| Author | Content |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
July 8, 2007
1:51 PM Post #3711345
| Since there seem to be a few of us on the artisans' forum, (and I don't want to hijack anyone elses' thread), I thought I would start one dedicated to potters and other clay lovers.
I started throwing in the 70s when I needed a hanging planter for my Boston fern, and decided to take lessons from a little studio down the street from me in Hermosa Beach, in SoCal. I took more classes at Moorpark College, and an adult ed class in Simi Valley. I was lucky enough to live close to the high school where we had our AE clases, and since our instructor lived 25 miles away, she taught me how to fire the 24-cu-ft gas kiln and let me have a key to the room. The HS teacher whose room we used was a graphic artist first, and taught pottery just because he knew how. He was happy to let me do the firings for his classes and also do occasional demos for his students. I got the room to myself on weekends to practice, and also learned how to make my own glazes.
When DH and I went overseas I had to quit, and it about drove me nuts. I shipped my wheel with us and mail-ordered clay, but had no way to fire, so I didn't keep it up. When we got transferred to Adak, AK, I was asked if I wanted to manage the Navy's hobby shop----they didn't have wheels, but were planning to get equipment. The manager at the time was being transferred, so she taught me how to do casting and low-fire painting and glazing. So I taught classes there for 2 years, and just about the time we were transferred out they finally got their first wheel. We came back to CA in '80, and I went to work in a ceramic shop in Monterey, still doing low-fire, and then got back into throwing and stoneware when I took classes from Hartnell College in Salinas. Then we moved to Gilroy, in '87 and there wasn't time for clay. I got back into it in '99 when I swore I wasn't going to let the entire decade go by without getting my hands muddy, and signed up for a class at Gavilan college here in Gilroy. For the past 3 years, I've crammed my clay-time into evenings and weekends and vacations from my job.
When I throw, I like doing planters (for all my plants, of course----this is DG!) and I like to make big salad bowls for wedding gifts. I've been doing a lot of tile work for my house. I make garlic trivets (since we live in the home of the world-famous Gilroy Garlic Festival) and donate those for raffles, etc. I mostly fire to Cone 10 with my 5-cu ft second-hand ratty old gas kiln. I still have quite a few molds from my casting days, and I plan to get back into that eventually, but my first love is still throwing.
We've spent the past year building a new studio to replace the dirt-floor tent I worked in for 10 years, and it's just heavenly to have a space I don't have to share with gophers and motorcycle parts!
[HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com]
I'd love to share ideas, glaze recipes and techniques with other gardening, plant-nutty clay-lovers, if anyone else is interested!
This message was edited Jul 8, 2007 11:03 AM |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
July 8, 2007
1:53 PM Post #3711352
| One of my wedding-gift salad bowls: 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 8, 2007
10:04 PM Post #3713032
| I got into clay at about 17 in about 67 or 68. My dad was stationed in Gulfport Ms, and we all three went to the hobby shop at the Seabee base. Yea I had no life..
It was pouring slip and casting, but it was fun.My dad loved it.. and so did my mom, but she didn't do quite as much as my dad.
After I got married I quit but started up again after several years. Life went on.
Finally at the age of 38 I started to college not intending to do art, but after taking the basic drawing classes I decided that was for me. Went to a community college first and then to a College on the Gulf Coast called William Carey College on the Coast. The only school I could go to with out having to uproot my kids. I was in the process of getting a divorce, worked for the first time in my life and going to college. I double majored in psy and fine arts with an emphasis in painting and pottery. Got a job immedeatly after graduation and moved to New Orleans to teach talented in visual art with the Jefferson Parish schools.I had to then get a masters for my job so I got a masters in art ed. Which is not what I needed to be able to stay with the two colleges I taught at after moving to Texas. So after 4 years. I lost those jobs. So now I'm a stay at home daughter.Trying to do what I can for my folks, as well as doing my art.
I bought my kiln and wheel off ebay. The wheel was in Vermont, but luckily the lady worked for FedEX. The kiln was in West Texas and I went out to visit an aunt, the place was only about two more hours away. It's very small, but I just have to fire it more often.
Would love to have a gas kiln, but.. so I fire to cone 6...
This message was edited Jul 10, 2007 12:31 PM |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
July 9, 2007
10:05 AM Post #3714535
| I have a nice stable white cone 6 glaze recipe called "Icy White", if you'd like the recipe.
I especially like it over a red earthenware I use that fires to C 6 (don't know if most of them can or not---this is the only one I've worked with). |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 9, 2007
2:34 PM Post #3715476
| That sounds nice. I just bought a white .. a gallon, they over bought at the Big Ceramic Store. So I ordered a gallon. I am trying to make Variegated Slate blue, Spearmint, I got these from the "mastering Cone six glazes book" I would like to have one or two glazes that I can adapt to others. I'd love to have a nice Ron's Spodumene, for cone 6. Also I pale rutile blue like the one I used to have for cone 10.
I have some other recipes I got off the Internet, but I bought the chemicals and stuff the book used.. The Ferro frit... I cannot find one other recipe that I can use with it. 3194 or something..
I tried Gillispie borate at the school I taught at.. and wasn't pleased with it. But I didn't like the clay we were using.. everything crazed on it.
This clay I'm using now is pretty good .. Most of the glazes I"m using are fitting on it nicely. Little too much iron in it but I don't want to change. I just want one clay.. So I don't have an red earthenware. White over this clay is very speckled.. but it looks good.
[HYPERLINK@www.bigceramicstore.com] these are the glazes I got So far I'm liking them. I may later order the 25lb dry bucket of just the ones I really like.
can you post that here? the recipe? |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 10, 2007
8:05 AM Post #3718197
| I am a newbie compared to all of you.
I have a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts and Math. My emphasis was in weaving. At university I hated clay. I took the one class I had to and that was it. I went back to school for my teaching degree and then taught until 1980. We were working in Norway at the time and I was able to switch to weaving full time. I did that in Norway until '82 and in Germany until '84 when I went back to teaching. My art work took a back seat to being a teacher full time while adopting two children 13 months apart.
In 1996 I was given a sculpture as a gift and asked to meet the artist. We were living in Venezuela at the time. She turned out to be an incredible woman. I took evening classes from her for a year and then spent a year as her apprentice. It has been clay ever since. I only hand build. I can throw, but don't.
At home I fire to cone 04 in an electric kiln. To fire to cone 10 I use a gas kiln at a clay center. [HYPERLINK@www.northernclaycenter.org] I take classes there and volunteer on Sunday evening to keep the center open for studio time and am also a tour guide.
I use terra sigilata and stains most of the time and like the colors I get at cone 04. Those I make myself. I use cone 10 when I am making a garden piece. At cone 10 I use the clay centers premixed glazes.
Unless I move from the city I probably won't ever have a gas kiln. Getting permission to build one in a residential area is very difficult.
I use a stoneware that is mixed to use for raku firing. It is so very flexible to work with and matures from cone 06 to 10. I rarely do a raku firing.
