Glaze firing plates

[Gonepotty]

Is there a more efficient way of glazing plates rather than 2 plates per shelf ? (Firing stoneware to approx 1240degress celcius, underneath of plate also glazed- except the foot) 

My kiln is quite large but can only fit 2 large dinner plates on a shelf and I only have 4 kiln shelves and 2 half shelves . 

Any tips would be greatly appreciated

[Min]

Plate Setters, but they are quite expensive. They add a lot of weight so it's best not to put a stack on a kiln shelf unless there are kiln posts lining up under each of the 3 legs of the setters.

 

[Gonepotty]

59 minutes ago, Min said:

Plate Setters, but they are quite expensive. They add a lot of weight so it's best not to put a stack on a kiln shelf unless there are kiln posts lining up under each of the 3 legs of the setters.

 

Thanks Min, I'm assuming the base of the plates need to be unglazed to allow resting on the posts of these plate setters? 

[kswan]

Yeah, that's for porcelain or stoneware with an unglazed foot. There's another style of plate setter where it's just three corners that have a pin the plate sits on. After glaze firing, you'd break off the tiny bit of glaze stuck there and then polish it smooth. Those are for lower fired work.  The brand Amaco makes some of those.

I use smaller, thinner shelves (12" diameter) in 2 stacks of two high so that I get a total of six dinner plates on the whole level. I can fit a bunch of mugs and other things like that around the outside of it. 

[Min]

2 hours ago, Gonepotty said:

I'm assuming the base of the plates need to be unglazed to allow resting on the posts of these plate setters? 

Plates or platters etc sit on the flat surface of the setters, posts stack on top of each other. There is a recipe for making a clay to make your own setters so you can make them a specific size for what fits your kiln and pots best, let me know if you want the recipe and I'll dig it out.

[Pres]

7 hours ago, Gonepotty said:

Is there a more efficient way of glazing plates rather than 2 plates per shelf ? (Firing stoneware to approx 1240degress celcius, underneath of plate also glazed- except the foot) 

My kiln is quite large but can only fit 2 large dinner plates on a shelf and I only have 4 kiln shelves and 2 half shelves . 

Any tips would be greatly appreciated

I do patens for communion sets, and have had some of the same problems. However my new kiln is 29" in diameter, and I can fit 3 of my plates to a layer. Occasionally I use a broken shelf to raise the 3 plate a little so that the rim even though overlapping the another plate has plenty of room to not stick together in the firing. I am presently lookin to buy two more 1/2 shelves to be able to fire more patens at a time. I would like to get 17-18 to a firing with the patens to the top. Another trick to try is to add a 1" stilt onto your regular height for one 1/2 shelf, and then you would be able to add an overlap as I described before. Get creative!

 

best,

Pres

[Gonepotty]

53 minutes ago, Pres said:

I do patens for communion sets, and have had some of the same problems. However my new kiln is 29" in diameter, and I can fit 3 of my plates to a layer. Occasionally I use a broken shelf to raise the 3 plate a little so that the rim even though overlapping the another plate has plenty of room to not stick together in the firing. I am presently lookin to buy two more 1/2 shelves to be able to fire more patens at a time. I would like to get 17-18 to a firing with the patens to the top. Another trick to try is to add a 1" stilt onto your regular height for one 1/2 shelf, and then you would be able to add an overlap as I described before. Get creative!

 

best,

Pres

Thanks so much for your help:) I actually have a broken kiln shelf so will definitely use this!

[Gonepotty]

2 hours ago, Min said:

Plates or platters etc sit on the flat surface of the setters, posts stack on top of each other. There is a recipe for making a clay to make your own setters so you can make them a specific size for what fits your kiln and pots best, let me know if you want the recipe and I'll dig it out.

This would be really great Min- thanks!

[Min]

^10 setter recipe is in the July / Aug 2017 Pottery Making Illustrated, here is a link for it. It is behind a paywall but you can look at 3 articles a month for free. Really detailed instructions on making them (maybe print off the article so you don't have to use up another of the 3 free articles a month to refer back to).

Given that talc is the only flux I would hi fire these before using them. Instead of having legs like the commercial ones these are slabs that you use kiln posts with.

[Gonepotty]

4 hours ago, Min said:

^10 setter recipe is in the July / Aug 2017 Pottery Making Illustrated, here is a link for it. It is behind a paywall but you can look at 3 articles a month for free. Really detailed instructions on making them (maybe print off the article so you don't have to use up another of the 3 free articles a month to refer back to).

Given that talc is the only flux I would hi fire these before using them. Instead of having legs like the commercial ones these are slabs that you use kiln posts with.

Thanks so much