Dianesart Posted January 31, 2021 Report Share Posted January 31, 2021 Reaching out for some advice. I have made some large slip cast fish that will be mounted on steel posts in a garden installation. They fish are hollow and have a 1" round hole in the bottom of them to insert the stand/pole. I have glazed the first two and used picks to support but the weight and heat of cone 6 melted them onto the fish. So..... I went fishing for an idea and made a stand with the same clay with a post that touches the top of fish and wedges against the entry hole to hold fish in air so it can be glazed in the round. I have bisqued it and it seem strong but will it just collapse at cone 6? Should I cone 6 it before I put the bisqued glazed fish on it to fire? The fish really shrink so will check I can get the support out after. Other option is maybe to find a round pillar of cone furniture and adjust the hole so I can use that with some additional stabilization of base. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted January 31, 2021 Report Share Posted January 31, 2021 Since the stand is made out of the same clay I think you have a very good chance of it working. There's a possibility the stand or fish will warp in the firing, but with stoneware there's an equal chance they won't. It all kind of depend on the clay body and thickness of the work. I would put some alumina wax on the stand to keep the fish from fusing to it, but other than that I thinkit's definitely worth a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted January 31, 2021 Report Share Posted January 31, 2021 neil, you do mean the stand should be fired first, right? to cone 6 so it will work with shrinkage taken into account? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Min Posted January 31, 2021 Report Share Posted January 31, 2021 Just in case the fish leans over during the firing I'ld put a ring of tall kiln posts around it so if it tips the damage will hopefully be to the posts not the bricks / elements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dianesart Posted January 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2021 Great tips, will get some alumina wax and I made a new stand shorter so could put a pick support on tip of tail which would distribute the weight. I think I could use the post when only bisqued for the first time and then will reuse for other glaze firing after initial one. I have a friend who is amazing at firing my work and I sure dont want to damage her elements, hard to get parts for kilns during covid. Thanks for you help , cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 1, 2021 Report Share Posted February 1, 2021 Yes, go ahead and bisque fire the stand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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