lopsided bowl

[Ann Demko]

Fused a 15 inch blank half white with black design elements and half black with while design elements. Initial base of just black and white was covered with a layer of clear. After finally getting the right look to the blank (took several fusings) I put it in a bisque bowl mould and slumped. The white side's border came out just fine but the black side border was droopy, like a quarter to a half inch in spots. Did this happen because of the color difference? It seems the harder I try some things the worse I get. Ann

[Rob Morey]

What was your slumping temperature? White is much harder than black. My experience is that black will flow faster and easier than any of the other colors. It is always better to slump at a lower temp for a longer time. Don't give up. Put it back in the kiln and fire it slowly to around 1100 and let it fall down again. Sand or grind the edges and try, try again. Go up about 250 per hour to around 1130 and if I would hold it at all, it would only be for about 5 minutes, (but that is in my kiln.) Anneal and cool. If this isn't enough, do it again. Wadda ya got to lose? You will at least learn more about your kiln.

Good luck,

Rob

[gone]

Another thing you can try is to build a shelter (baffle) for the black side to keep the elements from radiating heat directly onto it, while leaving the white side exposed.

HTH,
Els