Tracy Jane Jacobs on sun 8 dec 96
Hi clayart,
Could somebody tell me the best way to do a pitfiring with my beginning
ceramics class? We have lots of sawdust available, and bisqued pots. I
think I know how to do it, but I've never actually done it before, how do
you light the sawdust and keep it lit? Thanks. Please respond to my
e-mail address, not the list.
Tracy Jacobs
Joyce Lee, Jim Lee on tue 26 aug 97
As you'll become aware, Laura, it often happens that the very
information you're seeking is on the list almost immediately. Isn't
Clayart marvelous? I've been in clay 2 1/2 years and, since I'm
retirement age and the rainy day is here, I purchase videos, books,
magazines, take workshops and attend classes as well as was fortunate
enough to have a mentor for a year. All of these resources are a
wonderment and I know we're lucky to have such massive communications
about clay, but I've learned more by far from the generosity of
clayarters than from any other source. We should be so thankful to Joe,
Richard and Mary (who doesn't even do clay?} for providing this service.
Through respect for them and their monitoring, artists, craftspersons,
professionals and specialists in every aspect of clay are willing to
share with those of us who care enough to appreciate what they offer.
If only all the world were thus! I'm amazed at times that I, with my
admitted ignorance about clay (but not in every other area, guys, lest
I be unduly modest) have the nerve to ever address the group, but, there
ya' go, that's what clayart encourages in us. At least, I have the
(honest) excuse that the pros can delete me. Ok with me. Thank you to
all of you.
Joyce
Growing sentimental in the Mojave
Joyce Lee, Jim Lee on fri 10 oct 97
Anne,
The book I've enjoyed the most on pitfiring is Sawdust Firing by
Karin Hessenberg. She talks about body stains, slips, resist
techniques and fuming. She also discusses terra sigillata (sealed
earth), but if you access the Clayart archives, there is a lot more
information there on terra sig.
Joyce
In a flannel shirt in the Mojave...yessss.
Lhasha Danska on sat 9 may 98
I've had great results by scantily wrapping some steel wool strands
around the pot, placing it on newspaper, sprinkling copper carb and rock
or table salt around on the newspaper and then wrapping it all up like a
package.
The steel wool captures the copper fumes and also makes interesting
designs on the pot.
It is also helpful to dance around the pit naked a couple of times just
as the fire is lit...hey, whatever works!!! If the firing doesn't turn
out, you know you'll have to dance naked while beating a drum the next
time.
Lhasha Danska
Out in the Woods of NC
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Nils Lou on sun 10 may 98
Is there a video available? I am trying to build my collection. Nils
On Sat, 9 May 1998, Lhasha Danska wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
> I've had great results by scantily wrapping some steel wool strands
> around the pot, placing it on newspaper, sprinkling copper carb and rock
> or table salt around on the newspaper and then wrapping it all up like a
> package.
>
> The steel wool captures the copper fumes and also makes interesting
> designs on the pot.
>
> It is also helpful to dance around the pit naked a couple of times just
> as the fire is lit...hey, whatever works!!! If the firing doesn't turn
> out, you know you'll have to dance naked while beating a drum the next
> time.
>
> Lhasha Danska
> Out in the Woods of NC
>
> ______________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>
KATHLEEN hill on tue 12 may 98
Dear Beth,
Hope something here will give you some ideas:
I handbuild large asymetical vessels (up to 27" - as tall as my electric
kiln!) and also some wall pieces and free standing abstract sculptural
pieces. The free standing pieces run up to about 5 1/2 feet (built in
sections that stack)
I use low fire earthen ware and have used some raku clay. After bisquing
to 08 or 06 I apply engobes with mason stain colors and refire to 08 or
06. Then "smoke" in a barrel with nail holes around the sides and a few
in the bottom. I prop the barrel up on a few fire bricks to help air
circulate underneath.
I have found that I get better results if I use wood shavings from a
planer instead of fine sawdust, I suspect the sawdust just packs in too
tightly? I have sometimes layered the shavings and the sawdust, trying
not to pack the sawdust in. I also wrap the pieces in a layer or two of
newspaper. I do get some cracking but not much.
The mason stains do fade some, some colors more than others. I cover
parts with foil and this keeps the color from fading too much.
good luck
Kathy in Ohio
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Marcy Eady on wed 13 may 98
>
> I have found that I get better results if I use wood shavings from a
> planer instead of fine sawdust, I suspect the sawdust just packs in too
> tightly? I have sometimes layered the shavings and the sawdust, trying
> not to pack the sawdust in. I also wrap the pieces in a layer or two of
> newspaper. I do get some cracking but not much.
>
Having a large yard with lots of yard work to do, I grind up the old tree
limbs. Last weekend, planning on a pit-fire, but not soon enough, I cut
some tree limbs that needed it badly and ground them up, leaves and all.
