New High School Classroom studio set up?

[Elmoclayman]

I will be moving into a new classroom for my High School Ceramics class and  will be getting mostly all new furniture and storage. (I know LUCKY me!)  First time I have gotten new anything in over 20 years of teaching!  They are going to buy all new furniture for me and I was able to pick out the big items like table, stools, cabinets etc...  I will need to replace my Kiln Furniture storage, (Kiln Posts, Shelves, Kiln Wash), do you have a cabinet/ shelving you purchased that you like?  Or did you adapt something to fit your need? Or did you just build exactly what you wanted?  All things I am considering as I get ready for the big move in about 6 months.

Thanks!

Brian Beaman

[Pres]

@Elmoclayman, Lucky you!  During my teaching career I had to do the room redo twice. Most times without a full equipment redo, but more furniture and other storage. In the first set up, we had locker storage under workbench tables with Maple tops. These lasted through the next move to another room.  Most other storage was built in wooden cabinets that were more for a multipurpose art studio. Then I went to a large small basement room that had lunch tables for about 4 years. Next door was a storage room used for junk that was twice the size of the small room.  Careful politicking with principals and superintendents got me that room also along with a budget for storage and tables. Ended up with a mix of larger cabinets and smaller lockers under the tables and large shelving against the back wall from a popular discount store that had an outlet in town. Drying cabinets were purchased along with wet cabinet. I built some wooden storage with dowels for kiln furniture, and did other improvements. A few things that I salvaged from the dissolution of the Shop classes included a band saw, drill press, and a belt/disc sander. We also purchased stools without backs that had a comfortable seat, and stools for potters wheels that had a small angled seat with a back support that gave good adjustable seating on the wheel. We had six when I retired.

 

best,

Pres

[Rae Reich]

Congratulations!

[Kelly in AK]

Wonderful!!!

 I’m thinking over how things have evolved in my classroom and anything I wish I knew sooner.

Ware boards, places to wedge clay, and efficient processes to recycle clay top my list. Rolling carts (so much easier to move 50 pieces by rolling them right where you need to). A pug mill is worth its weight in gold when you’ve got 100 kids producing scraps all day. Vacuum pugger/mixer is the dream. Just got one last year after 15 years teaching clay and it’s “all that.” 

[Rae Reich]

@Elmoclayman, if you were asking specifically about storage of kiln furniture in your classroom situation, I think @Mark C. has posted pictures of his production studio set-up, refined over the years, that is what I’d like, ideally. 

[Elmoclayman]

8 hours ago, Rae Reich said:

@Elmoclayman, if you were asking specifically about storage of kiln furniture in your classroom situation, I think @Mark C. has posted pictures of his production studio set-up, refined over the years, that is what I’d like, ideally. 

I couldn't find the post of @MarkC. pictures.  Could you Sharte it?

[Elmoclayman]

I have a Soldner Mixer and  Peter Pugger and will be getting new kilns.  But the storage shelves I have are OLD desks and boards held up by larger blocks of wood that are rotting.  So I am looking for ways to store my Kiln Posts and shelves.  Also , dry storage for Kiln wash and raw materials, ( EPK, Silica, Feldspar, Bentonite, Ball Clay).

[Pres]

Lots of sturdy metal shelving with ware boards. Bags or bins full of materials works well.

Actually, I had students bring in boxes to size I thought they would need, along with plastic garbage bag and a margarine container for slip/magic water. Many student would bring in a plastic bin from home with a lid. These naturally worked as good storage for work in progress.

 

best,

Pres

[Rae Reich]

4 hours ago, Elmoclayman said:

couldn't find the post of @MarkC. pictures.  Could you Share it?

Sorry, I’ve been looking all over and can only see his avatar picture of his kiln posts   I hope he sees this mention and can show you. 

[oldlady]

buying permanent shelving can be expensive if you shop for pottery equipment.   if you can get used baking racks, the kind you see in supermarket baking areas, you can save a great deal of money.   spend the savings on thick drywall shelves to fit those rolling racks.  mine have lasted for over 25 years and yes, i am the only one using them but they are still perfect.  at 18 by 26 inches, they hold a lot of work and the racks vary in height and spacing between suports.   restaurant supply stores are great, the  heavy plastic quart size soup holders make great glaze containers.  use sharpies for labelling them and hair spray to remove any excess  labels as you get into using them.

a variety of wheels are inexpensive at harbor freight and make simple plywood into rolling supports for boxes of clay and other heavy items.  cut the plywood to fit under tables or other stationary storage and buy wheels that let you get the most storage out of the way.  size the plywood boards so you can lift them if necessary.  four wheels on the corners and one in the center work well with heavy stuff.

  window or cabinet handles make it easy to pull them out when needed.