This is a piece from a mastectomy series I am working on now. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 10, 2007
8:06 AM Post #3718201
| A garden piece. I am making 2 more to install along with it. It is 7' tall. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
July 10, 2007
10:05 AM Post #3718540
| Pauline, I just love your work! How was it that you lived in Norway, Germany and Venezuela? When DH was in the Navy, we spent 15 months on a tiny island in the Caribbean, and 2 years on Adak, and that was the extent of my "world travels"!
Georgart, here's the recipe:
Icy White - C6
74 1/4 grams Colemanite
73 1/4 grams Plastic Vitrox Clay
39 3/4 grams Silica
15 3/4 grams Kona F-4
14 grams Zircopax
4 grams Tin Oxide
You also said you were looking for a C6 Rutile Blue. I don't remember if I've ever made this or not, but here is one I got from one of my teachers:
33 3/8 grams Flint
15 1/2 grams Nepheline Syenite
15 1/3 grams Whiting
14 1/2 grams Wood Ash
10 7/8 grams EPK Kaolin
8 1/2 grams Gerstley Borate
1 7/8 grams Manganese Carbonate
1 2/3 grams Rutile
I use my Mastercook package for all my glaze recipes. It's cheap, and I can change the "servings" and it does the math for me!~
|
renatelynne
Boerne, TX
(Zone 8b)
July 10, 2007
10:26 AM Post #3718603
| My mom made candles for gifts for people when I was 6. People wanted something to put them on so she started learning ceramics so she could make holders. I learned right beside her most of the time. When we lived in Maryland dad did production pouring for Rewards. Mom learned the other side with glazing and firing and such. When we moved to Italy, mom was the manager of the hobby shop and then got promoted to Manager for all the hobby shops in Europe. They had ceramics, wood, and photo as the main hobbies there. So I got to learn all kinds of things. Usually went to the hobby shop after school and on holidays with mom. Started teaching how to pour and clean and glaze at age 11. Came back to the states and mom opened a ceramic shop in Jasper Tx. I took ceramics in college and learned another part ie: high fire, wheel throwing, and handwork. I LOVED it. Worked in that media until about 20 years ago when I injured my wrist and I can't wedge. So... sold all my clay and went back to low fire/poured ceramics because I could do that.
Now I live in Boerne, have my own studio. I go to a couple of shows a year and my stuff is on two websites and I post to craigslist for barter for doing pieces. (see my profile for addresses).
I mostly do three classes of items. Garden, Mystical, and Alternative living pieces. My garden pieces I use and sell at a native plant show here in Boerne once a year. Most of my mystical are on a website that just sells mystical new age stuff.. I have them there on commission. Usually sell about 1.5 pieces a month right now.. Only had stuff on the site since feb. Hoping this Christmas is a good year for it.
|
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 10, 2007
10:28 AM Post #3718608
| Thank you.
We also lived in; Thailand, Holland, Tunisia and Jordan. My husband and I were in International Education and as he worked his way from teacher to school director we moved with each promotion. We eventually decided to get out of the rat race and live a much more simple life style.
I don't seem to be the only person who has lived out of the USA.
This message was edited Jul 10, 2007 9:29 AM |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 10, 2007
2:29 PM Post #3719590
| Zen I love the idea of the mastectomy series. I did a bronze of my right breast and wound up getting cancer in it. Some called it a lumpectomy, but my surgeon called it a partial radical. I'm a cup smaller on the right side. I think the thought he was going to have to take out more than he did, as the cut was very long. But that was 10 years ago.. so I'm good. I try to stay away from duplicating my body parts now though. lol
I love your totem as well that's very interesting .. I may have to try something like that.
I'll have to see where Boern is to Laguna Park.
My husband was a Navy man before I met him and has traveled extensively, and so has my Dad, but he only ever took the family to Okinawa.
I want to do mystical, etc. seems though when I go out to work I wind up being very mundane. There some online esoteric auction sites if you are interested. I have not used them yet, but know people who do.
Thanks for the recipes. What would you recommend to use instead of the Gerstley borate?
Or am I wrong..can you still get it?
This message was edited Jul 10, 2007 12:32 PM |
renatelynne
Boerne, TX
(Zone 8b)
July 10, 2007
2:31 PM Post #3719601
| yes I would be interested...
Boerne is north of San Antonio |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 10, 2007
2:34 PM Post #3719613
| Ok.. I live about 45 min NW of Waco. So that's about a what. 3 hr drive?
Ok. I'll look and see what I can find for you on those auction sites. I'll post the links here. |
renatelynne
Boerne, TX
(Zone 8b)
July 10, 2007
3:02 PM Post #3719726
| yep... just about that... If you are nw of Waco.. are you between 281 and waco or on the other side of 281? |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 10, 2007
5:26 PM Post #3720348
| I live just west of the Whitney dam on State hwy 22
Well I don't live on 22 the dam is on 22. Lake Whitney is 24 ft above normal cresting at 556 ft. My husband and I walked down yesterday at the parks on either side of the dam.. The water is completely covering the picnic areas etc. |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
July 10, 2007
6:45 PM Post #3720648
| I tried Laguna Borate, and it seemed to work OK in one of my recipes. But I still have a 5-gal bucket of Gerstley, so I'm not hurting yet LOL! A lot of my old recipes called for Kingman spar, and I haven't found a decent substitute yet. I have noticed that even different batches of Gerstley seem to have very different results, though.
Has anyone done any mold-making? It's something I am really interested in trying----just simple tile molds for now. I've been playing with weeds and grasses impressed into clay, and I think I'd like to cast them and use them for press-molds. In one of my classes I made a totally plaint mold as an assignment, but that's all I've done. Anyone have any hints?
added:
renatalynne, your post reminded me of my memories of sitting at my grandma's lace-covered table in her dining room, watching her china-paint---I must have been about 6. Sure wish I could have picked her brain! I've got a set of plates she painted that are just gorgeous. We're working on a place to display them.
This message was edited Jul 10, 2007 3:51 PM |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 10, 2007
7:09 PM Post #3720711
| I have done some molds. Mostly tile. I have to think now, it has been awhile. I prefer to make press molds with clay rather than plaster. I make the form I want fire it and then press clay into that to get the reverse and fire it to get my stamp/mold.
Wow I need to think this out. I need to do some drawings and then scan them. I am off to a drawing group I belong to in a half hour. I will start the drawings and then scan them later.
Georgeart, I had radical mastectomies on both breasts 12 years ago. So far I have made 15 of the sculptures.
I would be interested in the online esoteric auction sites.
The mastectomy piece above is from a photo. It just got juried into a show that opens on Friday.
How about some photos from the rest of you?
Am I the only cold weather clay person around? |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 10, 2007
9:26 PM Post #3721268
| I've known people who use this one.
[HYPERLINK@www.auction-goddess.com]
This has a listing of several auctions.
[HYPERLINK@www.spiritandsky.com]
These two are not esoteric but they are an alternative to ebay.
[HYPERLINK@www.artbyus.com]
[HYPERLINK@www.etsy.com]
and Ebay does have pagan and wiccan /mystical sections.
I'm going to have to get my stuff listed. I'm in a funk right now, my latest pieces didn't turn out like what I wanted.
