Electric Firing To Cone 10

[FrankTrotz]

I work in coloured clays. making sets of dinnerware, platters, bowls, large vases. My inlay the coloured clays, ususally a series of four to six lines, then work with a slab roller making the pieces. My dinnerware is square. My platters and bowls are large,and of various shapes, somesquare, some rectangular, some round. The major issue that I have is the slumping that takes place in glaze firing to cone 10. I have tried going down to cone 6. But I do not get the intensity of colour that I like. I make supports for these pieces,out of the same clay. However, these supports often stick to the fired surface becasue of the movement of pieces as they fire. I am look for a substance that I can use to make supports that will have very pointed tops that will not stick to the underside of the pieces. For this reason, I am starting this forum to discuss issues of slumping, and perhaps other issues of firing to cone 10 in a electric kiln. Hasanyone else run into this problem? I'd love to here some solutions to this.

 

Cheers

Frank

[Chris Campbell]

Since I work in colored porcelain, slumping is always an issue at high temps.

 

I make supporting forms out of a cheaper, sturdier clay body that does not slump at Cone 10.

I bisque the form then apply a thin coat of kiln wash so it won't stick.

I build my pieces in it and fire in it.

 

Though the process seems time consuming, it's better than putting in all the time on the piece and losing it.