Beginner questions

This forum is for questions from newcomers to kiln-forming.

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RosanneH
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2019 12:30 pm

Beginner questions

Post by RosanneH »

I have a few questions
1. I have Spectrum papyrus kiln shelf paper. I only seem to be able to get 4 firings on it, is there any way to make it last longer?
2. I bought primo primer (not realizing it is a single-use shelf primer, is there a better kiln shelf primer?
3. How would you gurus do this project that I have pictured? What I did was wrong but would like to know how to do this successfully...I used 2 mm clear, and 3 mm colored points layered and coming from the center where there is as many as 4 layers on top of the clear. I have done this project twice in a go and create your piece studio and they do all the firing etc and it has been successful. I think mine failed as I opened the kiln (yes bad and I now know no peeking!!) I was told by a glass artist acquaintance that it wouldn't have worked anyway because of the heavy center and thin edge...but my pieces from years ago turned out ...how would you do this project and have it be successful?
Thanks
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Ed Cantarella
Posts: 155
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2018 3:49 pm
Location: Highland, Michigan, USA

Re: Beginner questions

Post by Ed Cantarella »

Regarding the Primer - this discussion has been made before. Bullseye says their primer(not PRimo) should be washed off and re-applied after every use. Hotlines/Primo says NOTHING regarding when to remove. If we assume PRimo is good for at least one use, then they both are single use. At very least.
We use and prefer PRimo - we like the purple color until fired. We go anywhere from one use to dozens of uses between recoats or total rewashes. Hotter processes break down the kiln wash more than gentler processes like slumping.
HER last words were, "I'm melting, melting . . . " Dissenting opinions generally welcome for comic relief or personal edification. Sometimes both.
linn keller
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2003 12:22 pm
Location: south tx

Re: Beginner questions

Post by linn keller »

hi!
what about the project pictured do you want to do? tack fuse it all...full fuse flatness...fuse it just enough for the sharp points to "go away".... or ?
1) if tack fuse, take it to process temp, hold for whatever is tack fusing in your kiln, then anneal, anneal, anneal: 4 layers, straight edges touching, lllooooonnnnggggggg anneal. (read some of cynthia morgan's "morganica" postings to tell you how to figure it out successfully for your specific piece.)
2) full/flatness: it will be somewhat distorted from the way it went in, with volume issues (less than ¼" in most of piece)... full fuse schedule for your kiln, start checking after 5 min. at process, til it's the look u want, then head down into anneal...with center so much thicker don't forget longer anneal (but nowhere near the length of previous)
3) points-be-gone: start checking around 1350 (?) (your kiln, again) looking for softening, rounding, etc. when it's what you want, head down toward anneal, etc. again, long long anneal.
your single level points extending beyond clear circle will be, imo, weakest link.
quick peaks above 1000 won't hurt and often insure that piece achieves what you want, not just what you scheduled the kiln to do, because then you can make adjustments with the firing.
read about volume control.
can not strongly enough encourage read about annealing for success.
if you're using both kiln wash and papyrus then the kw is just insurance for the piece. i love primo for firing shelves because it is so much easier to remove (imo) than bullseye. i redo shelves every time. my container does say single use. my molds get bullseye kw because it survives so well and holds up for multiple firings (because i'm not going to fusing temps with it). you just have to decide what works for u.
linn
linn in deep deep south texas
RosanneH
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2019 12:30 pm

Re: Beginner questions

Post by RosanneH »

Thanks so much for the info and help. I was trying to achieve a contour fuse and was successful on my second batch firing....I altered my firing schedule...slowed everything down (except my drop to anneal) and they turned out great, I was able to re-fire the previous batch and gained integrity back in the points. I am using a pottery kin and find that each shelf level fires a little different, I actually love this versatility as I can basically fire everything from a soft tack, to a contour to a full fuse all at once. Thanks for the help and advice. I am learning and will likely be learning for years!!
Rosanne
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