Bee 5 clay

Hello Everyone,
Has anyone had a problem with Bee 5 clay not vitrifing at cone 5? The
pieces are glazed and I found that after about an hour the bottoms
have become damp. My kiln is a fairly new L&L electric and I fire
about two loads a month. I think I will refire at cone 6 and see what
happens.
Thanks,
Sandi

"sandi" wrote in message
om...
Hello Everyone,
Has anyone had a problem with Bee 5 clay not vitrifing at cone 5? The
pieces are glazed and I found that after about an hour the bottoms
have become damp. My kiln is a fairly new L&L electric and I fire
about two loads a month. I think I will refire at cone 6 and see what
happens.
Thanks,
Sandi

Not familiar with the clay. Presumably you had cones in the firing, if they
manufacturer states that it is vitrified at c5 and it has not you should
probably go back to your supplier.

"annemarie" wrote in message ...
"sandi" wrote in message
om...
Hello Everyone,
Has anyone had a problem with Bee 5 clay not vitrifing at cone 5? The
pieces are glazed and I found that after about an hour the bottoms
have become damp. My kiln is a fairly new L&L electric and I fire
about two loads a month. I think I will refire at cone 6 and see what
happens.
Thanks,
Sandi

Not familiar with the clay. Presumably you had cones in the firing, if they
manufacturer states that it is vitrified at c5 and it has not you should
probably go back to your supplier.

I have never used cones. I was told when I went to order them that
I didn't need them because my kiln is computerized. I just program
what I want it to do and push start and leave it. How do you see
cones in the kiln if you use them? Do you lift the lid or peek in the
holes in the side?
Some of the pieces do not get damp so I'm thinking it might be the
glaze I used.
Thanks for your input,
Sandi

it's good to use cones no matter what. you'll get an idea of how well
controlled your heat is all thru the kiln. you likely have a peep hole on the
side, put one there to see it while firing.

steve



Subject: Bee 5 clay
From: (sandi)
Date: 4/3/2004 2:42 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

"annemarie" wrote in message
...
"sandi" wrote in message
om...
Hello Everyone,
Has anyone had a problem with Bee 5 clay not vitrifing at cone 5? The
pieces are glazed and I found that after about an hour the bottoms
have become damp. My kiln is a fairly new L&L electric and I fire
about two loads a month. I think I will refire at cone 6 and see what
happens.
Thanks,
Sandi

Not familiar with the clay. Presumably you had cones in the firing, if
they
manufacturer states that it is vitrified at c5 and it has not you should
probably go back to your supplier.

I have never used cones. I was told when I went to order them that
I didn't need them because my kiln is computerized. I just program
what I want it to do and push start and leave it. How do you see
cones in the kiln if you use them? Do you lift the lid or peek in the
holes in the side?
Some of the pieces do not get damp so I'm thinking it might be the
glaze I used.
Thanks for your input,
Sandi








steve graber

(Slgraber) wrote in message ...
it's good to use cones no matter what. you'll get an idea of how well
controlled your heat is all thru the kiln. you likely have a peep hole on the
side, put one there to see it while firing.

steve



Subject: Bee 5 clay
From: (sandi)
Date: 4/3/2004 2:42 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

"annemarie" wrote in message
...
"sandi" wrote in message
om...
Hello Everyone,
Has anyone had a problem with Bee 5 clay not vitrifing at cone 5? The
pieces are glazed and I found that after about an hour the bottoms
have become damp. My kiln is a fairly new L&L electric and I fire
about two loads a month. I think I will refire at cone 6 and see what
happens.
Thanks,
Sandi

Not familiar with the clay. Presumably you had cones in the firing, if
they
manufacturer states that it is vitrified at c5 and it has not you should
probably go back to your supplier.

I have never used cones. I was told when I went to order them that
I didn't need them because my kiln is computerized. I just program
what I want it to do and push start and leave it. How do you see
cones in the kiln if you use them? Do you lift the lid or peek in the
holes in the side?
Some of the pieces do not get damp so I'm thinking it might be the
glaze I used.
Thanks for your input,
Sandi


There are three holes on the side of the kiln. They have plugs or bungs in them. Am I supposed to take one out to look at a cone? They are small holes about an inch and a half in diameter.
Sandi





steve graber

"sandi" wrote in message
om...
"
I have never used cones. I was told when I went to order them that
I didn't need them because my kiln is computerized. I just program
what I want it to do and push start and leave it. How do you see
cones in the kiln if you use them? Do you lift the lid or peek in the
holes in the side?
Some of the pieces do not get damp so I'm thinking it might be the
glaze I used.
Thanks for your input,
Sandi

You should calibrate your kiln. This means that you should fire at all the
temps you fire to with cones top middle and bottom. A controller, well I
should say the pyrometor does not necessarily record the actual temperature
or more precisely the actual heat work.
Once you have done this and know what your kiln is actually doing you need
not use cones every time, but it is wise to use them every so often because
things change as elements age.
Heat work - Means the actual heat that the clay recieves. For instance you
can programme a long soak which means that the cones that drop will be
higher than the actual temperature. Or for instance if your kiln is very
quick you may not get enough heat work to make the cones drop.
It sounds to me like you did not get to the cone you thought you were
getting to.
Annemarie