I made a fountain, but I did it wrong. I thought I had all the problems worked out, but. A cup split. Another had the glaze bunched up under the handle.
So I'm not in the mood to list right now.. LOL
Congratulations on the piece being in the juried show. I've only had one piece of painting in a juried show. one out of 650 turned in and 300 something picked. So that was pretty good for me. Well I don't know if the bear is still on the post.. It's not clay but its something I've finished lately
lol I can't remove it and I forgot that I had made it real small to use as an avatar.. lol
This message was edited Jul 10, 2007 7:29 PM
This message was edited Jul 11, 2007 8:43 AM
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 10, 2007
9:32 PM Post #3721306
| This is kind of dark. I carve out "groves". This is the largest one I'd made up to that point. I just take a lump of clay and carve it out.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 11, 2007
10:55 AM Post #3723211
| Grr I still can't figure out how to take that bear pic off..
Mold making I think one of my books has some info on that. In school we used "Art and Craft of Clay", but I also have another one.
Speaking of cold weather. I don't have hot water in the studio, So before this winter I'm going to have to get a water heater out there. I figure a 2 gal on will do the trick.
I tried gillispie borate in my class, but I wasn't impressed. But then the clay we were using was horrible. Got it from Trinity in Dallas. cinco blanco and cinco rojo. That's what the other instructor was using.
Speckled buff is what I use and so far no crazing.
gonna check on substitutes for GB
|
renatelynne
Boerne, TX
(Zone 8b)
July 11, 2007
10:59 AM Post #3723230
| I've made a couple of molds... been awile though.. I have helped a friend that has a mold company but she does all the measuring and stuff. |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 11, 2007
12:13 PM Post #3723551
| I like the piece with the holes, the textures and variations of size of holes is very nice.
It is lucky that you couldn't hear me a few min ago. I had the directions for making a tile mold almost all typed out and the computer froze up. I have retyped them into a word document that is saved to the desk top just in case. I will see if I can get them in here and out to cyberspace.
1. Roll a slab of the clay you normally work with. The slab should be the size and thickness of the completed piece adjusted for shrinkage.
2. Carve out or add on clay to get the design.
3. Don't let the clay get beyond leather hard.
4. At this point you will need a nice smooth non porous surface like Formica.
5. place the tile face up on the Formica you are going to build a dam all the way around the tile using clay. This is going to hold the plaster.
6. You need space around between the tile and the sides to pour the mold.
For a 4" tile I use between 1 inch and 1 1/4 inch all the way around it and another 1 1/4 above it. You have an open top box built around the tile. Don't let it dry. For a 6” mold use 1 1/2 “
7. The inside surfaces of the box need to be smooth and without any place for the plaster to leak. Use coils of clay to seal the seams, the space where the table and the edges meet and where the tile and the table meet. Press them firmly and smooth.
8. Brush the surfaces inside surfaces of the box and the tile with dish liquid so the plaster doesn't stick. Make sure you don't have any bubbles.
9. Mix the plaster to a consistency of thick whipped cream. Gently pour it in letting it glide down the side of the box slow enough that you don't get any bubbles. Now gently
10. Once the plaster has gotten hot and firm enough to hold take the clay away from it. You will want to clean up the outside of the mold so you don’t have any sharp edges that could break away
when you are using it. If you do this while it is still warm it is easier to work with.
11. Depending on the humidity it could be dry in one day or 7 or more. Don’t use it until it is dry.
12. To use it cover the surface with cornstarch this keeps the clay from sticking to the plaster. If you put the cornstarch into the toe of a while sock and tie it off you can use that to put it into the mold in a thin smooth layer.
13. Use rolled out slabs cut to the size and depth of the tile and gently press it into the mold. You can use a rolling pin to get it smooth and even. Turn it over and tap on it to loosen it now gently pry it out. (one of the hardest parts as far as I am concerned.)
OK now I will take questions to clarify.
I have my fingers crossed that this goes.
|
renatelynne
Boerne, TX
(Zone 8b)
July 11, 2007
12:59 PM Post #3723788
| If you use the type of plaster that is used for ceramic mold making it pulls water from the clay and it will loosen and fall out much easier |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 11, 2007
3:23 PM Post #3724389
| Thank you for adding that. |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 11, 2007
4:29 PM Post #3724632
| I was at Axner pottery web site earlier. I want to buy some stuff for that rutile glaze but then I decided .. it has to wait, HOWEVER. I noticed that they had 50 lb bags of mold making plaster. My sculpture professor used only that type of plaster for everything plaster related that we did in his class.
They had everything I needed except for the wood ash. I guess that I have to make that myself.
OH and they also have Gerstly Borate.! I'm going to go on and get 10 lbs when I order, but ordering also some Boraq, a substitute for Gerstly. |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 11, 2007
5:00 PM Post #3724736
| The plaster made for molds is the very best. You can get by with regular plaster for tile molds. If you are slip casting you really need the proper plaster.
This is a very interesting web site. A group of us have ordered tools from them several times they are nice tools and amazingly low priced. I am not very fond of their brushes, but I know of several people who really like them. Everything comes from China, but since we aren't going to eat them it should be ok.
They have pottery tours to China and I keep trying to find someone to go with me. Maybe one of these days we could arrange a DG's group to go with them. The price keeps going up each year, soon I won't be able to afford it.
[HYPERLINK@www.chineseclayart.com] |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
July 11, 2007
9:11 PM Post #3725731
| Pauline, thanks for the outstanding instructions. I especially like that "sock" concept for the cornstarch---I can use that when I cut tiles with my "biscuit-cutters"! I've been using a shaker, but I like the sock idea much better.
I have regular plaster of paris, not the good mold-making stuff, but I'm going to give it a shot with that. I know it's not as durable as the casting plaster, but it will get me started.
I cleaned most of the seeds out of my three "weed plaques" last night. I may bisque two of them before I try making a mold with the thrid...and I can go pick more weeds on the side of the road if it doesn't work out--LOL!
Georg, glad you found some gerstley AND a sub! I made my own wood ash years ago from fireplace ash: wet it, sieved it, and spread it to dry. All without gloves. Then when the skin on my hands started to split, I remembered "something" in the back of my mind about wood ash. Looked it up, and sure enough----pure lye when it's wet. Sigh...took me a while to recover from THAT learning curve. But when I was done, I had nice wood ash for my glaze recipe~~ I like your carved piece a lot!
PS: The "clayground" place is close to me! I'll have to go check them out---lots of cool tools on the website!
This message was edited Jul 11, 2007 6:19 PM |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 11, 2007
9:22 PM Post #3725781
| Lucky you being close to the "claygroung" place, I just love tools. |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 11, 2007
10:39 PM Post #3726107
| Well we don't have a fireplace, but we have an old grill, I could burn the wood down in that. We got a gas grill so we don't use the charcoal grill anymore :)
I love the glaze on that salad bowl. That looks like the one my teacher called rutile. He also had a beautiful Blue wood ash glaze that I hope I got a copy of his recipe.. He didn't like people getting his recipe. But most of us did.
