Shelf grinding day. A late summer storm and kiln wash dust = a fake snow storm.

Part of studio maintenance includes cleaning kiln shelves.  This is a messy job and not one of my favorites.  I use an angle grinder with a masonry blade to remove all the kiln wash which kicks up a ton of dust.  I wear a face mask, ear plugs, and protective eye-ware; I also wear a bandanna around my hair to keep the dust out.  It is quite the ordeal so I when I do scape shelves, I do all of them.

Here’s my process:

• Get dressed in shelf scraping outfit
• Gather all the shelves
• Use angle grinder to remove all kiln wash and glaze
• If glaze has bled into the shelf, I grind it until it is completely gone
• Once the shelves are bare of kiln wash, I wipe them down with a large, moist sponge
• I allow the shelve to dry before applying a thin layer of kiln wash
• I apply a layer kiln wash and allow it to dry approximately 10 minutes
• I apply 2-3 layers of kiln wash
• I allow the shelves to dry completely (at least a day) before using them in a bisque fire

I have been using Jeff Campana’s kiln wash recipe.  The first few times, the kiln was was very thick and cracked quickly.  This time, I thinned the kiln wash and sieved it before applying it to the shelves.  So far, no cracks have appeared!