Dennis Tobin on wed 7 oct 98
A student of mine recently mixed Randy Johnston's porcelain recipe. When
she test fired a sample in the electric kiln to cone 9-10 she discovered
black spotting in the clay. She then tested the materials individually and
feels like the spotting is coming from the Pyrax. She mixed pyrax with
water to about the consistency of clay and was able to see the black
flecks. When the original sample was fired the flecks appear to resemble
ilmenite. The body is not a crisp white, which is what she expected.
I just called my source of pyrax and they informed me that pyrax(or at
least their source) is usually an industrial grade which is rather dirty.
Anyone else have this problem. Or does anyone have a cleaner source of
pyrax. I am in the southwest corner of Ohio.
Thanks
Dennis Tobin
Associate Professor of Art
Director of CraftSummer
Miami University
Oxford, Ohio 47353
tobinde@miavx1.muohio.edu
http://wwwmuohio.edu/craftsummer/
(513) 529-7396
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