Juliet Johnston on mon 9 aug 99
Is there anyone in the Jacksn MS area who would let me help or even
watch them raku fire?
I have a top hat gas kiln and I just can't seem to get the hang of it.
My phone number is 601 981 5143 or email me at juljohnston@webtv.net
Thanks,
Juliet, where the disaster pile is growing faster than the grass.
Juliet
juljohnston@webtv.net
Charles Williams on tue 10 aug 99
Juliette,
My name is Charles Williams and I live in Clinton. I have a tophat Raku
kiln, 2 electric kilns and am building a 90 cubic foot gas fired kiln. I am
not actively doing anything at the moment as I am still recovering from a
rotator cuff tear of the right shoulder (yep, I am right handed). I would be
happy to discuss with you the problems you are having. I have attended
workshops on Raku with Piepenburg and others as well as having about 7 years
experience in Raku construction and firing.
My first question to you is what clay are you using? To what cone are you
firing? How do you monitor your firing? And, how do you perform the
post-firing reduction? All of these have a part to play in terms of success.
There is, however, a certain amount of luck involved.
Drop me a note by E-mail or call me at 924-7176. In case you are wondering,
I am 59 years old, married for 34 years and practice medicine as a full time
profession.
C Willaims AKA Mississippi Mudcat Pottery
t pease on fri 1 sep 00
I was hoping to be able to purchase a Raku Kiln this year, but not so far.
I was wondering if anyone knew...can I pitfire RAKU perhaps using flowerpots
as saggars. I have the glaze...Copper matte. Any ideas would be helpful.
Someone also suggested that I could build my own Kiln. If anyone has done
this or has plans, please let me know. Any alternative firing suggestions,
in detail, would be appreciated.
Tammy Pease
Neosho, Missouri
_______________________________________________________
Say Bye to Slow Internet!
http://www.home.com/xinbox/signup.html
WHew536674@CS.COM on fri 1 sep 00
Neosho,
You can't do raku in pit firing.....but, if you can't afford to buy or make
your raku kiln, you can raku fire in an electric kiln, assuming you have one.
If you want to cut costs and build your own, I used Robert Pipenburg's book,
Raku Pottery, and went from there. There are several designs in that book
and not difficult to do. Good luck
Joyce A.
Mission, TX
Joyce Lee on thu 21 sep 00
Gabrielle,
Have you read Steve Branfman's book on raku? Wonderful, complete guide
all by itself. And Gordon Hutchin's video about firing raku is a joy ...
it covers throwing, decorating, firing and his glazes as well.
I've rakued only a few times but when I have the inclination again I'll
absolutely review thoroughly both of these resources. One almost can't
miss with one of these mentors at one's side, much less both of them! My
last raku firing was a beauty as a result of Steve and Gordon... and
there are few firings from my kilns which can be so classified.
Joyce
In the Mojave enjoying the cool that's prevailing up until about 11 a.m.
Then the heat ascends once again........
Frank Colson on tue 4 sep 07
Karen- In view of the fact that the responses you have received about your
use of raku have only provided you with the characteristics of the process,
and not an alternative answer, I suggest that you
go to: www.R2D2u.com You will discover how you can satisfy all your
kitchen installation needs. Simply review the list of eBooks on hand making
tiles for the kitchen. All, food safe, and durable,with your own personal
design touch! It WILL work for you, I assure you!
Best of success!
Frank Colson
www.R2D2u.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Karen Thorn"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2007 7:23 PM
Subject: RAKU HELP
> Hello everyone,
>
> I have a question, I am just starting to get into raku. But there are
> things i need to know. I wanted to do tile for a kitchen back splash,
> using
> the AMACO raku glazes and after reading the posts and the many responses
> form the members of this list about the sinks, I am now interested in
> doing
> a sink. However I tried to contact the people who make the sinks to ask
> if
> I buy a sink or tile, and perform the raku procedure, will the finished
> items be ok for use. Are raku items ok to be cleaned, are they sealed
> like
> the glazeed items? I don't want to do all this work and expend money if
> the
> finished product is going to be a non functional item. Can someone give
> me
> some help?
>
> my questions are:
> 1. are raku items persay water tight?
> 2. Can raku items withstand cleaning, such as tile,sinks, pitchers
> 3 Are raku items considered food safe?
>
> Please help
>
> Thank
> Karen T.
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots2@visi.com
Karen Thorn on tue 4 sep 07
Hello everyone,
I have a question, I am just starting to get into raku. But there are
things i need to know. I wanted to do tile for a kitchen back splash, using
the AMACO raku glazes and after reading the posts and the many responses
form the members of this list about the sinks, I am now interested in doing
a sink. However I tried to contact the people who make the sinks to ask if
I buy a sink or tile, and perform the raku procedure, will the finished
items be ok for use. Are raku items ok to be cleaned, are they sealed like
the glazeed items? I don't want to do all this work and expend money if the
finished product is going to be a non functional item. Can someone give me
some help?
my questions are:
1. are raku items persay water tight?
