Algoessailing Posted January 28, 2021 Report Share Posted January 28, 2021 I just finished reading all of the threads about "what kind of kiln to buy", etc. One of the themes that was regularly posted was, to paraphrase, "buy as large a kiln as you can afford/think you will need." I am looking at 22x18 or 22x23, I spend a lot of time on each piece and will likely only fire 1 or 2 times a month, maybe less. I am very new to pottery. My question is for those that have "progressed." What kind of pieces did you start making that required a larger kiln? I don't ever see myself increasing production (number of pieces): pottery is just a creative outlet hobby. I feel as though if I ever want to make a large piece or two I can take it to a local studio to fire for me (transport can be dangerous, I understand). What am I not considering? As always, thank you for your time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sorcery Posted January 28, 2021 Report Share Posted January 28, 2021 What do you make? Boats? Lol! Potter Friend of mine used to build boats, makes wicked work with similar techniques. I think a lot of folks jump to Electric too fast. I think I may have my little gas body dialed in efficient enough to actually be cheaper to fire than my already quite cheap electric @$10 for 16hrs. For flexibility sake...well hell, I have 3 different sized bodies, 18in, 23in and 27in, and fire em all with the same burner. About $300 total cost. $500 with a 100gl tank. I guess this isn't typical, but even up to like $1500 even $2k... you're still getting more flexibility than with one new electric. Don't reduce yourself to Electric! Electrify yourself with Reduction! Sorce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algoessailing Posted January 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2021 Ha ha, no boats are way too much effort. I have no doubt that I will eventually fire reduction in a gas kiln: my true interest in this sport is glazing. The ceramic is just a means to an end. The amount of information, however, is quite overwhelming to a new potter. I like the simplicity of plugging in an electric and pushing a button. At least for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hulk Posted January 28, 2021 Report Share Posted January 28, 2021 I went with 23x27" (7 cubic feet), which is still bigger than I "need," however, it matches up well with shelf and counter space in my studio - for green ware storage and glazing work. I'm not pushing size limits yet. Although a shorter cycle may have/be better for overall learning/progression, I'm liking how much work it takes to make, then glaze a load. Having that much to glaze has certainly helped my glazing skills... That the firing cost per unit volume should be a bit less as the kiln size goes up was definitely a factor, as I tend to parsimony. Ah! Another factor - the seven cubic foot size is most popular! I found a rather old but still serviceable kiln that came with a brand new shelf kit; given I stick with potting long enough, I'd planned to upgrade the kiln some day - where the electrical, venting, and shelf kit will all match up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algoessailing Posted January 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2021 8 minutes ago, Hulk said: Having that much to glaze has certainly helped my glazing skills... How so? 12 minutes ago, Hulk said: Ah! Another factor - the seven cubic foot size is most popular! . Something I have considered. My current furniture is for my 18", and I have already had to convince myself that its not the right size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denice Posted January 28, 2021 Report Share Posted January 28, 2021 If you think you will want to make large bowls and platters you will need the larger kiln, I bought my big Skutt used 35 years ago when I started doing of I portraiture sculpture. My first kiln was a small Paragon, I used it for five years before I bought my big Skutt. My small Paragon finally bit the dust a couple of years ago, I had bought it used 40 years ago. I thought I could get by without it but I couldn't. Small orders or projects would come up and I would have to wait to fire until I had enough work to fill the Skutt. I found a almost new small kiln at a estate sale and it has been a life saver. I bought a test kiln for glaze testing about 20 years ago but you won't need that unless you get into making your own glazes. I started having trouble loading my big Skutt recently , I couldn't load a shelf into the bottom. old age and bad back was the problem. I filled the bottom with old kiln bricks and made a new bottom with a shelf. I can reach the bottom now and I don't have to worry about the bottom being cooler like I did before. You maybe could do something like that if you buy a larger kiln and want to do a smaller firings. Some people may disagree with my solution but my Skutt fires evenly now. I was a grab a couple of hours and weekend potter like you at first, Then I decided to go back to college and finish my ceramics degree when I was 45. Denice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hulk Posted January 28, 2021 Report Share Posted January 28, 2021 Repetition! I started out in the local JC Ceramic lab, Wheel I class, where the cycle starts out at a week or less; by semester's end, two weeks or more. Hence, I was glazing just a few pieces at one time. At home, I'm glazing a seven cubic foot load (or a bit more, as more fits into a bisque load) at a time, where I'm finding a bit of improvement in technique and skill. I'm still very much starting out - am into year four now - perhaps what experienced potters take in stride is somewhat new to me. Even easy stuff, like liner glazing - pour glaze into the pot without splashing about, pouring back out in a fluid and even motion (again, without splashing about), overlapping just right and fast enough to deposit an even coating - it's easy, given enough practice. Timing, movement, technique ...oooh, there's still room for improvement, heh. Starting out, I didn't like glazing, no, no, no. Using clean/sieved glaze, where specific gravity and gellyness (thixotropy) have been adjusted to my taste, a revolution for me, yep, and longer practice sessions - more pieces at one go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted January 28, 2021 Report Share Posted January 28, 2021 al, do you plan to fire only one piece at a time? it sounds a little like that is what you are thinking since you are making very labor intensive pieces. all of the steps in making pottery need practice. firing your good piece with lots of test tiles or shapes for future glaze experiments will allow you to broaden your glaze selections without the usual "i have make this wonderful