Bruce Girrell on mon 8 feb 99
Dear Clayart people:
I have a problem with the post fire reduction process. When I place the hot
pieces in the reduction can, the glaze surface is marred by contact with the
combustibles (most of the time shredded newspaper). This results in a very
unpleasant appearance and feel to the glaze.
I am using copper glazes, so I don't want to leave the pieces out in the air
to cool until the glaze sets. I tried placing the pieces on IFB surrounded
by combustibles, but the reduction was so poor that I refired the pieces.
I've tried placing a flat sheet of paper over top of the shredded paper to
minimize contact with the sharp edges of the shredded medium and that helps
a little but the problem is still there.
I would appreciate it if those of you with raku experience could offer some
suggestions on how to obtain good reduction and still avoid scarring of the
glaze.
Thanks,
Bruce "very frustrated" Girrell
in Northern Michigan who aches all over after days of wedging, throwing,
trimming, kiln sitting, glazing, packing, loading, unloading, unpacking and
rakuing dozens of pieces only to end up with pots that no one would want to
touch.
Stephen Mills on wed 10 feb 99
Once you've taken the piece out of the kiln, DON'T rush to put it in the
reduction bin, wait 10 seconds, then put it in. That short time lag
allows the glaze to form a protective "skin" which should prevent any
surface scarring. This works with medium to small pieces, for larger
work, increase the time lag a bit. When I do teaching sessions with the
Raku process, I put the bins a good 10 paces from the Kilns, and make my
students walk SLOWLY to them with the pots. That works.
Steve
Bath
UK
In message , Bruce Girrell writes
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Dear Clayart people:
>
>I have a problem with the post fire reduction process. When I place the hot
>pieces in the reduction can, the glaze surface is marred by contact with the
>combustibles (most of the time shredded newspaper). This results in a very
>unpleasant appearance and feel to the glaze.
>
>I am using copper glazes, so I don't want to leave the pieces out in the air
>to cool until the glaze sets. I tried placing the pieces on IFB surrounded
>by combustibles, but the reduction was so poor that I refired the pieces.
>I've tried placing a flat sheet of paper over top of the shredded paper to
>minimize contact with the sharp edges of the shredded medium and that helps
>a little but the problem is still there.
>
>I would appreciate it if those of you with raku experience could offer some
>suggestions on how to obtain good reduction and still avoid scarring of the
>glaze.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Bruce "very frustrated" Girrell
>in Northern Michigan who aches all over after days of wedging, throwing,
>trimming, kiln sitting, glazing, packing, loading, unloading, unpacking and
>rakuing dozens of pieces only to end up with pots that no one would want to
>touch.
>
--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
home e-mail: stevemills@mudslinger.demon.co.uk
work e-mail: stevemills@bathpotters.demon.co.uk
own website: http://www.mudslinger.demon.co.uk
BPS website: http://www.bathpotters.demon.co.uk
Winnie Coggins on fri 12 feb 99
Bruce--try using a fire brick in your reduction container as a platform to
place your pot on. Put brick (bricks, depending on size of vessel) on top of
old ashes, making sure it is firmly settled, leaving enough head room for the
soon to be reduced pots and some air space. Surround the brick with full
sheets of newspaper folded once and given a hard twist so they are compacted
and will not touch the pot. Remove raku from the kiln, place on brick, cover
lightly (and quickly) with a sheet of newspaper, make sure the combustibles
begin to flame, and cover the container. This works well when you want
overall reduction and no impressions of straw, etc., to scar the molten glaze.
Winnie
Columbia, Maryland
cyberscape on sat 13 feb 99
Bruce,
Try this: Place the combustible material, like maybe wheat straw,
crumpled up newspaper or dry leaves, into a garbage can and set a piece
of screen or tight wire mesh into the can. The screen should hold in
the can because of tension on the sides, but not press down on the
combustibles. Turn the can over onto the pot and let the heat of the
pot rise and ignite the combsutibles on the other side of the screen.
Works for me. Also, set the pot onto a piece of folded up newspaper to
help reduce the bottom without touching the glaze.
Harvey Sadow
Sheilah Bliss on sat 13 feb 99
In a message dated 2/9/99 4:34:25 AM, bigirrell@microlinetc.com writes:
<suggestions on how to obtain good reduction and still avoid scarring of the
glaze.>>
Hi Bruce-
I use sheets of newspaper draped down the sides of the reduction can...
usually about 4-5 per can and a folded one on the bottom. That way there
isn't much variation in the surface of the paper to goober up the glaze.
Also, I've found that when the pot has a moment or two in the open air to
harden the glaze on it's leisurly way to the reduction container, I (usually)
get pretty good color in my copper raku glazes.
Surprised me to discover that.... had a spell where I was getting murky, muddy
colors, no matter how quickly I moved the piece from the kiln to the reduction
can. (the faster, the better, right?) Then one day, had a real hard time
getting the tongs to get a grip on a piece I was trying to pull from the kiln.
It was exposed to open air way longer than I thought would be allowable, put
it in the reduction can anyway.... just KNOWING it was a lost cause. My
delight -- opened the lid on some fabulous smooth-skined rainbow glaze.
Mentioned this to a friend who confirmed: on days when her elderly (ne:slower)
father helps out by pulling pieces from the kiln, her colors come out
brilliant, her glazes unscarred.
Read somewhere - after - that a little oxidation/open air exposure after the
reduction atmosphere of a raku firing and before the post-firing reduction can
make for some cool colors. Hmmm... wonder if that's the reasoning may be
behind the idea of burping the reduction can a time or two during the smoking
period.
Sheilah Bliss
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