2. Can raku items withstand cleaning, such as tile,sinks, pitchers
3 Are raku items considered food safe?
Please help
Thank
Karen T.
claystevslat on wed 5 sep 07
Karen --
Raku is not sealed. It is very open, it is a
non-archival surface (that is, you should expect
the colors to be unstable, and the metallic
surfaces will oxidize) especially so in exposure
to acidic or basic liquids (like if you wash
dishes in it).
Being open, it is not water tight.
Raku surfaces are often soft, and may scratch
readily.
In the United States and Europe, raku is not
considered food-safe. Other posters will be
happy to tell you about how it's used in
Japan, where, it appears, contrary to the laws
of physics, it is considered food safe.
Raku is also a low-fire treatment. Most of
the pre-made sink blanks I've seen have been
cone 10, though I've heard a few cone 6 items
have been spotted. If you raku a mid-fire or
high-fire item, the clay will not be mature.
That is to say, it will absorb water readily.
This will make it expand, and craze the glaze.
That will weaken the surface.
You can ameliorate this somewhat by firing the
clay to maturity first and then applying raku
glazes and doing a raku firing, but the clay
won't darken because it'll be sealed. And the
veining in white glazes won't look right, and
it'll still be crazed and weakened.
Now this is just me talkin', but I wouldn't
want to be using a raku sink. Or a backsplash.
If you want metallic effects or those bright
low-fire colors, you can always do the tiles
and sink in a china paint process -- fire
first to maturity and then to a lower temp
with all the treatments that do better at
the lower temp.
Best wishes -- Steve Slatin
--- In clayart@yahoogroups.com, Karen Thorn wrote:
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> I have a question, I am just starting to get into raku. But
there are
> things i need to know. I wanted to do tile for a kitchen back
splash, using
> the AMACO raku glazes and after reading the posts and the many
responses
> form the members of this list about the sinks, I am now interested
in doing
> a sink. However I tried to contact the people who make the sinks
to ask if
> I buy a sink or tile, and perform the raku procedure, will the
finished
> items be ok for use. Are raku items ok to be cleaned, are they
sealed like
> the glazeed items? I don't want to do all this work and expend
money if the
> finished product is going to be a non functional item. Can
someone give me
> some help?
>
> my questions are:
> 1. are raku items persay water tight?
> 2. Can raku items withstand cleaning, such as tile,sinks, pitchers
> 3 Are raku items considered food safe?
>
> Please help
>
> Thank
> Karen T.
Marcia Selsor on wed 5 sep 07
Karen,
here are some answers:
On Sep 4, 2007, at 9:23 PM, Karen Thorn wrote:
> my questions are:
> 1. are raku items persay water tight? No. They are porrous.
> 2. Can raku items withstand cleaning, such as tile,sinks, pitchers
>
> The colors can be scratched away with a good scrubbing.
> 3 Are raku items considered food safe? Probably not.
Most ceramic sinks are a hard porcelain. I have seen Majolica glazed
sinks from Mexico but not close enough to determine what the clay
body was..possibly earthenware as in traditional majolica use.
Raku firing as we use the term in US. refers to a "bisque range"
stoneware or unmatured clay body which is very open to survive the
thermal shock of the firing process.
As for the backsplash, raku tiles could be sealed with a deck sealer.
This would reduce the re-oxidizing of the color and possibly permit
cleaning the surface.
Marcia Selsor
http://marciaselsor.com
On Sep 4, 2007, at 9:23 PM, Karen Thorn wrote:
> Hello everyone,
>
> I have a question, I am just starting to get into raku. But there
> are
> things i need to know. I wanted to do tile for a kitchen back
> splash, using
> the AMACO raku glazes and after reading the posts and the many
> responses
> form the members of this list about the sinks, I am now interested
> in doing
> a sink. However I tried to contact the people who make the sinks
> to ask if
> I buy a sink or tile, and perform the raku procedure, will the
> finished
> items be ok for use. Are raku items ok to be cleaned, are they
> sealed like
> the glazeed items? I don't want to do all this work and expend
> money if the
> finished product is going to be a non functional item. Can someone
> give me
> some help?
>
> Please help
>
> Thank
> Karen T.
Pat Southwood on thu 6 sep 07
Dear Karen,
!. no
2.no
3.no
sorry,
Pat Southwood.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Karen Thorn"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, September 05, 2007 3:23 AM
Subject: RAKU HELP
> Hello everyone,
>
> I have a question, I am just starting to get into raku. But there are
> things i need to know. I wanted to do tile for a kitchen back splash,
> using
> the AMACO raku glazes and after reading the posts and the many responses
> form the members of this list about the sinks, I am now interested in
> doing
> a sink. However I tried to contact the people who make the sinks to ask
> if
> I buy a sink or tile, and perform the raku procedure, will the finished
> items be ok for use. Are raku items ok to be cleaned, are they sealed
> like
> the glazeed items? I don't want to do all this work and expend money if
> the
> finished product is going to be a non functional item. Can someone give
> me
> some help?
