Leon Popik on fri 18 apr 97
Just curious......why is everyone using sawdust? I have just used leaves in
the past and have recieved better results. Sawdust always used to burn out
for me, and leave crusty areas like steve mentioned. I occasionally get
really black areas, but mostly dark brown from the smoke. If using sig or
burnishing I get fantastic patterns, sometimes images of leaves burnt right
onto pot. Firings usually only take about 4 hours then pieces can be taken
out and polished with Johnsons floor polish.
Does anybody else use leaves?
---------------- Leon Popik
Richard Gralnik on sun 20 apr 97
Try barbeque briquets. Frank Phillips, an old teacher of mine, soaks them
in solutions of water and colorant (copper carb, red iron oxide, etc).
then dries them and uses them for pit fire fuel. The colorants oxidize
and affect the surfaces of the pots. You can also throw in banana peels,
seaweed, cat food, kitty litter or whatever. For those of us in trendy
locations like LA, mesquite charcoal works great, and burns pretty hot.
Just break up the bigger chunks first.
Richard
At 06:51 AM 4/18/97 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Just curious......why is everyone using sawdust? I have just used leaves in
>the past and have recieved better results. Sawdust always used to burn out
>for me, and leave crusty areas like steve mentioned. I occasionally get
>really black areas, but mostly dark brown from the smoke. If using sig or
>burnishing I get fantastic patterns, sometimes images of leaves burnt right
>onto pot. Firings usually only take about 4 hours then pieces can be taken
>out and polished with Johnsons floor polish.
>
> Does anybody else use leaves?
>
>---------------- Leon Popik
>
>
Lisa Trocchia on thu 24 apr 97
Leon:
I pulled your message off several days ago, but was too busy to think
about responding until now. YES! I use leaves and lots of other stuff
too! I have been bisque firing my pots before pit firing (or firing in
my sawdust kiln) so the organics are mainly for decorative purposes. My
best firings have been a combination of leaves, sawdust, excelsior
(sp?), hardwood bark, pine boughs, herbs, field hay, and maybe a few
other things that seemed to be lying around looking dried and burnable!
The technique of combining "seasonal" combustables was showed to me by a
Native American woman---a handed-down procedure from the Woodland
Indians that lived in my area of Appalachian Ohio. I feel like I get a
wider range of color, smoking and marking possibilities than what I have
achieved with just sawdust. The pots I pit fire are intended to look
very old / primitive---I dig, process and mix native clays for the
body.
I do love the smell of burning leaves, anyway....a throw back to
childhood!!
Sherry mcDonald Stewart on thu 24 apr 97
I use leaves when I reduce when rakuing, certain leaves combine with the
chemicals in my glazes to create different, and predictable effects.
Sawdust firing is something else, and I need to retain the same effects
of burnished pieces, but fired to a higher temperature for a more
permanent situation. Suggestions?
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