I also want Ron's spodumene, I probably have it somewhere too but I liked it. White where thick and brown speckeled where thin. Really nice when used in conjunction with the rutile.. Blue on one side and the white/brown on the other.
Eventually I'd like to do some raku too. that would be awesome for the totems.. |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 11, 2007
11:36 PM Post #3726328
| Raku wouldn't work for the totems here where it freezes. It holds water so it would break in winter. It has been a learning curve to be in the cold north. |
renatelynne
Boerne, TX
(Zone 8b)
July 12, 2007
9:50 AM Post #3727273
| Yep.. That is why I glaze both the outside AND inside of all my garden art objects. It then will not get any water into the wear and survives cold/hot temps a lot better. |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 12, 2007
10:09 AM Post #3727338
| My outside work is fired to cone 10 and since I can't always get to the inside to glaze it, I hope for the best. The large piece I made not only has the holes to mount it on the pole it has 4 small drain holes on the bottom to make sure the water runs out before it freezes. We get a deep freeze and then a thaw and then it repeats itself. MN has very extreme temperatures. |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
July 12, 2007
8:38 PM Post #3729550
| I think I have Rod's Spod, but it's a C10 recipe. The blue on the salad bowl is one that a fellow classmate developed, called "Popsicle Slide". It is a rutile glaze, and it's gorgeous---but it's quite variable, and it runs, too.
This is the same glaze, believe it or not:
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 12, 2007
9:00 PM Post #3729659
| Hum could I convert it using the gerstly?
wow it's hard to believe that is the same glaze.
We used to put the rutile OVER turquoise and fire it in heavy reduction.. it would come out red... wild.
Is that a garlic ?? I actually buy the puree'd garlic from Gilroy when I can find it.
you know Zen If you wanted to make some in Raku they could just go inside, or on a porch. For outside do you put a pipe in the center then into the ground. .. do you use concrete? |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 12, 2007
9:01 PM Post #3729668
| That is more like the rutile glazes I have seen. It is amazing how glazes vary.
Yes I use concrete. The pole is set into a hole that is 3' deep and filled with concrete. I really don't want to do raku glazing I just like the clay that is made for raku because it is so versatile.
This message was edited Jul 12, 2007 8:04 PM |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 13, 2007
4:49 AM Post #3730606
| I dunno. It is more hands on.. standing around waiting for the pottery to be ready to take out and put in a can of leaves.. It was sure fun in college, but then there were tons of us standing around together. And red glowing things. Like in bronze casting.. Maybe I just like fire lol.
|
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 13, 2007
6:44 AM Post #3730675
| I haven't done a raku firing for at least a year and I think it was my last. It was a large group of us so no problem there. My sculptures just don't look good when raku fired. |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
July 13, 2007
11:16 PM Post #3734062
| I love doing raku, but I hate it when the glazes change over time after being outside. They lose that metallic luster and just begin to look so ordinary! |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 14, 2007
7:49 AM Post #3734633
| You can take a blow torch to them and renew the color, you do have to be willing to sacrifice them to the fire just in case they break. If it is something you don't want to loose don't torch it.
Gart53, the fire is spectacular isn't it. Maybe you should build a fire pit then you can fire in that.
I like to smoke fire some of my pieces, but the way I usually do it there is only a nice flame for a short time. |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 14, 2007
7:54 AM Post #3734643
| The piece on the right and the one in the middle were smoke fired. These are low fire pieces that come inside for the winter. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 15, 2007
5:32 PM Post #3739638
| we would wrap pieces in copper wire and then throw some dry Alpo next to them.. The alpo made it have a sort of gas rainbow look.
We would dig a pit and just pack everything in there with some saw dust. If I am going to make me some wood ash.. I need to do it soon. because soon we will be having a burn ban.. We do every year here. The rain we've been getting has been very UN-typical.
love the snail looking peice. |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 16, 2007
7:57 AM Post #3741475
| Alpo, interesting. Have you ever tired any other dog food or cat food?
Has anyone ever done a sugar fire? A friend bought a piece of pottery in Italy that was sugar fired and we are trying to figure out how and when the sugar is introduced. It seems that unless you used a sagger it would mess up a kiln. Maybe they have kilns that they just use for that like a soda fire. |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
July 16, 2007
10:03 AM Post #3741857
| Never heard of it---bet it would SMELL great! |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 16, 2007
1:00 PM Post #3742570
| A bit like burnt sugar. |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 16, 2007
11:29 PM Post #3744923
| yea.. it makes that pretty rainbow stuff on it. along with the smoked color.
probably saggar fired I have never heard of sugar. !! I'd rather eat the sugar.. lol
I watched Most Haunted the other night and they were investigating a pottery factory ..!!! yea.. they closed down in the 60's but still had the saggars stacked around.Big jars to show the colors they could fire to.
Huge bee hive kilns. Ive thought about building a beehive, but I don't know about how easy it would be to get loaded and unloaded. ?? I think I"ll probably just get some angle iron and make a box, then use kiln bricks from there I don't know. LOL
|
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
July 17, 2007
3:06 PM Post #3747068
| Last year DH & I went on the annual Mother's Day tour of Gladding, McBean factory at Lincoln, CA called "Feats of Clay". VERY fun!! They do architectural restoration for historic buildings, along with making terra cotta sewer pipe.
[HYPERLINK@www.lincolnarts.org]
Now THIS is a kiln---and they have a whole BUNCH of them!
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Pagancat
Gainesboro, TN
(Zone 6b)
July 17, 2007
3:52 PM Post #3747263
| There must be a lot of things you can add for different effects - I remember seeing a very cool piece where they had used salt. |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 17, 2007
5:33 PM Post #3747676
| That is one large kiln.
I have used soda, but not salt. It is not very good for the lungs and the gas kilns I have used are inside. I love some of my soda pieces. |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
July 17, 2007
6:12 PM Post #3747992
| Here's another shot that gives you the idea of the mind-boggling scale of these kilns... 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
July 17, 2007
6:14 PM Post #3748003
| ...and what they fire in them. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 18, 2007
12:51 AM Post #3749288
| Wow that is huge.. did they say what temp?
Salt will also ruin the inside of your kiln won't it?
Ive wanted to do it.. but. |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 18, 2007
6:58 AM Post #3749561
| Yes both salt and soda ruin the kiln for any other kind of firing. The bricks collect the salt and soda. They destroy the heating elements in a electric kiln. |
Pagancat
Gainesboro, TN
(Zone 6b)
July 18, 2007
8:43 AM Post #3749816
| Hmm - wonder if they were home-made kilns ... |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 18, 2007
9:44 AM Post #3750003
| Which kilns are you talking about? The ones I have fired soda in were built for that purpose by professional kiln makers. That is all they are used for. They don't last nearly as long as the regular gas kilns. The clay center where I fire has 2 of them. |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 18, 2007
6:52 PM Post #3752173
| Well wouldn't a wood fired kiln be better? No elements to mess up... or gas fired. But I have this glaze that looks like a salt fired glaze. It's hard to use though because if you get it the least bit thick.. it makes a icky place. I made a mug the other day and sculpted a face on it.. One of the eyes got covered up and under the handle it was bubbly. My fault, but now I can't sell it. |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 19, 2007
8:29 AM Post #3753988
| The salt or soda would still stick to the walls of the kiln. Some people use the soda kiln without adding any soda so that they only get a light soda fire. The residue on the kiln walls adds enough for what they want.
