ceramic fibre board

Hi folks
We have just make a ceramic fibre board 1250 lid for our potterycraft
electric kiln.
We sandwiched ceramic fibre between two sheets of board and then enclosed
the sides in more board. So in essence it is a fibre filled box lid.
We placed it on the kiln, turned on and waited a while. Turned off. Lifted
the lid and a plume of smoke and some black smoke came out. Does ceramic
fibreboard need a first firing 'seasoning' to burn off moisture and
impurities? Or is there something we are missing?
Can anyone recommend a good supplier of ceramic fibreboard hardener
(ITC-100?) in the UK? Or can we coat it in ceramic cement? Or will that
crack?
Thanks in advance
Kath and Hank

--
SapArt Studio & Gallery
www.sapart.freeserve.co.uk

Kath and Hank,

Ceramic fibre board contains binders which burn out during first firing -
there will be lots of smoke and a horrible stink.

However, there will very likely be a problem with your lid construction.
Fibre board is very fragile once fired, and will crack very easily, whatever
coating you might use on it. It will be a lot worse in your case because you
will be moving it all the time. You will probably need to create a metal
frame to hold the lid together, or it could fall to pieces very quickly.

Dave


"hank evans" wrote in message
...
Hi folks
We have just make a ceramic fibre board 1250 lid for our potterycraft
electric kiln.
We sandwiched ceramic fibre between two sheets of board and then enclosed
the sides in more board. So in essence it is a fibre filled box lid.
We placed it on the kiln, turned on and waited a while. Turned off. Lifted
the lid and a plume of smoke and some black smoke came out. Does ceramic
fibreboard need a first firing 'seasoning' to burn off moisture and
impurities? Or is there something we are missing?
Can anyone recommend a good supplier of ceramic fibreboard hardener
(ITC-100?) in the UK? Or can we coat it in ceramic cement? Or will that
crack?
Thanks in advance
Kath and Hank

--
SapArt Studio & Gallery
www.sapart.freeserve.co.uk

Although there are several *Hardeners* on the market in the UK
(including ITC which is a bit pricey), there isn't anything I know of
that would be appropriate for what you are doing, I suggest you leave
the board untreated.
Dave's absolutely right that you need to make some sort of frame to
support your lid, I suggest in addition you attach some 6mm lid seal
fibre to the contact side of the board with cement to prevent abrasion
by the brick body of the kiln
Thermal Ceramics 607 Max is a body soluble fibre available in 6mm
amongst other thicknesses, I'm not sure if Isofrax do it in that
thickness.

Steve
Bath
UK


In article , David
Coggins writes
Kath and Hank,

Ceramic fibre board contains binders which burn out during first firing -
there will be lots of smoke and a horrible stink.

However, there will very likely be a problem with your lid construction.
Fibre board is very fragile once fired, and will crack very easily, whatever
coating you might use on it. It will be a lot worse in your case because you
will be moving it all the time. You will probably need to create a metal
frame to hold the lid together, or it could fall to pieces very quickly.

Dave


"hank evans" wrote in message
...
Hi folks
We have just make a ceramic fibre board 1250 lid for our potterycraft
electric kiln.
We sandwiched ceramic fibre between two sheets of board and then enclosed
the sides in more board. So in essence it is a fibre filled box lid.
We placed it on the kiln, turned on and waited a while. Turned off. Lifted
the lid and a plume of smoke and some black smoke came out. Does ceramic
fibreboard need a first firing 'seasoning' to burn off moisture and
impurities? Or is there something we are missing?
Can anyone recommend a good supplier of ceramic fibreboard hardener
(ITC-100?) in the UK? Or can we coat it in ceramic cement? Or will that
crack?
Thanks in advance
Kath and Hank

--
SapArt Studio & Gallery
www.sapart.freeserve.co.uk





--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK

"have you tried Potclays at stoke-on-trent. They have all sorts of
wondrous items for the potter.

Hi folks
We tried all the main Stoke on Trent guys and their only response was buy a
new kiln...from them, of course. Not very helpful in the kiln 'repair'
department.
We ended up going to the refractory site that makes the parts for the larger
ceramics company. Our lid seems to be holding up pretty good so far. We
have it drying, standing above a firing kiln...the cement drying that is.
As it is a square lid we've constructed for a round kiln, most of the lid
will never be fired. Only the underside middle circle.
As this is the only piece that is being affected and we only fire up to
1080. We're thinking that it is going to hold up pretty good.
We have fibre on the lid rim. It's great for adding that little bit extra
height to a kiln.
Our biggest concern is making physical contact with the lid...we already
have little fibre bits in our hands...splinters if you like. And also the
atmosphere. We know this is a dusty job and it's all relative. But is
there any coating out there that will reduce loss of fibre as air
contaminants?
If all goes pair shaped a local steel fabricator should be able to fix us up
a collar.

Anyway, thanks already for the info
kath and hank

"paula" wrote in message
om...
"have you tried Potclays at stoke-on-trent. They have all sorts of
wondrous items for the potter.

paint it with colloidal silica and refire it. it won't flake apart.

regards,
charlie
cave creek, az

"David Coggins" wrote in message
...
Kath and Hank,

Ceramic fibre board contains binders which burn out during first firing -
there will be lots of smoke and a horrible stink.

However, there will very likely be a problem with your lid construction.
Fibre board is very fragile once fired, and will crack very easily,
whatever
coating you might use on it. It will be a lot worse in your case because
you
will be moving it all the time. You will probably need to create a metal
frame to hold the lid together, or it could fall to pieces very quickly.

Dave


"hank evans" wrote in message
...
Hi folks
We have just make a ceramic fibre board 1250 lid for our potterycraft
electric kiln.
We sandwiched ceramic fibre between two sheets of board and then
enclosed
the sides in more board. So in essence it is a fibre filled box lid.
We placed it on the kiln, turned on and waited a while. Turned off.
Lifted
the lid and a plume of smoke and some black smoke came out. Does
ceramic
fibreboard need a first firing 'seasoning' to burn off moisture and
impurities? Or is there something we are missing?
Can anyone recommend a good supplier of ceramic fibreboard hardener
(ITC-100?) in the UK? Or can we coat it in ceramic cement? Or will
that
crack?
Thanks in advance
Kath and Hank

--
SapArt Studio & Gallery
www.sapart.freeserve.co.uk