But the wood in the sun to dry for a day ( the sun wasn't really
cooperative, but the leaves and wood dried nicely)
I loaded the "pit" a garbage can, with my leaf/wood fuel and pots. This
was my 3rd pit firing and the results were the same as with just chipped
wood. Also haven't noticed that much difference of whether I have sawdust
or not. The main difference seems to be if I use terra sig or not. That
stuff is magic to my pots. If I use it they are beautiful. If I don't,
the pots though still looking good are not as beautiful.
Marcy
Fort Walton Beach, Florida
lpskeen on tue 17 nov 98
Diane Woloshyn wrote:
>> Does this mean that the pitfire goes all the way to ^10
and the clay is vitrified or is the clay still porous or unvitrified?
Absolutely not. Higher fired claybodies are used for pitfiring because
they have a greater capacity for withstanding the thermal shock
associated with pit firing
>>Why not fire the clay to its proper cone first and then pitfire? Or would thi
Firing the clay to it's maturation temperature would cause
vitrification, so the smoke would not be able to get into the clay; it'd
just wipe off in the end.
--
Lisa Skeen ICQ# 15554910
Living Tree Pottery & Soaps http://www.uncg.edu/~lpskeen
"The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of
great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality." -- Dante
"The opportunity to be threatened, humiliated and to live in fear of
being
beaten to death is the only 'special right' our culture bestows on
homosexuals." - Diane Carman, Denver Post, October 10, 1998
Claudia O Driscoll on tue 17 nov 98
Diane,
When I do a pit firing, I bisque my pots to cone 06. Some potters bisque
lower. The lower the bisque, the blacker the results...usually. I would
not fire to maturity before a pit firing as the smoked effects would be very
slight.
claudia
Wilkinson on tue 17 nov 98
>Several people have said that they use a ^5 to ^10 clay for pitfiring and
>bisque to ^04 first. Does this mean that the pitfire goes all the way to
^10
>and the clay is vitrified or is the clay still porous or unvitrified?
Always
>thought that pitfiring didn't get that hot. Why not fire the clay to its
>proper cone first and then pitfire? Or would this prevent some of the
color
>effects from the pitfiring? Could one of you "pitfirers" tell me? Thanks
for
>your time.
>
>Diane (glad I live in Florida where it is 80 degrees, instead of No. Dak.
>where I grew up)
No it does not vitrify in the pit firing and doesn't go anywhere near that
high of a temp usually. The purpose of the 04 bisque on the high fire clay
is to help it through the thermo-shock of pit-firing and cooling. You
guessed it. If you pit-fire much hotter it will not take the color. Also,
if you have burnished you pots, you will loose the shine if bisqued higher.
Good luck!
Tim and Lori Wilkinson
Roswell NM
LorWilk@dfn.com
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Gallery/1165
>
Vince Pitelka on tue 17 nov 98
>Several people have said that they use a ^5 to ^10 clay for pitfiring and
>bisque to ^04 first. Does this mean that the pitfire goes all the way to ^10
>and the clay is vitrified or is the clay still porous or unvitrified? Always
>thought that pitfiring didn't get that hot. Why not fire the clay to its
>proper cone first and then pitfire? Or would this prevent some of the color
>effects from the pitfiring?
Dianne -
Pitfiring requires a high-thermal-shock body, and as you probably know it is
not a suitable firing approach for any kind of functional wares (as for
serving wet foods). Porous bisque-fired clay is very
thermal-shock-resistant, whereas vitrified high-fired clay is not, and would
not survive the pitfire. Most people use a bisque-fired high-fire claybody
for pitfiring, to insure that it remains highly porous and therefore very
thermal-shock-resistant during the firing.
Also, you are correct in assuming that a tight, vitrified surface would not
be receptive to color in the pitfiring.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
Home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801, fax 615/597-6803
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Milton Markey on tue 17 nov 98
Hi Diane!
One bisque-fires ware at a low temperature (cones 04-06) before pit firing or
raku firing for the same reason one bisques wares that will be fired to a
higher cone: to stabilize the clay, but allowing the piece to be porous enough
to accept glazes, stains, or other colorants.
Typically, pit firing is a low-fire technique (not much higher than cone 08).
The pieces which are pit-fired are not vitrified, and they can be fragile.
Generally speaking, one applies slips and burnishes the surface, prior to pit-
firing. This technique gives the pit-fired pieces their "shine" and a smooth
surface.