I am going to do a smoke firing in a barrel this weekend. I will take photos of it and post them. |
renatelynne
Boerne, TX
(Zone 8b)
July 19, 2007
9:47 AM Post #3754226
| Georgart53,
Have you thought about sanding it down and refiring it? |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 19, 2007
10:23 AM Post #3754472
| Has anyone ever had a piece sand blasted and then refired? I have heard about it but never talked to anyone that has done it. |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 19, 2007
1:43 PM Post #3755367
| No I haven't Rena, I will probably Dremel the under side of the handle though I have to fix a cup for my mom.
I've never sand blasted pottery it might take off more than you want it to. |
renatelynne
Boerne, TX
(Zone 8b)
July 19, 2007
1:47 PM Post #3755396
| I've saved many a piece with a dremel and sometimes more glaze and an additional firing. I never get what I started out to get but sometimes get something more interesting. |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 21, 2007
2:31 AM Post #3761498
| yea.. My teacher was one to not try and save anything, so I am torn between working to save it and chucking it and starting over.
|
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
July 21, 2007
11:28 AM Post #3762237
| My second teacher wouldn't let beginners fire anything for their first 2 semesters. I was very thankful I was not a beginner when I joined his class! |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 21, 2007
5:52 PM Post #3763327
| That's pretty harsh. Ive heard that some pottery teachers in Japan will not let students do anything but center the first year.
speaking of centering .. I have the hardest time centering. I had to level my wheel stand as the floor was not level, But I still have problems centering. I don't know if maybe my actual wheel is out of level. Or else my bats are warped. But at this point I am getting very frustrated. |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
July 22, 2007
12:27 AM Post #3764371
| Even if your bats are warped and your wheel is off-center, my most recent teacher convinced me (and demonstrated it) it's still possible to center the clay. I brace my elbows against my knees if I have clay that's hard to center. Is it possible you're getting air trapped under the lump on the wheelhead? That will make it really challenging! |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 22, 2007
7:00 AM Post #3764616
| I don't know what it is, but it's getting very frustrating. I may be just "trying" too hard. |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
July 22, 2007
11:48 PM Post #3767685
| If your clay is kinda hard, try something softer----even too mushy to throw---to get the feel of centering again. I know it'll make you crazy! |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 23, 2007
8:02 PM Post #3770897
| all my clay is hard-ish .. because it's been out there for so long.. In an old fridge.
but this the other day was soft. I don't think I wedge good enough. Man I wish I had a pug mill. ... aggggg. |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
July 23, 2007
8:08 PM Post #3770918
| I wish you lived close enough I could pug your clay for you!! I used to lug all my scraps to school in the trunk of my car in 5-gallon buckets, pug them up, and then lug the pugged clay home. Once I got it home, I had to wedge it, of course, before I could use it. I used a LOT of "class scraps" and these kids would leave sponges, tools, paper towels, pieces of chamois...it was always a mess. But it was just about free, so I was more than willing to deal with it! |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 25, 2007
12:33 AM Post #3776501
| LOL one of my friends at college dropped a ruler into our clay mixer. So an entire batch of clay had bits of wooden ruler in it that we all had to pick out.
And right now I've lost one of my chamois bits. I'll find it when I recycle the bucket.
My dad has a auger and if he was up to it like he would have been when he was about my age.. he would figure out how to use it to pug clay, but he doesn't have the energy to think about it now. Oh well . I'll just have to wedge and wedge and wedge.. :( |
claywoman
Edgerton, MO
(Zone 5b)
July 25, 2007
2:06 AM Post #3776651
| Wow...I'm excited I found this thread! I've been haunting this website due to my horticultural addiction for several years but never thought about clicking around for this subject!!!! It's too late to read details tonight BUT...just to introduce myself: I too am a clay addict! Got a BFA from University of Kansas in Ceramic Design...haven't been doing it lately but don't have any good excuses. Been working on a studio to get the materials out of this house...bought an old house next door and getting ready to move my stuff over there. Saw "imapigeon" has a gas kiln & does cone 9...I'm jealous...I could do Japanese/Chinese glazes & ware the rest of my life. Love the aesthetic. Recipes out the ying yang from college. Would really like to do a Japanese garden near my studio. I do Cone 6 at this time, but am considering doing Cone 9 oxidation, forget the life of the kiln & do it without reduction. I got started because I LOVED FLOWER POTS!!! I don't have a slab roller but want one...do have an extruder & husband is a tool/die maker, so plan to have him make me some interesting dies for bonsai planters. (Market for these???) The Peter Pugger sounds excellent. I slobber over these tools in all my magazine subscriptions!! I am going to become a regular here...as soon as I'm moved into the studio, I'll be ready to share recipes; they're buried right now! (I'm a glaze-testaholic) {The photos I've included are my some cone 04's I did last.) 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
renatelynne
Boerne, TX
(Zone 8b)
July 25, 2007
12:41 PM Post #3777870
| those are nice. I know there is a yahoo group where I am forever seeing used pugs and rollers and such. If you are interested let me know and I will look it up. |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
July 25, 2007
3:42 PM Post #3778579
| oooh---nice pots! Welcome! Don't wait for your studio to chat with us, either! I've gotten some great suggestions that helped me set mine up. |
claywoman
Edgerton, MO
(Zone 5b)
July 25, 2007
10:12 PM Post #3780087
| Don't worry, I'm on this forum unless you throw me off!...I read all the posts, and am excited to find you, esp. on a gardening website. I need flowers for perfect beauty!!! To be honest with you, I get worn out with my magazines (I take 3: CM, PMI, C-Times.) I've started calling alot of the work "circus acts" because in alot of cases it seems to be "I can jump higher than you can." I like to talk clay philosophy too...maybe too much university!!!!!! My dream is a wood kiln. (We burn wood for heat, so VERY familiar with cutting, carrying, labor of it, etc...have lots of ash if anyone wants some!!!!!!!) I actually shouldve posted the cone 6 pics, maybe later. I'm interested in the used pugger idea...that mixing by hand gets old. I have a batch of 04 red I mixed in a big trash can that has tiny green plastic shreds in it (they melt out fine) from where I hit it with the mixer!! They're a pain during throwing!! (Oh the woes of the poor potter!!!)
Has any of you used paper clay? My supplier (driving distance) doesn't carry it, & the shipping on it from Axner was ridiculous, so I just got a sample. Haven't tried it yet. I am very curious about it...it sounds fantastic for sculpture. I tried "melting down" some egg cartons like the Gault gal suggest, but my cartons wouldn't break down...has anyone done this??? Be looking forward to a reply!! |
claywoman
Edgerton, MO
(Zone 5b)
July 25, 2007
10:16 PM Post #3780101
| Oh, and I DO want to discuss the arrangement of the studio for smoothness of operation soon...I might draw the interior of the building, etc. scan & post it so you all (sorry! I'm from Missouri!) could give me some ideas... |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 27, 2007
12:02 PM Post #3785706
| I just buy my clay from a place in Dallas and have it shipped over. I live about 2 hours away.. and that is driving distance, but I HATE driving in Dallas. So if I get over 500 lbs.. the shipping is cheaper.
