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translucent porcelain

updated tue 30 apr 96

 

ARoth25182 on sun 17 mar 96

Can anyone Help Me.
I'm looking for a translucent porcelain body to fire in the cone 8-10
range(ie the upper limit for electric firing)and which is sutable for
throwing.

I am currently trying to develope a series of porcelain lamps, nightlights
and candle holders with translucent porcelain.
I currently use a tile clay based porcelain which works well and is
slightly translucent. However #6 tile clay contains alot of titanium
which tends to opacify things. I can throw very
thin but only on small pieces (ie < 6")
If any one has a good translucent throwing body
I would appreciate hearing from you.

Andy Roth,
Saratoga Pottery
:-)

LionArtLtd@aol.com on mon 18 mar 96

I have used a cone 9 to 10 translucent body that worked very well. It should
meet your needs. It is a body developed by Tom Coleman and can be purchased
through Laguna Clay.

Good Luck, Leo Peck Home Page-key word "Tiles on the web" in the "Tile
Studio" heading.

dannon@ns1.koyote.com on mon 18 mar 96

The Alfred porcelain (from Cushing's handbook):

Grolleg 55
Kona F-4 Spar 20
Flint 12
Pyrax 13
Macaloid 2


For more translucency:

Grolleg 50
Kona F-4 30
Flint 20
Macaloid 2

(omit pyrax)

cone 9-10

Pelly123@aol.com on tue 19 mar 96

I use Miller/Laguna #15 translucent porcelain which fires to Cone 6...I am
sure they also have one for the higher fire.....I have to tell you...this
stuff is tough...I can throw the pot, remove it from the wheelhead...then
throw it up onto the wooden carriers I use and it will bounce back into the
shape I threw.. I'm talking 10 - 12" bowls, etc. I can also load the whole
kiln with a minimum of shelves for the bisque fire and nothing will crack in
the fire...and I do turn it on high, drop the lid and walk away...I just
successfuly dried a 20" birdbath which I'll probably fire this weekend...
.attaching handles, however, is another subject.
....
BTW...I tried the spooze recipe. I had quite a few pots with small cracks
where the handles were joined. I repaired them and low fired them...they
appeared to be fine...I glazed and high fired them and all of the cracks
reappeared...the whole load...hammer time... I'm going back to Aztec high
fire mender....

..Sue

ARoth25182 on fri 5 apr 96

Can anyone Help Me.
I'm looking for a translucent porcelain body to fire in the cone 8-10
range(ie the upper limit for electric firing)and which is sutable for
throwing.
I am currently trying to develope a series of porcelain lamps, nightlights
and candle holders with translucent porcelain.
I currently use a tile clay based porcelain which works well and is
slightly translucent. However #6 tile clay contains alot of titanium (i
think it's about 1.4%) which tends to opacify things. I can throw very
thin but only on small pieces (ie < 6")
If any one has a good translucent throwing body (perhaps based on grolleg)
I would appreciate hearing from you.

Andy Roth,
Saratoga Pottery
:-)

Patty Rehn on sat 6 apr 96

I like throwing with Glacia by claymaker
great stuff as far as I am concerned
although not in your area
time for me to buy more but
I do not have the address for them
so
Anyone with the CLAYMAKER address?

thanks
Patty, thinking about how to
construct my new kiln in Central Oregon

Happy Easter to all you chocolate egg lovers.

Charles Gaudi on sun 7 apr 96

I've been throwing a beautiful white porcelain that is translucent, If thin,
at cone 6 -8 will go to cone 10. It's Miller 550 Grolleg porcelain. Throws
well but limited plastic when a little too dry. I get it from Bennets in
Fla. It is the whitest porcelain I have ever seen.

>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Can anyone Help Me.
>I'm looking for a translucent porcelain body to fire in the cone 8-10
>range(ie the upper limit for electric firing)and which is sutable for
>throwing.
>I am currently trying to develope a series of porcelain lamps, nightlights
>and candle holders with translucent porcelain.
>I currently use a tile clay based porcelain which works well and is
>slightly translucent. However #6 tile clay contains alot of titanium (i
>think it's about 1.4%) which tends to opacify things. I can throw very
>thin but only on small pieces (ie < 6")
>If any one has a good translucent throwing body (perhaps based on grolleg)
>I would appreciate hearing from you.
>
>Andy Roth,
>Saratoga Pottery
>:-)
>
>

Pelly123@aol.com on mon 8 apr 96

Handles on #15 Miller are difficult. I spent an entire day making fantastic
(to me) teapots and lost the handles on all of them. I do use Aztec Hi Fire
mender, but have been out of it. I tried the spooze recipe, but it failed
me. I don't agree with the 1/3 clay part. I think, if you are going to
fill a crack, you need more clay in it because the corn syrup and vinegar
will be gone at the end of the fire. I do use Aztec mender and I am very
successful with it. I do make it quite thick so I can push it into the
cracks on the handles and it usually holds them (green). I have put it on
bisque and it works, but the glaze has problems adhering evenly to it.

I tried the wax solution and have found it 100% successful. Someone wrote me
that a draft will cause the cracks and the wax both makes the clay even out
and it protects it from changes in the weather. I made 30 mugs this week,
waxed the handle joints, covered them lightly over night and then put them
out on the shelf to dry. No cracks at all...amazing.....mind you, my studio
is a little damp from the cellar under it. I can leave a pot on the wheel
over night uncovered and it will be just leather hard in the morning...

I couldn't find the Aztec mender in Axner's new catalog. I called Bailey and
they were out of it, expecting shipment 4/1...they said they would get it to
me as soon as they could....I had such a wonderful week in the studio...I
picked up a ton from Miller/Launa and went at it. they clay is in wonderful
condition. My shelves are getting full, very full...time to start packing
for the shows....I made all kinds of new things that I haven't seen on
anyone's booth. A fellow potter here came over yesterday and was very
impressed with the new stuff...I do feel good about it....

I sent a large order to Axner after NCECA...a Northstar 24" slab roller, the
entire Scott Creek extruder package and about $500 more in goodies...I also
ordered six different bat molds from Bailey (they have a lower price in
groups of three). I am kind of chomping at the bit for the stuff to arrive.
I have ideas running around in my head that can hardly keep until we get
the studio rearranged to accommodate everything....I've gotten in every show
I've entered and things are looking very good, indeed.

It was nice to meet all of you at the Clayart Breakfast...I enjoyed it and I
hope you are all having as much fun as I am..

Pelly - where it is STILL snowing in Rochester......

Richard Gralnik on mon 8 apr 96

Tom Coleman's porcelain is now available through the ceramics supplier
in Las Vegas (Margove? M-something. They advertise in CM). I think
this body could be called translucent.

Richard
still planning to type up my Tom Coleman workshop notes, after Passover,
and probably after the baby is born...one of these days, you know...