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Bisque Loading Guidelines
Loading Greenware to Bisque for the electric kiln.
- 1. Do not load kiln unless you have been properly trained.
2. Make sure kiln is cool before raising lid.
3. Visually check kiln interior chamber before loading ware.
Vacuum excess debris from kiln element grooves and bottom of kiln if needed while breaker is off.
Make sure elements are not hanging out of grooves.
4. Bottom shelf should be on ½”-1” posts, do not load work on bottom of kiln.
5. Work should be fully dry before loading. They should not feel “cold” but room temperature.
6. Lift work from the base, not rim/top or handles. Pieces can be placed inside each other, there is no glaze on them. When layered they should not be accumulatively over 1” thick. Wares can also touch if they are similar in color. (Don’t stack white clay and red/brown clay trays into each other.)
7. The largest flat trays should be in the middle of the kiln or near the top.
8. Be careful with the thermocouple when loading in shelves and work. Pretend there is a 2” bubble around it at all times to keep it protected and taking an accurate temperature when firing. No ware, posts, or shelves in that “bubble” clearance.
9. Shelf thickness does not matter.
10. Half shelves need 3 posts for support and full shelves for smaller kiln/s still need 3 (See Diagram Below.) Posts must stay in vertical alignment with the posts above, one on top of each other for maximum support and stability.
11. Leave a min. of ½” headspace gap between stacked shelves and top of ware.
12. Finish loading the kiln and try to leave a 2” headspace from the top of the wares to the bottom of the lid. You can use a yardstick across the top of the kiln as an easy guide.
13. Close and latch kiln lid. Remove second to top peephole.
READY TO BISQUE!
https://www.3rdcoastclay.com/kiln-guidelines/
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