Paper clay , no I haven't used it. We did use a paper clay repair stuff in college. But I don't remember the recipe. I make my slip out of vinegar, sodium silicate, clay and water.. But I remember that my teacher put in some kind of fibers.
I keep keep the majority of the unopened clay in the fridge, but I think I need to give it a look at and see if I need to dip the blocks in some water to soften them.. It's been out there at least 2 years.
Now that my hubby has started his new job, I can order some more glaze material.. for those recipes that Ima posted. Especially the rutile.
My centering is no better.. I am trying to throw off a lump I though maybe that way at least I can center the top of the lump and the cut off the pot. But I either get the bottom too thick or too thin.. no bottom.. lol
Haven't tried the melting of the egg cartons.. you may have to get them soggy and put them in a blender?? or use your big mixer. Do you add the paper to the clay? And then sculpt it?
|
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
July 27, 2007
4:08 PM Post #3786539
| I think one of my books has a recipe for paper clay. I'll see if I can find it.
I made paperCRETE from Tomtom's recipe [HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com] and I'm working on some molded spheres I plan to paint for the garden. I intend to use the same molds for glazed clay spheres, but haven't gotten that round tuit yet. The molds are plastic, and I don't know how well they will work for clay. I am a sucker for spheres in the garden, but they've got to be really round, and I can't throw that well!~ |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
July 28, 2007
1:21 PM Post #3789456
| Welcome claywoman, I am been on a 'sick leave' so haven't met you before.
First of all I told one and all I was going to do a smoke firing and photograph it. Well instead I got Lyme's disease and have slept most of the time since I was here last. I am going back to bed soon.
I did try paper clay for sculpture. It is strong and light, but I didn't like working with it. I used a recipe from a library book that called for soaking a whole roll of T.P. in a bucket of water, taking the center roll out, pouring most of the water off and then mixing in dried clay to the consistency you wanted. I have seen some beautiful things made from it and you can work very thin if you want to. |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
July 28, 2007
2:33 PM Post #3789675
| We've missed you, Pauline----hope you feel better soon!
I just finished spraying peppermint soap solution all over my succulents, and about drowning my staghorn fern in it. I knew there was something wrong with it, and today I discovered a major infestation of mealybugs. YECH! If my eyesight weren't going down the tubes, I probably would have seen it weeks ago...sigh.
I'm going to work in the yurtio this weekend. I've got a batch of 2" tiles cut that I need to clean, glaze & paint for my tile sidewalk project. After that I want to try molding a leaf from one of my elephant ears, and see if I can throw something worth firing. With any luck, maybe I'll end up with something good enough to post! |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
July 28, 2007
8:04 PM Post #3790607
| Lymes wow I hope you're ok.
just the thought of soggy tp ... doesn't appeal to me. |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
August 2, 2007
11:15 PM Post #3811980
| I mixed up some Spearmint glaze tonight. I"d made it before like in the pitcher attached and I honestly think that I have another color under that one. So I hope this one turns out. I added some Tit dio to it and hope it adds more "solidness" to the glaze. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
August 3, 2007
11:59 AM Post #3813462
| Oooh, let us know how that turns out!
This is what I've been working on recently---pot feet! I got one batch finished and painted and fired. I'm working on a second batch---too many of these ones were too narrow. They work, but they're not real stable. I'm working on some wider ones that are still green. I added ridges to the back part where the pot sits on this batch; we'll see how that works. I think I need to make the back part longer, too, so it goes back farther under the pot.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
renatelynne
Boerne, TX
(Zone 8b)
August 3, 2007
1:14 PM Post #3813709
| wow... I wish I had a mold of that. Those are great. |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
August 3, 2007
2:17 PM Post #3813936
| Thanks! After I get the basic shape so it really works well, I'll see about making a mold. Right now these are pretty labor-intensive. I'm extruding them, but the die is just Masonite (for testing). I had two different shapes, but one of the dies "exploded" on me the other day when I was extruding. I tried making some of the first batch hollow, but they wouldn't hold their shape. I think when I get the outline shape right, that hollow-walled ones might be easy to press-mold and would be just as strong as solid ones. I'm drilling each hole with my cordless drill, just trying to make sure they get dry all the way thru and have a little less mass to fire. It's a pain--LOL!! If they were molded, they'd all match, too, which is hard to do with the extrusions. I'll keep posting my progress----please make suggestions if any ideas occur to you!
I really like having something under my pots so they don't make those nasty rings on the concrete. I used to use drain-dishes, but the plants didn't like it that much, and the bugs DID. I tried propping some of my bigger pots on blocks of wood, and the plants seemed happier. So I decided to try making something more "me", and this is what I came up with. (I glazed and painted these to match my tiles.) |
renatelynne
Boerne, TX
(Zone 8b)
August 3, 2007
2:40 PM Post #3814018
| I have to agree about the nasty rings... I have some of my pots on wheels but the others just sit there. Very nice feet |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
August 5, 2007
3:08 PM Post #3820998
| well ... I had something butted against the pop open switch and my kiln stayed on all night. I didn't know what to expect for the day I had to wait for it all to cool down before I opened the kiln, but most everything was ok.. two things stuck to the shelves and will have to be tossed, but the bread bakers which were unglazed did fine. Other things have a sort of uniform dark brown look. But white did ok.
So lesson learned.. but You'll have to wait for the picture of the spearmint glaze. Those do look great (the feet) Real good job.
|
renatelynne
Boerne, TX
(Zone 8b)
August 7, 2007
12:31 PM Post #3828651
| I did that once. I have a full load of low fire wear fired at a high fire temp. Was able to save about 1/2 of the stuff... the other stuff was too far melted or messed up to salvage. |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
August 7, 2007
12:57 PM Post #3828759
| I like those feet, what a good idea. |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
August 10, 2007
9:27 AM Post #3839796
| I was afraid it would all be a pile of goo. I remember when people would sneak stuff into the hi fire kiln at school and it would melt down like marshmallow all over other peoples work. I was afraid almost every time we opened a kiln, as it happened quite often. But luckily the clay held up. The two stilts I'd put on one piece melted and the glaze ran off of three of them .. One I can grind the bottom but the other two were ruined.. I'm still chiseling off the glaze.
Right now I am working on some pastel paintings. So I haven't been doing any clay. |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
August 10, 2007
1:06 PM Post #3840620
| Speaking of kiln disasters, one of my instructors was firing a C10 load and forgot to turn it off on Saturday night. She came in on Monday and it was still firing... She figured it fired to about C15. What a nightmare!! Shelves sagged, collapsed and fused together---and there was not a salvageable piece in the load. We all felt SOOO bad for the beginner students. On the bright side, she had a summer kiln-building workshop, and I learned a lot!
Has anyone used stilts for high-fire?
