Alice DeLisle on tue 8 dec 09
I have been working on tiles and facing similar challenges keeping them
flat. I found John's article very informative:
www.frogpondpottery.com/articles/crackwrp.html
John emphasizes the importance of slow drying.=3D20=3D20
I also found that some clays just won't cooperate (a fact that John also
mentions). Since you said that you are working at ^6, I will tell you th=
=3D
at
Buncombe White, which I use routinely for handbuilding, warps and cracks =
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no
matter how carefully I treat it when trying to make tiles.=3D20=3D20
For best success, do as the others suggested and roll in both directions.=
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=3D20
(I learned most of the following from Marina Bosetti.) After the final
rolling, compress with a rib first in one direction then at a 45 degree
angle to the first compression. From this point on, avoid bending the cl=
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ay
slab. Since I use a slab roller, the slab is on slab mat (or canvas). I=
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slide one piece of drywall under the slab mat, avoiding bending the clay
slab. Then I put another piece of drywall on top of the clay slab and fl=
=3D
ip
it as a sandwich, subsequently removing the bottom piece of drywall and t=
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he
slab mat. Then I compress the newly exposed surface of clay as before, p=
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ut
a piece of drywall on top and let it dry overnight. Change to dry pieces=
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of
drywall daily for a couple of days and then put the slab on a wire rack t=
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o
dry from all directions. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.=3D20
Although I haven't tried it yet, I read that it helps to put sand under t=
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he
slab/tile on the kiln shelf to allow it to move as it shrinks during firi=
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ng.=3D20=3D20
Good luck!
Alice
http://delisle.aftosawebhosting.com/
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