MJ on fri 23 dec 11
Hello - I don't do raku very often, but I will have access to a raku kiln
for the next couple of months. I would love to do some pendants and small
items and I vaguely remember seeing someone using a firing basket a couple
of years ago. I searched the archives and there were some mentions of
these. I wonder if there are any commercial baskets available or if anyone
has a picture of one with some instruction on what materials work best. If
it only works for a couple of firings, cost of materials becomes a big
factor.
Any help is appreciated. Cheers, MJ
Steve Mills on fri 23 dec 11
We often used a "Bead Tree": a cone of clay with 2" lengths of Nichrome wir=
e=3D
stuck into it like a Christmas Tree, and bisque fired. I put a loop of th=
e=3D
wire in the top so that it could be lifted easily out of the Kiln/Reductio=
n=3D
Bin.=3D20
Worked a treat.=3D20
Steve M
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
Sent from my iPod
On 23 Dec 2011, at 16:43, MJ wrote:
> Hello - I don't do raku very often, but I will have access to a raku kiln
> for the next couple of months. I would love to do some pendants and smal=
l=3D
> items and I vaguely remember seeing someone using a firing basket a coup=
l=3D
e
> of years ago. I searched the archives and there were some mentions of
> these. I wonder if there are any commercial baskets available or if anyo=
n=3D
e
> has a picture of one with some instruction on what materials work best. =
I=3D
f
> it only works for a couple of firings, cost of materials becomes a big
> factor.
>=3D20
> Any help is appreciated. Cheers, MJ
Barbara Francis on fri 23 dec 11
I have some experience with this, but not any experience with much luck.=3D=
A0=3D
I started out just making baskets out of raku clay.=3DA0I make them with h=
an=3D
dles on them so I can remove them easily.=3DA0 I also put 2 flat handles so=
t=3D
hat the baskets can be stacked.=3DA0 This works great until the basket star=
ts=3D
cracking after a few firings.=3DA0 I make them fast and they are not prett=
y,=3D
but have to be re-made regularly.=3D0A=3DA0=3D0AThe next thing we tried wa=
s a me=3D
tal basket made a paragon out of a "wax tray" that they welded a handle ont=
=3D
o.=3DA0 These warped badly and the metal started flaking off and dropping o=
nt=3D
o the pieces in the basket.=3DA0 =3D0A=3DA0=3D0AI also had a welder friend =
make a b=3D
asket for me.=3DA0 This worked okay, but it warped also and flaked too.=3DA=
0 =3D
=3D0A=3DA0=3D0AIf you find some other ideas, let me know.=3DA0 Barb Francis=
=3D0A=3D0A=3D
=3D0A________________________________=3D0AFrom: Steve Mills inge=3D
r@GMAIL.COM>=3D0ATo: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG =3D0ASent: Friday, December 2=
3, 2=3D
011 11:50 AM=3D0ASubject: Re: raku firing basket=3D0A=3D0AWe often used a "=
Bead T=3D
ree": a cone of clay with 2" lengths of Nichrome wire stuck into it like a =
=3D
Christmas Tree,=3DA0 and bisque fired. I put a loop of the wire in the top =
so=3D
that it could be lifted easily out of the Kiln/Reduction Bin. =3D0AWorked =
a =3D
treat. =3D0A=3D0ASteve M=3D0A=3D0ASteve Mills=3D0ABath=3D0AUK=3D0ASent from=
my iPod=3D0A=3D0A=3D
On 23 Dec 2011, at 16:43, MJ wrote:=3D0A=3D0A> Hello=
- I=3D
don't do raku very often, but I will have access to a raku kiln=3D0A> for =
th=3D
e next couple of months.=3DA0 I would love to do some pendants and small=3D=
0A> =3D
items and I vaguely remember seeing someone using=3DA0 a firing basket a co=
up=3D
le=3D0A> of years ago.=3DA0 I searched the archives and there were some men=
tion=3D
s of=3D0A> these.=3DA0 I wonder if there are any commercial baskets availab=
le o=3D
r if anyone=3D0A> has a picture of one with some instruction on what materi=
al=3D
s work best.=3DA0 If=3D0A> it only works for a couple of firings, cost of m=
ater=3D
ials becomes a big=3D0A> factor.=3D0A> =3D0A> Any help is appreciated.=3DA0=
Cheers,=3D
MJ
Pottery by John on sat 24 dec 11
I have used, or seen first hand, the following for jewelry type items:
1. Clay "bed of nails", a clay slab with short pieces of high temp wire
embedded, sort of a giant stilt.
2. A TECO joining plate for wood trusses, available at your home supply,
it is a metal equivalent of the bed of nails aforementioned. The
drawback is they are galvanized and the first firing will have the zinc
burning off. They will last a few firings.
3. Two kiln posts supporting a rod, in this instance a welding rod for
stainless steel. Drawback, the rod may bend, or roll, and you have to
have a larger hole than you may want in the pendant. Alternate to kiln
posts are fire bricks.
4. I made some beads and got two rebar supports (called chairs), wired
them together and used rebar tie wire in arcs from the support to string
the beads, and make a loop to pull the affair. The steel is mild steel,
will flake off and be unusable (particularly the tie wire-one firing)
after a few firings. Bonus, this stuff is cheap and readily available.
I put crimps in the tire wire to keep the beads from possibly moving and
touching.
5. Christmas tin box support with rods through the sides to support the
raku items. These last only a few firings, but are cheap and may be
found at thrift stores.
Regards,
John Lowes Sandy Springs, Georgia, USA
http://wynhillpottery.weebly.com
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