I have a stoneware project in the works that I want to glaze all over, and I'm wondering if the stilts I used for low-fire cast glaze firing at C06 would hold up, or if I'd just be asking for trouble to use those stilts in a C10 firing. |
renatelynne
Boerne, TX
(Zone 8b)
August 10, 2007
3:26 PM Post #3841162
| you can NOT stilt a high firing. The stilts will insert into the wear. |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
August 10, 2007
4:01 PM Post #3841339
| Good to know---saves me a test-firing. Thanks! |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
August 11, 2007
12:06 AM Post #3843262
| my stilts are for 6 cone. but I know I had that puppy up to a ten the other night.. Don't wanna do that again.
I just hope my elements didn't burn out.. Haven't tried to fire it up since then.
|
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
August 14, 2007
9:09 AM Post #3855469
| I got back to clay on Sunday after 4 weeks away. I had Lyme Disease. Boy did the clay on my hands feel good. |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
August 14, 2007
10:38 AM Post #3855779
| Welcome back, Pauline! We missed you! Working on anything in particular? |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
August 14, 2007
10:47 AM Post #3855811
| I am working on the third piece in my series of 3 garden sculptures. Number 1 is close to the top of this page, number 2 is waiting to be installed and I am on the second piece for number 3. |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
August 14, 2007
12:31 PM Post #3856093
| Can't wait to see more photos!
I did some throwing 2 weekends ago, and did my first bisque-firing in a year (I single-fire my tiles to C10). In that load were 2 elephant ear impressions I did a loooong time ago----before the yurt was done. No cracks in bisque; we'll see how they survive glaze-firing. Now if I can just find that green glaze I wanted to use on them... |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
August 22, 2007
1:48 PM Post #3886686
| HEY! what's going on with every one?
My kids are here from Mississippi so Im not doing too much out in the studio.. |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
August 22, 2007
3:16 PM Post #3886997
| I am being lazy |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
August 22, 2007
9:35 PM Post #3888439
| Pauline, I hope you're all recovered?
I've just been glazing tiles and pot feet with white glaze, preparing to paint designs on them with cobalt oxide. Not very interesting. Glazing is one of my least favorite things...I don't even like glazing my pots---by the time I get them bisqued, I just want them to be DONE, already LOL!!
It's hotter than blazes here this week, and when I'm not at work, I just want to sit in the courtyard where it's cool, drink an adult beverage and read a good book. It's not comfortable outside (or in the yurt) until 11:00 p.m., and that's waaaay too late for me to be up when I have to leave the house at 6:00 a.m. the next day. Hopefully it will cool off soon...
|
claywoman
Edgerton, MO
(Zone 5b)
October 16, 2007
1:56 AM Post #4088175
| Hi...yes, I too like the pot feet. Nice chinese or delft-type brushwork! What I'm wondering is about your plants...do you just let the plant water drain & let that be it then, since you use these feet? What about wintertime inside? I've got SO many plants, many large that I've had for YEARS. Each has it's own needs, own personality, but all have a drain bowl or plate. I may be "bad" but I use a systemic poison, sometimes even malathion in the plant water to kill all the insects that live in the pot and pot bottom!!! I HATE insects on my potted plants.
Good to be back and hear ceramic talk...awful stories about the kiln meltdowns! Yes, I have a Cone 6 stoneware flower pot with a cone 04 stilt melted into the bottom of it...gives it character! Hey, you *can* stilt your C9/10 stuff but you have to make your stilts out of the same clay you're going to stilt, and the "stilts" have to be more like mega crutches or props. It's all experimental...just be willing to lose your stuff...remembering you didn't have it when you started! It's all up to the Kiln Gods!!! |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
October 16, 2007
10:24 AM Post #4088947
| I'm with you---I also hate dealing with the critters and the goo that builds up in the drain dishes. I do just let my pots drain, as all the ones with feet are outside. I don't have a lot of indoor plants. I try to be the queen of organic, but I just bought some systemic to deal with the mealybugs on my precious succulents.
I did a firing over the weekend, and it went pretty well. I ended up posting pictures in another thread, so I'll just put a link here. My latest set of pot feet fired well, and I'll be replacing the pieces of wood under some of my stuff soon. I got good body reduction, and the stuff from the bottom to the upper middle fired to C11, but the top 2 shelves didn't even get to C8. I think I need to buy some more of the new smaller shelves that I tried with this load. Sigh...guess I'll have keep the day job!
[HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com] |
Georgart53
Clifton, TX
November 5, 2007
11:45 AM Post #4159922
| I have not done anything with clay except try to make a porcelain rose about 3 weeks ago. One of my dishes i made that turned out really well, I love the way it looks I like the glaze but a little 2 inch piece popped off the rim and I am trying to figure out how to cover it up.
Other than that, I have been either in bed, going to the chiarpractor (sp) . This past weekend we rearranged our big room so I am sore and tired.
Maybe if I can get my house straightened out, I'll be able to get out to the studio without guilt.
I have chronic fatigue though so two or three days work.. == two or three days out of it. |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
November 5, 2007
1:15 PM Post #4160165
| Georgart, I've never experienced CFS----from everything I've read, it must be really difficult. Hope you feel better soon!
zen, the spirit house you posted on one of the Flowerpot Cafe threads [HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com] inspired me to do a little handbuilding over the weekend.
Sheesh, am I out of practice!! I made a wee building that started out to be a castle, and morphed into something else. We'll see if it survives bisque! I'll need several more things to make a load, so it may be a while...
I haven't been throwing lately----been working on tiles for my inside stair risers (all the same triangle shape, all will be plain blue glaze...not very interesting!) I've also decided to tile the concrete base of my wedging table, so I'm working on some of those just for a little variety!
I got a Japanese glaze-blower on Friday---anyone ever used one of those? I'm always looking for new and better ways to glaze!
Well, back to work... |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
November 5, 2007
1:26 PM Post #4160218
| I have a Chinese glaze blower it is relatively easy to use once you get the hang of it. This is the link to where I got it. Scroll down the page the one there is galvanized, mine is brass. This is quite a place to get tools most are very nice as well as cheap.
[HYPERLINK@www.chineseclayart.com]
I am glad I inspired you to try some handbuilding.
Here is the piece I am currently working on. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
November 5, 2007
5:22 PM Post #4161111
| Yes, that's VERY similar----the one I got is more open: Here's a link---go all the way to the bottom---it's the Siphon Blower [HYPERLINK@www.baileypottery.com]
I haven't tried it yet---glad to know you like yours.
"Your" legs look great!
|
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
November 5, 2007
5:26 PM Post #4161129
| I would say they must work on the same principal. |
thatswho
Endicott, NY
January 7, 2008
3:15 AM Post #4370283
| I'm sorry if I'm in the wrong place. I just stumbled on this site, and found your claylover's topics. I don't see any place to start a new thread, yet there seem to be all types of questions, and your group seems friendlier than others I've found, so I'm just going to jump in.