>
> my questions are:
> 1. are raku items persay water tight?
> 2. Can raku items withstand cleaning, such as tile,sinks, pitchers
> 3 Are raku items considered food safe?
>
> Please help
>
> Thank
> Karen T.
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots2@visi.com
>
>
William & Susan Schran User on thu 6 sep 07
On 9/4/07 10:23 PM, "Karen Thorn" wrote:
> I have a question, I am just starting to get into raku. But there are
> things i need to know. I wanted to do tile for a kitchen back splash, using
> the AMACO raku glazes and after reading the posts and the many responses
> form the members of this list about the sinks, I am now interested in doing
> a sink. However I tried to contact the people who make the sinks to ask if
> I buy a sink or tile, and perform the raku procedure, will the finished
> items be ok for use. Are raku items ok to be cleaned, are they sealed like
> the glazeed items? I don't want to do all this work and expend money if the
> finished product is going to be a non functional item. Can someone give me
> some help?
>
> my questions are:
> 1. are raku items persay water tight?
> 2. Can raku items withstand cleaning, such as tile,sinks, pitchers
> 3 Are raku items considered food safe?
Thought I'd chime in on this message as the owner of the business who you
are contacting just happens to also be a student of mine. He is increasing
his throwing skills through a supervised study course with me. He is very
honest and wants to be sure he provides his clients with a good product and
sound advice.
In answer to your questions:
1. Raku items are not water tight. If you are using a clay body for raku
firing that is open & porous to withstand the thermal shock of the process,
the clay will remain open and porous. One can "raku fire" vitrified clay if
temperature is increased slow enough - I've done it - but the glaze surface
would probably be rather soft and easily scratched.
2. Raku glazed surfaces are susceptible to damage using coarse cleaning
materials, so I would suggest raku is not suited for functional ware,
whether a pitcher or a sink. Back-splash tiles would work if the bare clay
is sealed with a masonry or grout sealer and the surface with cleaned with
mild soap & water.
3. Depending on the surface and glaze used, raku ware may be considered food
safe, but I would not recommend raku for functional ware as the glaze may
easily be attacked by acidic foods and the clay is very susceptible to
damage in regular use.
--
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
Denny on fri 7 sep 07
Dear Karen,=20
I=E2=80=99ve copied your questions and listed the answers below them.
my questions are:
1.=09Are raku items persay water tight?
NO. Raku clays are a porous, open body in order to withstand the thermal sh=
ock. The clay may not be fired to a complete vitreous state at Raku temper=
atures.
=E2=80=9CA good glaze is good glass,=E2=80=9D said one potter. Many Raku gl=
azes are not a balanced formula, and do not contain enough silica =E2=80=93=
thus, many Raku glazes are thin, unstable, and do not make =E2=80=9Cgood g=
lass.=E2=80=9D =20
2.=09Can raku items withstand cleaning, such as tile,sinks, and pitchers.
NO. Often the glaze is a thin coating and subject to discoloring. Discolori=
ng will be accelerated by using bleach and some other cleaners. The open c=
lay body may trap bacteria, where it can grow if exposed to moisture. Just=
like a new penny, a copper Raku glaze can oxidize over time. The continued=
changing color of a Raku piece is part of the unfolding charm of the work.
3.=09Are raku items considered food safe?
NO. Raku glazes used in the U.S. may be unstable, and often do not make =E2=
=80=9Cgood glass.=E2=80=9D Thus metals and other chemicals in the glaze can=
leach out into the food or liquid. Acidic foods accelerate this metal leac=
hing.
The porous open clay body of Raku is a place for food borne bacteria to col=
lect and grow as well. So, again, another argument against Raku for food us=
e.
Several commercial glazes for Raku are re-labeled Cone 04 - 05 glazes. Ple=
ase check with the manufacturer regarding food safety at the temperature yo=
u will be firing to. My experience has been that commercial Raku glazes fi=
re very low =E2=80=93 around 1650 F. Durability of glazes fired this low se=
ems questionable to me.
Authentic Japanese Raku teabowls are fired differently and used differen=
t glazes than what is used in the U.S.A.=20
Conclusion: Making a sink from Raku clay is decidedly not recommended =E2=
=80=93 the sink would be a fairly soft ceramic, with a porous body that is =
not fully vitrified.
Firing a bisqueware sink made by others in the Raku process is just not a g=
ood idea, either. The glazes could be porous and would discolor from cleani=
ng agents.
Making tiles to be used on a vertical backsplash could be done. However,=
the best answer is a test. Make a Raku tile, tape it up on the backsplash,=
and let it live there for several weeks. Watch to see how much water gets =
splashed on the tile, and if it discolors when cleaned. The tile could be =
coated with two coats of a sealer such as "Thompson's Water Seal," which I =
have occasionally used inside a flower vase.
Good Luck with your project, and your continued exploration of Raku,
Denny Means
website: http://home.earthlink.net/~crookedtreepots/
"One test is worth a thousand experts." _ Stephen Hawking
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