Terra Cotta: My musings on...and resulting actions with.

[HorseloverFat]

In my recent, fruitless attempts to locate rebar.. it dawned on me that my MOST successful fires in this SPECIFIC kiln, have occurred when the “fire fence” fell in and actions continued forward in more of a “pit-fire” fashion..

So armed with the information that we have been discussing in this particular thread, I planned a new fire, in theory, attempting to “approach”/build/tend to it in more of a “pit” mindset.

Also fairly certain that I was attempting to get the HEAT.. but sacrificing the TIME necessary for proper vitrification (In my conversations with @sorce ) .. so I calculated and balanced the “wood routine”...

And 2 hours in... it started to rain

1 hour in

4 hours in
5.5 hours in. (That crack becoming VERY apparent )

I ended up ceasing the feed about half an hour after that picture, actually, as is had “oranged”, and “hovered there” for a while before slight yellow lining was seen.

All cracking and rainstorms considered, I believe this to be my most successful, most “controlled” fire... I really felt “in charge” of this one.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I have been unable to access my “prime” clay gathering location due to impassibility due to high water and land erosion.. (well I could.. but not the boys.. well.. they probably COULD.. but.. )

Every time I end up in Two Creeks which was my FIRST gathering location, I think, “Yeah, I’ll take some clay from here today.. I know it’s roughly HALF as ‘good’ quality-wise, but I shall ‘suck it up’”.... then I physically SEE the clay.. and my thoughts quickly turn to... “That’s reeeal crappy (comparatively)... not even TRULY worth my time.”

So I had a little bit of one of my LEAST successful “grog” experiments..... very inconsistent.. hard to shape.. even HARDER to wrestle “straight”... but my “Clay Aiken” was restless.. so I thought I would take that “awefully difficult” batch and construct something small, a structure.. something SIMPLY to work on my hidden scored-union points... as I’ve been noticing a lot of... de-footings. So I made this little “temple”ish structure just to exercise my union points with this MUCH less-than-desireable “batch” (given it was all I had)

Just dry.. not fired.

 

[HorseloverFat]

So I slipped the “big boy pants” on, left the “Horse-admirer Skinnies” at home and hunted some clay from some semi-treacherous banks..

Here is where my “path” becomes “impassible”.. and i need to utilize my entire body to avoid taking a VERY cold “dip”.. the circled part is the vein I collect from.. cased in sandstone.. very little impurities(comparatively).

 

[leatherback]

Cool. Show ut the haol! You did not only get these few crumbs did you!?

 

[HorseloverFat]

Hehe. 35lbs of clay and 18lbs sand was all I could carry back(i had to climb the squishy cliff to get there).. aaand the clay was moist.. damnit.

Luckily that spot is only 9(ish) miles from my house.

I will return when it is a touch more dry.

 

[Crawforde]

Nice!
It will be a nice feeling to have a tree in a pot where you were involved in the creation of the whole process.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Nice!
It will be a nice feeling to have a tree in a pot where you were involved in the creation of the whole process.

Absolutely! So much fun to figure out your preferred processing method.

 

[Crawforde]

I have a couple I’ve made from collected clay, fired in my fire pit in the backyard. Small. With small sticks. But sentimentally cool. My best homemade “pots” are cement. They are cool, but not the same feeling as from the ones from our collected clay.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Yes! I like the ones I have made so far.. even though... by the time you are done with a piece (at my lowly level of experience) you are already “better” at a certain technique that makes you dislike MOST of the piece you JUST made!

Making the kiln was an ENORMOUSLY rewarding process... and makes my connection to the pieces even more special.. I still pitfire, too.. as I thoroughly enjoy it. I have a book on “Alternative Firing methods”, which gets “internally referenced” often.

I’ve always wanted to do some cement projects... what do you use for your moulds.... molds?.....

 

[Crawforde]

I usually push shapes into the ground with my fingers.
I usually start with a little pile of dirt the shape I want the inside of the container to be, then kind of draw a rim around it, then I slap on the cement mix and some wires in layers, and when reasonably happy with what I think the shape will be, I bury the whole thing in the soil, and sit it up after a few days. I’ve also done the reverse. Dig a depression for the outer shape with feet, then pour in the base, build up the sides using soil or sand to stabilize it, and then covering it up until it hardens.
I love doing it this way, as I’ve made a couple I really like, but you have no idea what the exact finished shape and texture will be until you dig it up. You just have to trust your material and your initial preparation and trust your hands to do something cool.
I shave also used Tupperware and nursery cans as molds, but really enjoy the free form ground molding process. Someday I’ll make a really nice one.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I usually push shapes into the ground with my fingers.
I usually start with a little pile of dirt the shape I want the inside of the container to be, then kind of draw a rim around it, then I slap on the cement mix and some wires in layers, and when reasonably happy with what I think the shape will be, I bury the whole thing in the soil, and sit it up after a few days. I’ve also done the reverse. Dig a depression for the outer shape with feet, then pour in the base, build up the sides using soil or sand to stabilize it, and then covering it up until it hardens.
I love doing it this way, as I’ve made a couple I really like, but you have no idea what the exact finished shape and texture will be until you dig it up. You just have to trust your material and your initial preparation and trust your hands to do something cool.
I shave also used Tupperware and nursery cans as molds, but really enjoy the free form ground molding process. Someday I’ll make a really nice one.

That....sounds... GREAT!!!!!

Next chance I get, I am going to try!

 

[HorseloverFat]

 

[sorce]

Somebody shit on the coats!

Sorce

 

[Crawforde]

View attachment 339966

I said push the shapes in with my fingers, not with my face.
although I have been known to use my face as a tool before.
that never ends well.

 

[Crawforde]

Using hands instead of the face to make shapes.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Using hands instead of the face to make shapes.

Hehe.. it was an... “error” during processing.. Spuh-LASH!!

aaaaand those are amazing! I bet that process is IMMENSELY satisfying! The “end result” has honestly blown me away!

On that same note...

Me too! Me too!

 

[HorseloverFat]

Experiments in “Alchemy”...

Will report back with results...

THIS is a WHOLE “different” obsession!

 

[HorseloverFat]

...also.

Two loads of wood.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Seriously, though..

My entire family, due to my my obsessiveness and resulting conversations, has a HUGE understanding of Alumina, Silica, low(er) fire fluxes, Chemical Analysis of varying wood/vegetable ash and it’s filtration methods...

SO MUCH FUN!!

 

[HorseloverFat]

Some reading material.. burrowed from a friend.