Keeping Blank Straight In Mold

[tgotch]

I am cutting up recycled glass, and fusing blanks. I then put the blank into a small bowl mold. Sometimes the bowl comes out a bit crooked. (One side higher than the other).

Any suggestions to fix this?

[rosanna gusler]

if you are firing multiple molds on a shelf,slow down.

[tgotch]

if you are firing multiple molds on a shelf,slow down.

Thanks, I was kinda wondering if that would help.

Here is my schedule:
600/1000/10 (250/1000/10 maybe?)
250/1295/10
Full/1325/5 (I think I can eliminate this, as the slump seems to be done at 1295)
Full/1020/120
Off

What would you change?

[Morganica]

The upramp is where things go cattywampus, so slowing things down will help, yes. Also, I find it helps to either make the bowl blank square, larger than the mold opening and rest it above the mold on kiln furniture (so that you simply cut off the unwanted glass) OR to make the blank a wee bit smaller, so that it fits inside of, not on top of, the mold. And to make sure the bowl and blank are dead-level.

The other thing to worry about is where the bowl is in relation to the elements. If one side of the bowl is closer than another, that side will soften and start down first. The opposite side won't quite catch up. Slowing down quite a bit helps that. In extreme cases, you can baffle the elements (i.e., put something insulating, like a firebrick, between the elements and the mold), but you have to watch insulating too much and causing the problem in the other direction. Most of the time, I don't think it's necessary.

[Laurie Spray]

Slow down......solves so many problems. In slumping low and slow....

[jim simmons]

"Speed comes from the Devil" :>)
Jim

Slow down......solves so many problems. In slumping low and slow....