Pot melt newbie

[CrazyKiln]

I am keen to have a go at a pot melt and have read that the pot should be 3-6 inches above the kiln shelf. My glass kiln isn't deep enough to do this, so am thinking of using my ceramic kiln. Has anyone done this and does any one have any general advice on pot melts?
Thanks very much.

[Pat from Canvey]

If you put pot melts into the search box, a lot of the previous posts will come up. I've always done melts in my ceramic kiln with no problems. I've taken it up to 930 deg cent, held until the pot stops dripping glass and then turned off the kiln to cool naturally. This takes about 12 hours in my kiln. I do this because, being an old kiln, it has a very simple digital controller so no fusing schedules as such. I use terracotta flower pots and drill more than one hole in the bottom if I want a more complex melt. I've used both Spectrum and Bullseye glass but not at the same time obviously. I suggest you start with a tiny pot and a small amount of glass. It also helps if you weigh the glass beforehand and then see what size of melt this gives you. Come back if you have further questions.

[CrazyKiln]

Thank you, Pat. One last question - can I melt onto thinfire paper?

[Chameleon]

Easiest way I found for a pot melt was to buy a pot and saucer and suspend the pot above the kiln washed saucer 
I suspect thin fire would not work as the glass would move it but I haven't tried it

[CrazyKiln]

Thanks for your advice. Off to B and Q in the morning.

[Pat from Canvey]

I found that using a kiln washed saucer gave me more work to do after, clearing up the base. I used a paper I got from Creative Glass in Rochester which I suspect was a Bullseye paper. A garden centre terracotta flowerpot will do and might be cheaper. It will only be thrown away after. Do not kiln wash the flowerpot.

[Chameleon]

Oh what kiln wash did you use Pat ? Our bases came out lovely and clean from the saucer.

Crazykiln, Pat is right cheapo plant pot from garden centre is all you need as you'll need to throw the pot, saucers are reusable though  and there are several sites that will let you put in either the weight of glass you have and tell you what size it will spread to or vice versa to help with saucer size selection

[CrazyKiln]

Thank you both very much - I will have a go within the next few days.

[Pat from Canvey]

Oh what kiln wash did you use Pat ? Our bases came out lovely and clean from the saucer.

Not sure as it's a very old batch, possibly from Brick House Ceramics, http://www.brickhouseceramics.co.uk/contact.htm

[Chameleon]

Thanks for sharing Pat, I love the windmills on their home page !!

We have been experimenting with different kiln washes recently as we've been working with different mould complexities, started off with just the bullseye shelf primer but then we tried hotline which seems much better for the more detailed moulds and for a very intricate reuseable casting mould used the boron nitride spray which was blissful but expensive so I guess that's a get what you pay for thing but it did result in no cold work at all

Crazy kiln, this is one of my favourite websites with info on pot melts of various kinds and some great pictures http://www.clearwaterglass.com/Tutorials/AperturePour.html

[Pat from Canvey]

I've used boron nitride in the past with very good results, I notice in the link that she seems to only use 2 cross supports. I've always used 4, with 2 lying at right angles to the first two. I used to post photos of my melts on my daughter's website but she's gone on to other things, the website had software problems and all the photos of melts were lost from it. I do have photos saved somewhere, but am too lazy at present to dig them out. It was interesting to read about her use of rectangular holes as I've never done that. The supports I used were made from cut up pieces of damaged kiln shelves. I used a bog standard DIY tile saw and also used it to make dams.
Modified to add  ... Had a sudden rush to the head and remembered where I'd stored some photos,

made with Spectrum glass, and

made with Bullseye.It was originally a small test melt about 4 inches accross. Being a cheapscate, I placed it on a cold shelf and then did another melt on top, so pushing the glass from the smaller melt out to the edges.

[Chameleon]

that bottom one is gorgeous Pat !! Have you tried melting through wire or mesh ? also gives lovely effects.

[Pat from Canvey]

Not tried that. Daughter thinks that the bottom melt looks like an eel with an eye at 1 oclock      

[CrazyKiln]

Thanks for the website link, Chameleon. Pat, love your melts and I can see the eel. I only started playing around with glass at the beginning of this year and am still experimenting with what I really want to make. Having so much (addictive) fun playing and seeing what works and what doesn't. I'm hoping to have a go at my 1st pot melt at the weekend. Thanks for all your advice.