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Loading Glazeware Guidelines
Loading glazeware mid fire glaze cone 6 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. Glazed work should have dried for 24 hours before being placed in kiln.
6. Kiln wash should be applied sparingly, if needed, to bare kiln shelf spots. Kiln wash shelves face upward or will flake onto ware below.
6. The largest flat trays should be in the middle of the kiln or near the top.
7. 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.
8. Stilted work should be supported with less than 4” in any direction or ware can slump/warp, especially at mid-fire range.
9. Shelf thickness matters when it comes to mid-fire/ Cone 5. The thickest shelves need to be used so they do not warp.
10. Try to double check for glaze on the bottom of wares that will be directly loaded onto shelves. Sponge clean if needed. If concerned that a glaze will run, try placing a broken kiln shelf piece beneath.
11. A finger width of space needs to be around each piece, and from the wall and posts.
12. Half shelves need 3 posts for support and full shelves for smaller kiln/s still need 3 (See Diagram on Bisque Loading Sheet) Posts must stay in vertical alignment with the posts above, one on top of each other for maximum support and stability.
13. Leave a min. of ½” headspace gap between stacked shelves and top of ware.
14. 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 GLAZE FIRE!
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