I had a couple of summers in a pottery class a few years ago, but never did any actual firing. Now I've bought myself 2 used kilns, one a Paragon Q11A for metal clay, glass, enamel, and maybe beads. The other is a Skutt 181 with a kiln sitter. This question I have must be so elementary that it's not even mentioned anywhere, but this sitter seems to consist of two boxes, one on the top ring, and one on the bottom. I want to separate the rings to move the kiln, but they don't come apart at the sitter, and I don't want to force it. It would make sense if there were simply a plug holding the two boxes together, but I don't know, and can't seem to find out what actually joins them. Here is the picture as seen on ebay You can't see the red sitter boxes too well, but it's still probably better than my description. (The seller doesn't remember how it comes apart.)
I've spent days looking for an answer, with no luck.
I'd be grateful for any help. ... Harriet
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
January 7, 2008
9:44 AM Post #4370644
| Harriet,
This is the place to come, and yes we are friendly.
I have used skutt kilns for years and have one myself. Mine has a similar kiln sitter. to get inside of it and disconnect the wires you take the 4 screws out that hold the red boxes on and you will see what you need to do. On mine I keep my red boxes staggered so they are easier to get apart. Mine have long enough cords between them to do that. I have three rings so thus 3 boxes.
I went onto Skutts site and did a search for a 181, this is what I got. I admit I didn't read any of it. You should be able to download a instruction manual for it on the site as well. The people at Skutt are very helpful so if you can't find the answer to your questions and we can either give them a call. So far I have only done that once, they sure were nice about it.
[HYPERLINK@www.sitelevel.com]
By the way I love Skutt kilns. Since I started with a kiln sitter I haven't looked into converting mine to a computer or buying a different kiln.
The book I find invaluable for firing is "Electric Kiln Ceramics" by Richard Zakin
Any other questions?
|
katiebear
mulege
(Mexico)
January 7, 2008
1:11 PM Post #4371364
| A free kiln is being offered at craigslist.org in the San Diego area.
katiebear |
thatswho
Endicott, NY
January 7, 2008
9:05 PM Post #4373275
| Thank you, zenpotter,
Well, I found out that my Skutt 181 kiln sitter just unplugs. Sometimes I'm just too cautious. I want to know exactly how to do something, including everything that could possibly go wrong, before I make a move. Of course that's impossible, so it naturally takes me a very long time to do anything at all. :o|
Thanks for the downloads link. I had most of them, but there was a new one there. I also emailed Skutt about a pdf that wouldn't come up. They sent their phone #, so, since you said they were very helpful, I gave it a try. They are going to send me a manual specifically for the 181! Apparently they don't have it in pdf format, which seems odd, since the 181 still seems to be a popular model. They said they stopped making it 35 years ago.
I've ordered the Richard Zakin book, 2nd edition. I'm thinking that this kiln is so old, maybe I should have ordered the first edition.
In any case, I'll have plenty of time to read, and see what needs fixing on my "new" kiln, (besides an obvious bulging element), since I will be using it on an outside stone terrace. If it, and I, were all set to go, it would actually be possible to fire it today. It's in the fifties here in my part of NY state today!
I'll be watching your group, or thread, or whatever it is, (I haven't really figured that out yet), for more useful info., and I'm sure you'll get more pleas for advice from me. ...Harriet |
imapigeon
Gilroy, CA
(Zone 9a)
January 7, 2008
9:52 PM Post #4373565
| Harriet, glad to have you on board! This thread hasn't have a lot of activity, but what it gets is "cherce" LOL! Feel free to ask questions & post your work. There are a lot of experienced clay junkies here!
P.S. Have to share that I fired my little gas kiln on Christmas Eve, and it was the VERY BEST firing I've had----C 9-10 from the bottom all the way to the top! I was absolutely thrilled; it was one of my best Christmas presents! I had a few pots in it that came out OK (the bottom of one was cracked from "someone" doing too much trimming) and a bunch of tiles that came out great.
Right now I'm working on some curved earthenware tiles and small C10 cobalt blue triangles that will go on the risers for our front landing, which just got done in Saltillo tile (along with our living room----the kitchen and family room are next). I'm hoping by the end of 2008 to have no wall-to-wall carpet in this house. Our front landing is curved, and DH decided I should do the riser tiles curved, rather than having the Saltillo tiles cut to fit and having all those grout lines. It's an adventure! So far I have about 10 that I think might work. I need 12, and I'll have to have extras on hand in case some get broken. Fingers crossed.
I also bisque-fired my new extruder disk for my pot feet, and the first time I used it it smashed to smithereens. So I've made 3 more that I'm going to fire all the way to C10 and see if they hold up. I was utterly bummed about that. "But the BOOK said"...LOL!!!
This message was edited Jan 7, 2008 6:11 PM |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
January 8, 2008
8:44 AM Post #4374805
| Ima, I am glad your firing went well. Have you installed any more tiles? Such ambition to tile all of those floors.
I got excited when I started to read about the fired extruder disk until I got to the smithereens part. Let us know how the cone 10 ones go.
Harriet, I am sure the 2nd edition will work just fine. All kidding aside a skutt kiln setter is a skutt silk sitter until you move to a computerized one. The clay center here has more bad firings from the computerized ones than the old manual ones. They have both Skutt and Olympia and both fail. I havae seen the computerized ones fire so high that they melt the shelves. Talk about a mess.
I am going to start a new thread this is getting long.
|
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
January 8, 2008
8:48 AM Post #4374814
| Move on over to the new thread.
[HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com] |
claywoman
Edgerton, MO
(Zone 5b)
June 18, 2008
12:18 AM Post #5120722
| Hi. I'm sorry I haven't been here in a while, but "thangs been goin' down." Anyway, we're actively building the studio here, and due to $ constrictions, I've decided to get a Leach-style treadle wheel built...wanted one since being exposed to Clary Illian's work. Would anyone here have plans for a treadle wheel by any chance or know a link where I might find them. I've got one set from a potter in Australia which are good, but rather unclear visually, and located another plan but can't relocate the website. I have a master wood craftsman & a tool and die maker who are going to do the building, but the wood man has never even SEEN a potter's wheel except maybe in "Ghost" and the diemaker is my husband who "gets it" but doesn't throw. Being I'm the BFA prob. doesn't count for much with them cuz I'm female, but I'm paying, so I'm the queen. I need plans they will not argue with me about, or modify for reasons based on wood & steel. If they want to use white oak & stainless that's fine with me! I just want to feel like Bernard Leach's favorite grandaughter when I sit down to it...
Anyway, if anyone here could help me, I'd appreciate it. I've already dredged thru clayart & all those...due to this "addiction" I have 25 yrs. worth of Ceramics Monthlys and every copy of Pottery Illustrated & Clay Times ever published...I'm on top 'o' that type of research...could you D-Mail me if you have a tidbit of info. as I'm not even sure I can find this thread again!! THANKS.
This message was edited Jun 17, 2008 11:20 PM
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
June 18, 2008
7:59 AM Post #5121436
| Hi,
The first address is a article I found with google and the next two are from the article, I will d-mail this as well, but in case anyone else is interested I am posting it. You may have this already but here it is:
[HYPERLINK@www.llpots.com]
[HYPERLINK@www.llpots.com]
[HYPERLINK@www.llpots.com] |
