search  current discussion  categories  materials - misc 

pot waxing

updated wed 9 feb 11

 

Taylor Hendrix on mon 7 feb 11


Howdy fellow Clayers,

I spent a few hours last week cleaning up my low-fire saggar pots and
waxing them as I do with a good quality paste wax, but I'm beginning
not to like how the wax hides that great warm, fuzzy feel of terra sig
and low fire clay. Is there much alternative for finishing that will
afford some level of protection for the piece. Now that I think about
it why am I waxing my pots again? Maybe I'm just smearing on too much
of the wax and need to lighten way up.

Thoughts from the fantastic pit/saggar/sig folks on the list. I'm glad
to be your student.

On a more positive note, I've got some 2011 goals that may be
difficult ones for me to reach, but I'm planning to keep on keeping
on, my sisters and brothers, so there.

Group hug everyone,


Taylor, in Rockport TX
wirerabbit1 on Skype (-0600 UTC)
http://wirerabbit.blogspot.com
http://wirerabbitpots.blogspot.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wirerabbit/

Lee on mon 7 feb 11


Taylor,
Do you have a heat gun? I wouldn't do it on a choice pot, but
I might be tempted to try heating a test piece to see what happens.
I have used a torch to burn off misplaced wax resist.


--
=3DA0Lee Love in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/

=3DA0"Ta tIr na n-=3DF3g ar chul an tI=3D97tIr dlainn trina ch=3DE9ile"=3D9=
7that is, =3D
"The
land of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent
within itself." -- John O'Donohue

Russel Fouts on tue 8 feb 11


Ah, Young Grasshopper,

>> I spent a few hours last week cleaning up my low-fire saggar pots and =
=3D
axing them as I do with a good quality paste wax, but I'm beginning not =3D
to like how the wax hides that great warm, fuzzy feel of terra sig and =3D
low fire clay. Is there much alternative for finishing that will afford =3D
some level of protection for the piece. <<

I think you're beginning to see the light. Terra-sig isn't just about =3D
the shine. First there are many variations on that shine and you'll find =
=3D
that different products give different results. Yes, you're probably =3D
right, less is more.=3D20

You'd also be surprised how durable the 'unprotected' surface of the =3D
terra-sig can be. And the amount of shine on that, you can also play =3D
around with.

It's also a great way to get color onto a pot, without glaze, a more =3D
claylike surface.

It's also a resist against the smoke which you can play with as well. =3D
Different clays will resist more or less.

Yes, I think you're coming along nicely.

Maybe you're ready for these?

=3D
http://users.skynet.be/russel.fouts/Files/Piece_de_Resistance_Published_Ar=
=3D
ticle.pdf

http://users.skynet.be/russel.fouts/Files/Piece_de_la_Resistance.txt=3D3D

Ru=3D20

Russel Fouts
Mes Potes & Mes Pots
Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 2 223 02 75
Mobile: +32 476 55 38 75

http://www.mypots.com
Home of "The Potters Portal"
Over 3000 Pottery Related Links!
Updated infrequently


"Look, it's my misery that I have to paint this kind of painting, it's =3D
your misery that you have to love it, and the price of the misery is =3D
thirteen hundred and fifty dollars. "

- Mark Rothko, In Art/Painting

Vince Pitelka on tue 8 feb 11


Russel Fouts wrote:
"You'd also be surprised how durable the 'unprotected' surface of the
terra-sig can be. And the amount of shine on that, you can also play around
with. It's also a great way to get color onto a pot, without glaze, a more
claylike surface."

I would like to second what Russel says here. When terra sig is fired abov=
e
low-fire temperatures, it gets more and more durable, although you do have
to be a bit careful of red-earthen ware terra sigs, because if you fire the=
m
to high-fire temperatures some will turn into a glaze. In my article about
terra sig at http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/professional/terra_sig.htm, I
mention some non-traditional uses for terra sigs, and one good use is to
paint on the feet and/or lid seats of pots to get more of a silky-smooth
finish. You do not get the classic shine of lowfire terra sig, but it can
still be very beautiful. Many potters like to let the actual claybody show
at the lid seats and foot, but you can make a terra sig from your claybody
and use it on the lid-seats and the feet and get a much smoother surface
while staying true to the claybody beneath.
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net; wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka