Help with disaster fire

[dianes]

Hi, we lived abroad for 7 years and I am just now returning to glasswork. My equipment and supplies were in a storage facility without heat or a/c. I fired my first pieces and they all migrated to the middle of the kiln shelf and fused together. I used the Basic 6 schedule from this site BASIC 6-Segment Firing Schedules.
http://system96.com/Resources/FiringGuideFahrenheit.pdf with System 96 glass. I suspect the temp was too high but fear there might be other contributing factors.

I used Thinfire shelf paper that no longer looks white from being in storage so long. It looks beige. Does shelf paper deteriorate?

I used to fire my kilns in my kitchen but have room in the garage in our new house. It was colder (low of 40 F0 and rainy when I fired. Does the garage need to be heated?

Thanks in advance for your kind assistance.

Diane

[The Hobbyist]

The old version of thinfire would shrink and curl up. Which may be the cause of your problem since your pieces are small.

Jim "The Hobbyist"

[Vonon]

Is there a chance your shelf was stored in such a way that may have allowed it to warp slightly?

[jim simmons]

Also, you might want to weigh down the edges/corners with some kind of kiln furniture.
This will keep it from curling so much.
The other Jim

[dianes]

Thanks JIM. I will check my self. The kiln furniture is a great idea!

[dianes]

Dang spellcheck. Shelf!

[Ed Cantarella]

Dang spellcheck. Shelf!

At least it wasn't elf.

BOT - what a drag. All the suggestions above.