Kiln Wash can I or can't I ? Do I really have to ??

[Linda Reed]

Best kiln wash removal method I've ever seen, but don't care to repeat.

My shelf was propped up against the garage wall while I got my scraper and was replacing the blade. Kilroy, the neigbors dog who is allowed to roam (nice guy, no trouble, but he's gonna get killed one-a-these-days), needed to let me know he'd been here...so he peed on my shelf.

Pee seems to work like Wash Away. Where he peed, the primer just rinsed right off with the hose. Where he didn't pee, it stayed stuck.

Hmmm. I hate scraping kiln wash. I wonder what the key ingredient is here? Maybe this weekend I'll try rinsing a shelf with vinegar. Of course that gets back to the wet shelf problem. Or a sprinkle of meat tenderizer? (For jellyfish stings the cure is always stated as pee - or meat tenderizer for the sqeemish and/or prepared - must be something similar in both urine and meat tenderizer?? Wonder if it would have any effect sprinkled dry.)

[Brock]

Pee seems to work like Wash Away. Where he peed, the primer just rinsed right off with the hose. Where he didn't pee, it stayed stuck.

Hmmm. I hate scraping kiln wash. I wonder what the key ingredient is here? Maybe this weekend I'll try rinsing a shelf with vinegar. Of course that gets back to the wet shelf problem. Or a sprinkle of meat tenderizer? (For jellyfish stings the cure is always stated as pee - or meat tenderizer for the sqeemish and/or prepared - must be something similar in both urine and meat tenderizer?? Wonder if it would have any effect sprinkled dry.


There's a lot of punch lines just waiting to happen here. Henny

[Amy on Salt Spring]

If you try it I'd recommend rinsing it extremely well before putting it back in the kiln. I'm just guessing here but the smell of hot pee evaporating is probably not a good one...
-A

[Brock]

If you try it I'd recommend rinsing it extremely well before putting it back in the kiln. I'm just guessing here but the smell of hot pee evaporating is probably not a good one...
-A

Oh yeah! Pee Steam. How'd the parfumiers ever miss that one? Brock

[AVLucky]

My dear shelf scrapers,
Put away your blunt instruments, for I bring you joyous news.

Last year, while shopping for a house-painting project, I discovered sanding screen. Looks like a window screen, but it's firm and encrusted with grit. It's made for drywall and plaster, but it works amazingly well on kiln shelves too. You're down to a bare shelf in no time flat. The brand I have is Norton WallSand waterproof drywall screen in 120 grit and I got it at Home Depot. Try this stuff--it makes things so much easier. The only time you'll need a scraper is if you have to get rid of stuck glass.

[eegee]

Why avoid getting a kiln shelf wet? I've just been washing mine off in a rubbermaid full of water. The wash comes right off and I dry quickly in the kiln before applying new wash. I figured this was easy and I avoided inhaling anything bad.

I'm just curious, why is everybody commenting on avoiding getting their shelves wet?

Thanks
Eric (a newbie, of course)

[Brock]

Why avoid getting a kiln shelf wet? I've just been washing mine off in a rubbermaid full of water. The wash comes right off and I dry quickly in the kiln before applying new wash. I figured this was easy and I avoided inhaling anything bad.

I'm just curious, why is everybody commenting on avoiding getting their shelves wet?

Thanks
Eric (a newbie, of course)

Ya got me, you don't even have to dry them.

I sometimes flood my shelves with water before applying kiln wash.

Brock

[Amy on Salt Spring]

If you try it I'd recommend rinsing it extremely well before putting it back in the kiln. I'm just guessing here but the smell of hot pee evaporating is probably not a good one...
-A

Oh yeah! Pee Steam. How'd the parfumiers ever miss that one? Brock

The really unfair part is that if it does work wonders, boys have that built in applicator whereas girls would have to be very flexible to get the whole shelf...
-A

[Brock]

If you try it I'd recommend rinsing it extremely well before putting it back in the kiln. I'm just guessing here but the smell of hot pee evaporating is probably not a good one...
-A

Oh yeah! Pee Steam. How'd the parfumiers ever miss that one? Brock

The really unfair part is that if it does work wonders, boys have that built in applicator whereas girls would have to be very flexible to get the whole shelf...
-A

Kinda that write your name in the snow thing, isn't it? Dirk

[Bert Weiss]

There are 2 fairly simple alternatives to scraping kiln shelves. One is to use Ed Hoy's Primo kiln wash which wipes off easily.

The other is to make your own using 80% flour of alumina hydrate and 20% kaolin. I use this recipe when I am coating mullite shelves. After firing the shelf, I take it outside and wipe it clean with a paper towel, then recoat and dry.

I am waiting for a sample of very fine alumina that should make excellent kiln wash. Regular pottery supply alumina is not bad, but not as fine as Bullseye Kiln wash. The major difference in the Bullseye formula is more kaolin- 50%. It sticks harder.

[Lauri Levanto]

Bert,
I tired the 20/80 receipe for relief moulds in frit casting..

Perfect release BUT as the cullets/ frit melted down,
they pushed some perimer ahead, giving a slightly
patterned look. With fine grit this is not really visible,
with cullets there remains a map.

Under a blank it must be OK.
-lauri

[Kelly & Charlie MacMu]

I thought h20( or for some of you brave souls pee) on your kiln shelf then applying kiln wash could cause trapped moisture therefore you might have a glass shard shower, or some major disaster ???
By the way I was thinking if you use pee on your kiln shelf then quick
dip it in a gallon of h20 with 2 capfuls of bleach it might just work. Hey Brock you try it and let us know how it turns out