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really long glazing and firing conundrum

updated sat 6 dec 97

 

Nicole Simmons on fri 5 dec 97

I have been following the application of glaze thread for a while and need =
so
more info. And this question is related also to firing temp. I will =
apologize
now for the length.

I have picked up two glazes from L=26R in Nixa, MO Pattern Blue and =
Oatmeal. I
have fired twice since buying these glazes and have had unpredictable =
results
both times. (I do know other potters who are using these glazes and things =
come
out fine.)

Here is what the stuff looks like. Pattern Blue is a bright blue with =
pattern
of specks to it. In the hotter parts of the kiln (close to elements), it =
turns
to almost a speckled blue-brown on different parts of the pot and I have =
seen
this occur for other potters. This glaze does not confuse me as much as the
next one does.

The oatmeal looks just like shiny oatmeal off your breakfast table on the =
inside
of any vessel and covers like a blanket filling in all the valleys, but on =
the
outside for me it turns a solid dark tan-orange-brown with no speckled
appearance at all. It reminds me of glazes I see on some late 1800's =
crocks,
very flat with no texture and clings to the clay like skin instead of =
covering
and filling every nook and cranny. My teacher Sue swears that I put a =
different
glaze on the outside, and it does look like I did it on purpose. BUT I know=
I
didn't use another glaze because I don't have any others and the blue was =
inside
the house.

To complicate things further or maybe this will be the key, I have had one
oatmeal mug and one pattern blue vase turn out perfect colors, they were =
both
in the dead center of the kiln almost shielded by other larger pieces. They
were glazed by immersing them completely in the bucket of glaze since they =
were
so small. Everything else I have poured into the inside, poured out, let =
dry,
then flipped over onto a grate and using a pitcher, poured the glaze on the
bottom of the vessel and letting glaze fall back into bucket, let dry and =
dip
just the lip to get rid of my finger marks.

I bisque to =5E06 and glaze to =5E6 (so say the orton cones) in an electric =
kiln
outside. Kiln is 20 years old but only used a few times, it looks brand new
still. The only thing we have done to it was to put a clothes dryer plug on=
it,
so I could run it into the laundry room.

As if this isn't long enough, should I leave any peepholes open during the =
glaze
firing? The first time I fired I closed everything up after I hit high, =
that
firing more of the more had expected results than the second time. The =
second
time I left the top peephole open the whole time. Okay, break over I am
teaching MS Access 97 today.

Nikki Simmons
Training Coordinator
ComputerLand
117 Commerce Drive
Jefferson City, Missouri 65109
800.635.9177 toll free
573.635.1607.41 voice
573.635.4227 fax
573.680.8120 pager
http://www.computerland.net CLand Page
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