Fred Parker on sun 1 nov 09
I have worried over what position to take re these two issues for as long=
=3D
as
I have made pots for sale. Never resolved it. Yesterday a gallery owner=
=3D
called to ask specifically, "Is your pottery microwave safe and oven safe=
=3D
?"
I told her it probably is, being cone 6 stoneware, but I do not express t=
=3D
hat
specifically. None of the pieces she has are intended to be used as
cookware. They are serving bowls and the like, and so I don't address "o=
=3D
ven
safe" any more than I address their resistance to rattlesnake venom (I
didn't tell her that...)
The reason I don't is 1) for pieces not intended as bakeware I see no rea=
=3D
son
to open yet another can of worms, and 2) as soon as I make "microsafe"
pronouncements I figure somebody somewhere will soak a bowl in the sink f=
=3D
or
a week while they go on vacation, then come back and microwave it to the
explosion point from the small amount of moisture ^6 stoneware absorbs.
Am I all alone on this? Does anyone else who makes ^6 pottery market it =
=3D
as
microwave- and oven safe? Should I be aware of something technical that
governs it? Are there specific testing criteria to determine microwave s=
=3D
afety?
Many thanks,
Fred Parker
Ron Roy on mon 2 nov 09
Hi Fred,
I know several potters who make the claim that their pots are microwave saf=
e
- seems to me to be an additional reason for getting customers to buy their
work. All that is required is to have your clay vitrified enough to exclude
water.
I use bowls and mugs in a microwave often for instance.
It's not hard to test for - boil a pot in water for 2 hours - then do the
microwave test. Put the empty pot in a MW oven along with a mug of water -
cook on high for 10 seconds - touch you test pot to see if it gets warm or
hot - just repeat that sequence till the water in the mug boils. If you pot
does not get too hot to touch you can save - microwave safe.
Much depends on the clay you use - if it is vitrified enough th problem is
solved so you have to keep an eye on that aspect.
RR
On Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 10:26 AM, Fred Parker wrote:
> I have worried over what position to take re these two issues for as long
> as
> I have made pots for sale. Never resolved it. Yesterday a gallery owner
> called to ask specifically, "Is your pottery microwave safe and oven safe=
?"
>
> I told her it probably is, being cone 6 stoneware, but I do not express
> that
> specifically. None of the pieces she has are intended to be used as
> cookware. They are serving bowls and the like, and so I don't address
> "oven
> safe" any more than I address their resistance to rattlesnake venom (I
> didn't tell her that...)
>
> The reason I don't is 1) for pieces not intended as bakeware I see no
> reason
> to open yet another can of worms, and 2) as soon as I make "microsafe"
> pronouncements I figure somebody somewhere will soak a bowl in the sink f=
or
> a week while they go on vacation, then come back and microwave it to the
> explosion point from the small amount of moisture ^6 stoneware absorbs.
>
> Am I all alone on this? Does anyone else who makes ^6 pottery market it =
as
> microwave- and oven safe? Should I be aware of something technical that
> governs it? Are there specific testing criteria to determine microwave
> safety?
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Fred Parker
>
--
Ron Roy
15084 Little Lake Road
Brighton, Ontario, Canada
K0K 1H0
jeanne wood on tue 3 nov 09
Hi Ron,
When I sell my low-fire cooking pots intended for coals I tell people speci=
=3D
fically *not* to use them in microwaves and why they shouldn't.
I also teach classes in cooking on coals in clay and repeat this.
Jeanne W.
In Idaho
--- On Mon, 11/2/09, Ron Roy wrote:
From: Ron Roy
Subject: Re: Oven safe/microwave safe
To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Date: Monday, November 2, 2009, 12:45 PM
Hi Fred,
I know several potters who make the claim that their pots are microwave saf=
=3D
e
- seems to me to be an additional reason for getting customers to buy their
work. All that is required is to have your clay vitrified enough to exclude
water.
I use bowls and mugs in a microwave often for instance.
It's not hard to test for - boil a pot in water for 2 hours - then do the
microwave test. Put the empty pot in a MW oven along with a mug of water -
cook on high for 10 seconds - touch you test pot to see if it gets warm or
hot - just repeat that sequence till the water in the mug boils. If you pot
does not get too hot to touch you can save - microwave safe.
Much depends on the clay you use - if it is vitrified enough th problem is
solved so you have to keep an eye on that aspect.
RR
On Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 10:26 AM, Fred Parker wrote:
> I have worried over what position to take re these two issues for as long
> as
> I have made pots for sale.=3DA0 Never resolved it.=3DA0 Yesterday a galle=
ry o=3D
wner
> called to ask specifically, "Is your pottery microwave safe and oven safe=
=3D
?"
>
> I told her it probably is, being cone 6 stoneware, but I do not express
> that
> specifically.=3DA0 None of the pieces she has are intended to be used as
> cookware.=3DA0 They are serving bowls and the like, and so I don't addres=
s
> "oven
> safe" any more than I address their resistance to rattlesnake venom (I
> didn't tell her that...)
>
> The reason I don't is 1) for pieces not intended as bakeware I see no
> reason
> to open yet another can of worms, and 2) as soon as I make "microsafe"
> pronouncements I figure somebody somewhere will soak a bowl in the sink f=
=3D
or
> a week while they go on vacation, then come back and microwave it to the
> explosion point from the small amount of moisture ^6 stoneware absorbs.
>
> Am I all alone on this?=3DA0 Does anyone else who makes ^6 pottery market=
i=3D
t as
> microwave- and oven safe?=3DA0 Should I be aware of something technical t=
ha=3D
t
> governs it?=3DA0 Are there specific testing criteria to determine microwa=
ve
> safety?
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Fred Parker
>
--
Ron Roy
15084 Little Lake Road
Brighton, Ontario, Canada
K0K 1H0
=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A
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