Pottery beginnings

[sorce]

Standard 112. The came out with 710

Isn't 112 speckled? Is it not 710 to replace the ungrogged 266.
I've read/heard and have had all the same bloating problems with them all anyway.

Either way seems a slight body change to help at a fraction of what going slower can help.

History...oh it's importance.

I believe pottery was ruined when electricity had it pushed into homes for hobby/$ reasons, which lowers the responsibility to a professional Potter (who should have built his kiln anyway), which lowered the standard for pottery quality control, which ran a lot of BS rampant, and that's where the social media (fb)arguments come from! Go figure!

I think this is important for anyone to know, who cares to avoid all the lol... misinformation out there regarding Pottery.

Add on top of that, that there are no other pots in history that must span a footed distance similar to a bonsai pot, oval worse, rectangle worse yet, and it becomes easy to see why it is a "difficult endeavor". It's not.

Maybe I am not understanding you, but my processes require at least 2 firings. I don't run into any problems until 4 firings

I know you have a grasp of your method.

I don't think twice is bad, but I believe once is better, and wouldn't trust anything beyond 3 to house a tree.

@HorseloverFat of glaze....

I'm working with this cone 6 porcelain again, no grog, really dense, I was glazing a small thick roundish thing the other day and managed to throw it in my water bucket on accident, I took it out and let it dry and it was fine, so, something like this could be dunked, while other clays will crumble.
Whatever Simon Leach uses he dunks too. Of course, a round footless pot will always expand and contract much more evenly than a rectangle, though they are handled, anciently professionally handled sure.

I love this conversation.

Sorce

 

[HorseloverFat]

cone 6 porcelain

NEAT! How’s the shrinkage vs. cone 10 Porcelain?

 

[HorseloverFat]

Dunk-glazing greenware sounds SO scary!

 

[sorce]

NEAT! How’s the shrinkage vs. cone 10 Porcelain?

The 130 you have is 12% at cone 10, this 365 is13.5 at cone 6.

Sorce

 

[penumbra]

Isn't 112 speckled? Is it not 710 to replace the ungrogged 266.

I screwed the pooch on that one. Of course I meant 266 but just unloaded some 112.

I believe pottery was ruined when electricity had it pushed into homes for hobby/$ reasons, which lowers the responsibility to a professional Potter (who should have built his kiln anyway), which lowered the standard for pottery quality control, which ran a lot of BS rampant, and that's where the social media (fb)arguments come from! Go figure!

Some of the better potters I know work with wood or gas kilns and it fills me with envy. I have a small gas raku kiln that has not seen any use in 2 years, yet raku is by far my favorite expression in pottery.
And yet, having attended the East Coast Clay Conference for a number of years prior to covid, I had the opportunity to see presentations by and talk to some of the best potters in the country. Also saw many great pottery demonstrations from pottery Gods & Goddesses thru the Shen Potters Guild. Almost all of these masters worked with electric kilns.
I would absolutely love to make a larger gas kiln should I hold up long enough. But it really is about the potter, not the kiln. In fact, many wood / gas kiln people depend entirely on reduction and other glaze techniques while making fairly mediocre pots with fabulous glaze effects.
I do agree that making one's own kiln is an idea that resonates, but you may feel differently when you are in your 70s.

 

[penumbra]

Dunk-glazing greenware sounds SO scary!

Dunk glazing is not all that scary for greenware, it just means taking extra caution and working quickly. Generally it also means small pottery pieces. Applying and washing off oxides and stains is a different thing. I use two to four different oxides and stains to my pieces one at a time allowing to dry and then sponge them off under running water. You can't do this with greenware.

 

[CodeMonkey]

Dunk glazing is not all that scary for greenware, it just means taking extra caution and working quickly. Generally it also means small pottery pieces. Applying and washing off oxides and stains is a different thing. I use two to four different oxides and stains to my pieces one at a time allowing to dry and then sponge them off under running water. You can't do this with greenware.

This kind of application of oxides is something I've been trying to get my head around recently. It sounds obvious, but my attempts have been far from where I want them to be.
It also seems like a scarcely documented topic. Or at least I'm failing to find good information.

Would you happen to have any pointers, or resources you could share?

 

[penumbra]

Would you happen to have any pointers, or resources you could share?

Wish I did but honestly its trial and error for me.
I do highly recommend Mayco's pre mixed metallic oxide stains. They already have a little fixative in them so that takes a lot of the guess work out. They are very concentrated and go a long way. I use quite a bit because I make good sized pieces and use an immersion method which means most of it goes down the drain, so to speak.
I did watch a few videos on you tube awhile back, but like everything on you tube, that only goes so far.

 

[penumbra]

Just loaded my kiln for the first time in a couple of months. Will probably not fire for 2 or 3 days until temps drop a little.
Everything in the kiln will be oxide and/or stain treated after bisque. I have a couple new ideas I will share at that time.

 

[Pitoon]

Just loaded my kiln for the first time in a couple of months. Will probably not fire for 2 or 3 days until temps drop a little.
Everything in the kiln will be oxide and/or stain treated after bisque. I have a couple new ideas I will share at that time.

I miss loading the kiln myself, lol

 

[CodeMonkey]

This one took a while!

More new techniques and attempting more difficult shapes. And feet!

I'm expecting it to warp. Annoyingly one wall is slightly thinner than the others. Turns out I didn't notice the board I was rolling on is warped.

Some things I've been wondering.

1. What's the best way to clean/smooth the interior? I've just been using a wood tool and some ribs. Is it purely technique?

2. Best way to tidy drainage holes etc? Seems to take a lot of revisiting. I’ve noticed a lot of people appear to countersink them. Is this done when dry(er)?

3. Why cant I make feet the same size!

Back to some textured pots after this one!

 

[sorce]

That's nice.
Same size feet are overrated!

Best to finish all the drain holes on solid ground, and if they get knocked out building, it's too early, too wet, IMO.

A stiff base is way underrated!

Sorce

 

[HorseloverFat]

Nice!!! I like that one alot!

What clay is that?

 

[CodeMonkey]

That's nice.
Same size feet are overrated!

Best to finish all the drain holes on solid ground, and if they get knocked out building, it's too early, too wet, IMO.

A stiff base is way underrated!

Thanks Sorce!

I tend to mess the holes up attempting to clean the base. Maybe I can go a little stiffer. Cheers for the advice as usual, it's a massive help.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I’m on the hunt for a new, standard white/buff fine grog..

I will be trying some Georgies from Mwar..

I have acquired a smaller amount of Rocky Mountain Clay’s “Best Mix”, too.. I’m excited to try it out. Anyone here familiar?

I’d LIKE to find a Tennessee Ball Clay BASED fine-grogged body.. like TRUE GRAY.

 

[CodeMonkey]

Nice!!! I like that one alot!

What clay is that?

Thank you!

It's "Scarva Earthstone ES60 Smooth Textured Crank" I'm yet to fire it... But it's nice to build with. dries a light grey and fires toasted buff (apparently)

 

[CodeMonkey]

I’m on the hunt for a new, standard white/buff fine grog..

I have no clue on clay across the pond unfortunately. I barely know what I've got here

 

[HorseloverFat]

Thank you!

It's "Scarva Earthstone ES60 Smooth Textured Crank" I'm yet to fire it... But it's nice to build with. dries a light grey and fires toasted buff (apparently)

It LOOKS like it’s “nice to work with” actually!

Might have to give that company an e-mail...

 

[HorseloverFat]

Shipping would be craaaazy!!

 

[penumbra]

There are sooo many clay companies here.