piece and want to use a glaze i see in a book, wonder if it will work?" and i want it by tomorrow is the next thought. all of us have been there, done that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bam2015 Posted January 28, 2021 Report Share Posted January 28, 2021 Like you I am a hobby potter. I bought a small L & L Hot Kiln about 4 yrs ago, it's just 2.6 cubic feet, it's the short model, easier to load. So that you can imagine what that means in terms of size, I can fire five mugs per shelf at a time. I think for many people on this forum, my kiln would not be adequate. That's all that I need most of the times, although a few times I could have used something just slightly bigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algoessailing Posted January 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2021 59 minutes ago, oldlady said: al, do you plan to fire only one piece at a time? it sounds a little like that is what you are thinking since you are making very labor intensive pieces. all of the steps in making pottery need practice. firing your good piece with lots of test tiles or shapes for future glaze experiments will allow you to broaden your glaze selections without the usual "i have make this wonderful piece and want to use a glaze i see in a book, wonder if it will work?" and i want it by tomorrow is the next thought. all of us have been there, done that. It's interesting to me me how many of my Google searches the last few months resulted in one or another post from you. You are almost a celebrity in my mind, lol. No, I dont intend to fire one piece at a time, unless it is very large, and that is kind of the point of my questioning. My thinking is I can get two 10" pots into the kiln, or one 16" pot. How many of those large items am I really going to make? And is it worth firing a large kiln all the time just so I can make two 16" pots simultanously one time in my life? But I dont know, so I ask those with experience to share their knowledge. Because, as you said, "been there done that." BTW Pinterest has so many beautiful glazes, I have to make them all lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algoessailing Posted January 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2021 27 minutes ago, Bam2015 said: That's all that I need most of the times, although a few times I could have used something just slightly bigger. Thats really how I feel. And I think if I continue to run into a problem then I'll just upgrade to a larger kiln at that time. what did you make that you wanted/needed a larger kiln? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algoessailing Posted January 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2021 1 hour ago, Hulk said: Repetition! Yes, understood. Thank you. That is so far the frustrating part for me. I spend all this time making a vessel, and hours carving to perfection, bisque, glaze, and BANG: Sorry, your glaze was too thick on the rim and ran down the inside. Lol. I need to embrace the concept of making multiple pieces to achieve one piece. I know you all are laughing at me right now, it's ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hulk Posted January 28, 2021 Report Share Posted January 28, 2021 Laughing? ...heh, if so, with you. Tossing raw clay pieces to reclaim, am getting better at that - boom, y'gone. Ooops, ruined; oh well. ...getting better at reducing those instances. The Frankenstein effect - another monster, sigh. Learning the hard way, discovery, hard knock school, alladat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted January 28, 2021 Report Share Posted January 28, 2021 18" kilns are too narrow for most people, and 27" tall kilns are difficult to load for many people- anyone under 5'8". So a shorter 23" kiln is a good choice. If you only fire once or twice a month you probably don't need a bigger kiln than 23 wide by 18 or 22 tall. Unless you plan to make very tall pieces, the 18 tall is probably big enough. You can fit a 16.5" tall piece in there, which is really big if you're making wheel thrown pots. I sell a lot of 18" tall kilns to hobbyists. The smaller size will also mean that you'll fill it faster, which means firing more often, which is good if you like to experiment a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algoessailing Posted January 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2021 21 minutes ago, neilestrick said: 18" kilns are too narrow for most people, and 27" tall kilns are difficult to load for many people- anyone under 5'8". So a shorter 23" kiln is a good choice. If you only fire once or twice a month you probably don't need a bigger kiln than 23 wide by 18 or 22 tall. Unless you plan to make very tall pieces, the 18 tall is probably big enough. You can fit a 16.5" tall piece in there, which is really big if you're making wheel thrown pots. I sell a lot of 18" tall kilns to hobbyists. The smaller size will also mean that you'll fill it faster, which means firing more often, which is good if you like to experiment a lot. All things I was thinking. I just wasn't sure if someone might say, "wait till you make X" and I'd think, "oh, right, I need a big kiln for X" Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bam2015 Posted January 29, 2021 Report Share Posted January 29, 2021 8 hours ago, Algoessailing said: Thats really how I feel. And I think if I continue to run into a problem then I'll just upgrade to a larger kiln at that time. what did you make that you wanted/needed a larger kiln? It wasn't the size of the pieces, it was number of items that I wanted to fire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted January 29, 2021 Report Share Posted January 29, 2021 There is the possibility that you'll become more productive if you have a bigger kiln, so it's not necessarily bad to go slightly larger now, and grow into it over time. So the 22" tall kiln might be the right choice. You'd probably be happy with either one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted January 29, 2021 Report Share Posted January 29, 2021 al, thank you for the kind words. another thing to consider is what you are going to do with the pieces once you make them. if there is ever a possibility that you might want to sell them, add that to your thinking. there are lots of pots sitting on their maker's shelves years after being made because they are loved by the potter. we all have them. do you want yours to be out in the wide world as well? btw, pinterest is a total mystery to me. i have arrived there on occasion but am told to register or go away almost immediately. not my specialty but i do see fabulous stuff for an instant or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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