WarmGlass.com

Hi Gang O' Glass

This may have been in the archives...I just didn't know how to search for my answer
I have a Fusion 7 kiln the maximum square plate that I can do is a 9in. but the biggest mold I have is 8 (it's a good size. My husband and I own a paint your own pottery studio with 2 larger kilns-Skutt KM1227 /28 in. opening. I have never run them -

My question is would it be okay to slump several plates at a time in it ?
How about fusing in it ? I'm guessing that this would be difficult to regulate the temp. as I have never used them and I may not have time to figure out a firing schedule
I have been asked to do 12 plates for a restuarant and I would like to get them for them as soon as possible for an Asian dinner

Let me know - Thanks for your advice
Me Kim

I regularly fuse then slump up to 3 plates at a time in my kiln, which is 17" wide by 13" high.

Cheers,
Suzan

It's hard to answer your question simply.

Do I understand correctly that you are talking about using your ceramic kiln for both the fuse and slump? And also that you could get 4 8" pieces fired at a time???

I'll assume yes. If so, the answer is yes you can do this, but you have to fire slowly and have the ability to control the times and know what temps you are firing at. Different zones in a ceramic kiln will be different temps. Stacking shelves creates different temp zones within the height zones...I would think you have a real challenge ahead of you, and the learning curve will be steep (But doable). I doubt you'll get your order out in a quick time since you will need to learn the heating and cooling properties of this kiln and be able to contol those rates and holds.

Lots of people have been firing in kilns intended for clay and are doing so rather successfully. I think it will boil down to you learning those kilns and knowing the properties of your glass as well. If you understand both, you've got it covered.

Thanks for gettin back to me soooo quickly
This is the best board for getting answers fast.

I think I just want to slump maybe 3 or 4 at a time.
I have my kiln zones and schedules down perfectly for the firings (and slumping at this point and really don't have the time to learn the Skutt

I was just hoping I could slump a few at a time in the big one
Susan - what kind of schedule do you use ?

Thanks for your help

Kindly
Me Kim

I look at it like this;

Say you make four trays of biscuits.

Put them in your oven for the recommended time oh but wait, the recipe author wrote the cooking time for one tray of biscuits placed on the middle shelf.

So what will happen if you cook them alll at once anyway?

Will them on the middle shelf be properly cooked, top shelf burned and bottom shelf still soft?

"So what happened to the third tray of biscuits?" I hear you ask. Well I put them on the window sill to cool and there was this big bear wearing a hat & tie and a little bear following him...