Heavy Kiln Shelves

[oldlady]

so glad it will work!  my problem with that small space for lifting is that when i empty the kiln, i need the gloves that came with my kiln.  i think they are kevlar?  anyway, they make my fingers so fat that only the tips can reach under the shelf and lift it to the edge of the kiln.  rest a second or so, grab the shelf properly and pivot it into the stack of shelves.  yes, lee, i really would like advancers or some other brand of the same thing.   at 82 i am not sure i will be working for many years to come and their cost would not be an investment, just a price.

kswan, glad to know you cut the shelves you have easily.   one of these days when the 6 months of ignored housework is done, i will find the grinder and whatever disc cuts shelves.  power tools are wonderfully fast and i have only drilled into the palm of my hand once, years ago and cannot even find the scar now.

[Pres]

@oldlady all of the years I loaded shelves at the HS and at home I never used gloves. Had lots of little cuts from sharp glaze edges and such, but no major damage. However, now that I have the new kiln with the shelf kit which included gloves, I wear them all the time. They are great when loading and unloading the shelves. Most of the time I have the kiln cool enough I can easily hand touch everything, but on occasion have also used the gloves on warmer pots.  My wife says I handle everything hotter than she could ever do, that goes for spicy food too!

 

best,

Pres

[Callie Beller Diesel]

+ for waiting for the kiln to cool a bit more, to the point where a pair of leather garden gloves will do. Those welding gloves are too bulky.

[oldlady]

callie, they are woven, not leather.

[Callie Beller Diesel]

@oldlady, I know the kind you mean. The big bulky yellowish ones. I’m saying use leather garden gloves instead, and just wait for the kiln to cool a bit more so that those gloves are the right tool for the job.

[Juxtaposie Jen]

On 11/24/2022 at 9:40 PM, Pres said:

 

Another answer would be to make two hand tools shaped like and "L" bracket with a handle on one end to lower the shelf with thus saving your fingers.

 

best,

Pres

Tell me more please! I can’t quite picture what you’re describing- and yet - I’m pretty sure it’s what I need.   I’m fortunate to have a super fabricator husband who can build me just about anything I can reasonably explain.  

[Pres]

Consider a flat piece of metal, about 3" wide, maybe 8 " long. Bend the metal perpendicular to the length 1" from the end at 90 degrees. then on the other end, which will be the handle end cut an oval hole to create a handle. Wrap the handle with tape, cloth or foam to protect your fingers from the edges.  Another alternative would be to take two hand dirt rakes, and cut the tines about 1" long from the bend, as the gripping edge, then modify the wooden handle to be able to lift the shelf comfortably.  Hope this makes sense to you or you Hubby!

 

best,

Pres

[Juxtaposie Jen]

Picturing the rakes is helping!   thanks so much!!