Milton MiltonsLin@AOL.COM
Yucca Valley, CA
Jim Brooks on tue 17 nov 98
Diane,, the pitfire does not go to cone 10.. using a pyrometer.. it goes to
about 1800 degrees F........the clay remains immature...If you fire to cone
5-10.. as a bisque temp, the clay may not be able to handle the shock of the
pit fire. and you would have more broken and cracked pieces... Pitfired is
not the choice for functional pottery.. but it serves its prupose well...You
cant use water in the pit fired piece..as it will seep through the clay. But,
the results of the pit fire may give you a reason to continue to do
them..usually great colors and flashing...
Richard Ramirez on tue 17 nov 98
Diane,
I believe, many feel that higher the cone, the stronger it should be. Also,
they could be throwing with it lately and it could just be there!
Pitfiring normally doesn't get that high of 'a cone firing unless you start
to insulate...Porous is good... for carbon absorption...burnish it..black as
jet on a silvery night. Too bad, city fire dept. doesn't like stuff like
that..Anyone have good thoughts on ways to control smoke through a 7 hour
school day? Would enjoy to hear your ideas on it....Love to smoke!.. "The
Claystalker"
Ray Gonzalez on sun 23 apr 00
for all those interested (and i have had many more replys than i thought
i would :) i am putting together a webpage with information. (as much
as i know.) Believe me i am no pro.. just a student with a couple of
years of successful firings. we go out 2x a year. i try to go out
another couple of times and get some work done away from helping my
peers. one thing i did not share though and the thing that i find is
the key, (dont know if this is common knowledge or not) is to bisque to
012. i will have all the info on the page and will give you the address
when it is up. hopefully the next few days as i mentioned.
happy easter
ray
Andrew Clift on mon 24 apr 00
Hi Ray,
Just wanted to let you know that pit-fire info is
available all over the net already. Although the more
opinions and options that you can find on the net, the
better. So please do set the site up. To see a list of
sites dedicated to pit firing go to
http://claystation.com/tech/firing/pit.html
Make sure to check my section on pit-firing. Click on
the picture at the bottom of the page will lead you
there.
Good luck with the site,
Andy Clift
--- Ray Gonzalez wrote:
> ----------------------------Original
> message----------------------------
> for all those interested (and i have had many more
> replys than i thought
> i would :) i am putting together a webpage with
> information. (as much
> as i know.) Believe me i am no pro.. just a student
> with a couple of
> years of successful firings. we go out 2x a year.
> i try to go out
> another couple of times and get some work done away
> from helping my
> peers. one thing i did not share though and the
> thing that i find is
> the key, (dont know if this is common knowledge or
> not) is to bisque to
> 012. i will have all the info on the page and will
> give you the address
> when it is up. hopefully the next few days as i
> mentioned.
>
> happy easter
> ray
>
=====
Andy Clift
Redlands CA
(909) 307-6346
ClayStation.com cyberspace's Grand Central Station for
Ceramic Arts. The home page is at http://www.claystation.com
To read Andy's Online Ceramic Art newsletter The ClayStation
Conveyor go to http://www.claystation.com/conveyor.html
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Ronda Clark on wed 22 aug 01
Most of my firings are pitfirings. I have done this for about 9 years and use
any wood I can find. The type of wood does not seem to be as important as
what is next to the pots such as sawdust, leaves, straw. I have better luck
if I have small pieces of wood to go in next to the pots with larger pieces
over that. I use copper carbonate and some salt and am always experimenting
with different things to see what effect it has. Good luck in this process
and feel free to email me off list with questions.
Ronda lurking in western Colorado enjoying a cloudy cooler day!
Elca Branman on fri 19 oct 01
I've used aluminum foil on some, and slip(on bisqued pots) on others
It works well, but it is no reliable as to be dependable..
. Any ideas on masking or an address for Urlacher?
> Thanks, 'Nita
>
>
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Elca Branman.. in Sarasota,Florida,USA
elcab1@juno.com
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Anita M. Swan on fri 19 oct 01
Just bought a copy of "Barrel, Pit and Saggar Firing" because I LOVE the piece on
the front. I do a lot of pit firing, make and use gallons of terra sig (thanks,
Vince), sometimes 'smoke' pieces for a lighter effect. But how did Rebecca
Urlacher mask the areas of that pot that are left white? Tried to write her at U
of Oregon - email address I got from the archives, but the message came back
'undeliverable'. Any ideas on masking or an address for Urlacher? Thanks, 'Nita
Yakimono Toki Studio on sun 25 apr 04
Maggie,
I think you will find the following link a wonderful place to investigate
pit firing techniques. Spend some time there and let me know if there are
additional questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Yakimono
http://www.claystation.com/technical/firing/pit_techniques/intro.html
Fred Hagen on sun 25 apr 04
Maggie,
There are many things that you can add to your pit. What I do is to trail 1st some salt , then on top of the salt a trail of Copper Carb, then on top of those add a trail of Copper Sulfate. The Copper Sulfate must be granular ( small pieces) its blue. I get it from Garden Supply stores --it can be used in some fashion with home gardens and is mostly available in the spring. You must be careful not to have any of these added materials touch the pots as it will make a blemish --you're only interested in the fumes.
