Posted May 22, 2016 Report Share Posted May 22, 2016 I've put pieces in my oven at 200F on a cookie sheet. But I usually only do that with stamps or with something that's already dry but I want to make sure of it before firing. I do NOT do this to anything with attachments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Girts Posted May 23, 2016 Report Share Posted May 23, 2016 How long before firing? Twelve years ago, I went to a pottery for a half hour 'experience' session. You had to pay extra for firing, and I didn't think my pots were worth it. They were not tall, slim, thin, elegant, almost transparent. So I just put them away and left them. I re-discovered them a few months ago when I got my kiln, blew the dust off them and thought exactly the same as you did. Is that too long? But I decided to take a chance - at least they'd be thoroughly dry - and bisqued them. No problem. So I glazed them. And they're great! And, as a bonus, I now see I was so wrong with my initial opinion about their quality. Girts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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