Help with Kiln Shelves

[bellag13]

Hello all you very helpful people

Can you give me some idea's on the cheapest way to make/buy kiln shelves.
My kiln if not a common one so I might have a size problem.
I wondered if there's something else I can use other than a commercially bought shelf and pillars.
If not where's the best place to buy them

thanks a bunch
Bella
 

[Barnacle Bay]

Hi Bella,

Not too sure what size you are looking for?  I have recently had the same problem trying to find a reasonably priced one, which seems to be like trying to find the holy grail!

Hope this helps:

For my kiln I needed another one but the price for the exact size 7 x 7 was coming in at between £12 up to £25 + P & P/vat

I opted to buy a 12 x 12 and cut it down using a disc cutter and managed to get: one 7 x 7, two 6 x 5 & one 7 x 5 out of it which are all very useful, the cost £12.52 + vat (£15.02)  which I reckon all of these would easily have cost £35 +.  Luckily I didn't have to pay P & P, as I collected it from the shop:

http://www.ctmpotterssupplies.co.uk/kiln_furniture_repair_&_accessories.htm

Cheers,
Lou

[Nicknack]

which seems to be like trying to find the holly grail!

Obviously a very prickly problem! (I'll get me coat )

Nick

[Barnacle Bay]

   Oops     just goes to show that you cannot always trust the spill chicker 

[bellag13]

That's great Lou thanks


I notice there's what I think is a stainless stand, so I'm now thinking if someone knows if there's some reason why the shelves couldn't be made out of stainless steel like our mandrels ?

[Barnacle Bay]

Depends what temp you are going up to?  Personally you should really go for a proper kiln shelf, or.... a very small mesh stand that you buy from here:

http://theenamelshop.com/Tools_and_Enamelling_Accessories.html

T.1 £5.24
T.1a £6.26
I think the prices are + VAT & P &P

You will have to ask them to send you a current price list.

Hope that helps,

Lou

[Barnacle Bay]

P.S:

Also try Lee at Kilncare he may have something also Tuffnells or Hobby Ceramicraft 

[Flyingcheesetoastie]

I get my batts from potclays and they are very good, nice finished and don't buckle or distort over time and different firings.

If you use them right, store and clean them well then you are unlikely to need to replace them for a couple of decades!

[bellag13]

Thanks very much for the links. looks like I can sort something from any of them but as we won't find cutting it too much of a problem I'll probably go for CTM

I only do 104 glass at the mo, and I was thinking about the S/Steel shelf because my husband may have some in his workshop

[Barnacle Bay]

Hi Bella,

It is really worth ringing both CTM depots one in Doncaster & Exeter as I know they both hold off cuts of shelves, and may do a nice price for you (possibly) - worth a phone call 

[bellag13]

Ok thanks Lou, I'll give them a buzz

[Zeldazog]

If you're actually planning on placing stuff on your shelf, if you used stainless steel you'd need to coat it with primer, which is not as easy as doing a normal batt.

Also, depending on what you'd be using the shelf for, it could warp with the heat?  Doesn't matter for a mesh rack on annealing, but if you were thinking of fusing perhaps, it could be an issue.

What are you actually wanting the shelf for, and what size? Vermiculite board could be an option. 

[bellag13]

its to put 104 glass beads on to batch anneal , at the moment i use a
pirex dish but its not making the best use of the space 
would Vermiculite be ok for that, where would I buy it from ?
sorry about all the questions Im pretty new to this.

[Barnacle Bay]

Hi Bella,
You obviously have a kiln, post below the kiln you have (don't be shy) and I know you will get the best possible answers before having to spend anything.  Who knows, one of us may have something that might fit, but we cannot help if we do not know exactly what you are looking for.

If you are thinking about purely cooling beads in a slow and controlled manner withought a kiln - personally if you have a kiln - use it!  But, we need to know which make your kiln is or wattage, so folks can give constructive advice.  

So come on girl - what have you got???  

Lou

[Zeldazog]

its to put 104 glass beads on to batch anneal , at the moment i use a
pirex dish but its not making the best use of the space 
would Vermiculite be ok for that, where would I buy it from ?
sorry about all the questions Im pretty new to this.

Vermiculite board would be fine, they can be used for fusing which happens at around 300 degrees centigrade higher than annealing, and I they are also used for dams in casting which is even higher temperatures.  It can be cut to size using ordinary wood tools.  It will need ideally need batt wash the same as a standard shelf (just in case your kiln overshot temperature to avoid the glass sticking) but they're a lot lighter so you'd probably save on postage. 

Try googling for it, you may well find a local supplier as they're used in all sorts of things like pizza ovens and log burners, as well as you can get it from glass suppliers - it's sometimes branded cera-board, but that's not the only make.