Before you put the pots in you can burnish them ( at the bone dry state) Prior to the burnishing I add terra sig white base or red base (redart clay) If you need the reciepe for the sig let me know. I get the fire going well then cover the pit with a piece of metal --I get the siding from pole barns. It will smoke a lot but thats what you want.
When I pull the pots out the next day they need to be cleaned -- I dust off any of the lose residue from the pots with a piece of flannel then I wax the pot --some use bees wax but I have found that Johnsons wax in a spray can will do nicely as well. You then buff with the flannel to get a nice shine.
I have found that pots with a small opening at the top are better candidates for this process as the coloring fumes go up and not down into the pots --its also difficult to put the T. Sig in the pots and shine like above . I leave them natural and if pot has small opening 3 to 4 inches max or smaller, the inside is not distracting.
Good Luck.
Fred Hagen
Maggie Woodhead wrote:
Hello and Kia Ora,
We have a pitfiring at the group next week and would like to know any of the exciting additions that can be made to a pot for colour and pattern. I am not sure if the term pitfiring is the one used in America for instance and this may be why I have not found anything in the archives that will help. What we do is lay all the pots inside a brick container on the ground and surround them with sawdust and other burnable materials finishing with a good cover of wood. The whole thing is lit and left to burn opening it the next day. I have heard of lots of ideas for material to put near or on the pots but can not recall many of them. Things such as dung, seaweed, horsehair, all a bit not to hand! What about leaves? or fern materials?
If anyone has seen the results of anything similar I would love to hear from you.
Regards and Best wishes Maggie
maggie.w@paradise.net.nz
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Maggie Woodhead on sun 25 apr 04
Hello and Kia Ora,
We have a pitfiring at the group next week =
and would like to know any of the exciting additions that can be made to =
a pot for colour and pattern. I am not sure if the term pitfiring is =
the one used in America for instance and this may be why I have not =
found anything in the archives that will help. What we do is lay all =
the pots inside a brick container on the ground and surround them with =
sawdust and other burnable materials finishing with a good cover of =
wood. The whole thing is lit and left to burn opening it the next day. =
I have heard of lots of ideas for material to put near or on the pots =
but can not recall many of them. Things such as dung, seaweed, =
horsehair, all a bit not to hand! What about leaves? or fern materials?
If anyone has seen the results of anything similar I would love to hear =
from you. =20
Regards and Best wishes Maggie
maggie.w@paradise.net.nz
Fred Hagen on thu 13 may 04
You can also use Copper Sulfate which will add to the color. First trail the salt, then the Cu Carb, then the Cu Sulfate in about equal portions one on top of the other. These compounds fume which is what you want but don't let it touch the pot or it will leave a spot. For the antique look you can soak some material in salt water ( I use spanish moss --from garden store) then wrap the soaked material around the piece --it will give you a spotted matte antique look like it was made by the Romans.
Good Luck --let me know how it goes.
Fred Hagen
Maggie Woodhead wrote:
Hello and Kia Ora,
Well the pitfiring was cancelled due to rain and when the new date came around Derek was under the weather and I was not able to go. However I had left a pot there, the group kindly put it in for me and I picked it up recently. Tried out the salt and copper carbonate mix and the wire someone recommended, also wrapped it in newspaper. End result very interesting and some black and white patterning which I am pleased with. Unfortunately did the old thing and did not keep good record of what I actually put on, (ouch). However thanks to clayarters advice have more interesting patterning than any other time previously. Hope for another pitfiring to keep better records and more control of the materials. Had no bananas and am keen to try them next. Thanks guys.
Regards and Best wishes Maggie
maggie.w@paradise.net.nz
______________________________________________________________________________
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
Maggie Woodhead on fri 14 may 04
Hello and Kia Ora,
Well the pitfiring was cancelled due to rain =
and when the new date came around Derek was under the weather and I was =
not able to go. However I had left a pot there, the group kindly put it =
in for me and I picked it up recently. Tried out the salt and copper =
carbonate mix and the wire someone recommended, also wrapped it in =
newspaper. End result very interesting and some black and white =
patterning which I am pleased with. Unfortunately did the old thing and =
did not keep good record of what I actually put on, (ouch). However =
thanks to clayarters advice have more interesting patterning than any =
other time previously. Hope for another pitfiring to keep better =
records and more control of the materials. Had no bananas and am keen =
to try them next. Thanks guys.
Regards and Best wishes Maggie
maggie.w@paradise.net.nz
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