Christine Laginess on mon 15 nov 99
For those of you who live in the cold belt, i am from michigan, and work in
an unheated studios, or turn off the heat when closing up for the day, a
couple of questions.
What happens when you throw a pot and leave it to dry and it freezes? Is
your work destroyed?
Is there a problem with working with heat and then leaving and shutting off
the heat. Does any of this affect the clay or the pottery or what about your
water supply?
I am thinking about building a studio in an outbuilding and i wish to only
have to run the heat while i am there. I am curious about how this affects
your work and supplies. Thanks for your replies in advance
Christine
chris1clay@aol.com
Ray Aldridge on tue 16 nov 99
At 02:55 PM 11/15/99 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>For those of you who live in the cold belt, i am from michigan, and work in
>an unheated studios, or turn off the heat when closing up for the day, a
>couple of questions.
>
>What happens when you throw a pot and leave it to dry and it freezes? Is
>your work destroyed?
Yes. I once had a poorly insulated studio in TN, and I found it necessary
to bisque everything before I went off for any length of time in the
winter. The only source of heat was a wood stove, and someone had to be
there to stoke it or the wet pots would freeze. Then, when they thawed,
they'd collapse into mush.
I once tried to solve the problem by getting a kerosene heater that would
allow me to be away overnight. But a couple days after I bought it, I
decided to take my girlfriend to a nearby town for lunch. When we got back
an hour later, someone had stolen the hot kerosene stove.
I had a lot of stuff stolen there, which is one big reason I left. I never
caught the thieves, even though on a number of occasions I hid my truck and
laid out in the woods all night with a shotgun to keep me warm. My advice
is: don't move to Wayne County.
Ray
Aldridge Porcelain and Stoneware
http://www.goodpots.com
Jeff Campana on tue 16 nov 99
Christine,
I have no clue about finished wet pots, but one time i left a few bags of clay
in the garage during some sub-zero weather, and the were frozen solid. When the
finally thawed, a few days later, the clay was an absolute loss. It was about
as plastic as pea gravel! i ended up slowly wedging it into the rest of my clay
as it was unworkable by itself. This must be due to the water bunching
together, and leaving its place between all the platelettes of clay. All i know
is that i would definitely cover the clay up with a comforter or something to
prevent freezing on those bitter days.
regards,
Jeff Campana
Christine Laginess wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> For those of you who live in the cold belt, i am from michigan, and work in
> an unheated studios, or turn off the heat when closing up for the day, a
> couple of questions.
>
> What happens when you throw a pot and leave it to dry and it freezes? Is
> your work destroyed?
> Is there a problem with working with heat and then leaving and shutting off
> the heat. Does any of this affect the clay or the pottery or what about your
> water supply?
>
> I am thinking about building a studio in an outbuilding and i wish to only
> have to run the heat while i am there. I am curious about how this affects
> your work and supplies. Thanks for your replies in advance
> Christine
> chris1clay@aol.com
Cindy Strnad, Earthen Vessels Pottery on tue 16 nov 99
Christine,
Freezing clay is supposed to be good for it, according to some, though it
does necessitate a greater effort in the wedging department. As to freezing
greenware, the dire consequences are not to be contemplated. (It *does*
still contain some water, even when "bone" dry.) You know what freezing and
thawing water does to granite mountains and public highways . . . .
Glazes, of course, just freeze. It won't hurt them, but it does make dipping
pots into them somewhat of a challenge. If you heat all day, it would have
to get real cold to freeze a five gallon bucket of glaze in one night, but
then, you say you live in Michigan?
As to the effect on your water, I'm assuming you're talking about your
plumbing? As I grew up in Florida, the idea of pipes bursting in winter was
foreign to me, too. If your studio is going to be plumbed, you'll either
have to drain the pipes in freezing weather or heat the studio. And make
sure the pipes are well insulated or not located on an outside wall, or they
may freeze anyway.
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
Custer, SD
Joanne Van Bezooyen on tue 16 nov 99
What comes to my mind is passive solar heating, southern exposure, reflection,
super insulation . Perhaps you don't get enough winter sun in Michigan. I grew
up there but moved to Arizona 20 years ago so I forget a little.
Christine Laginess wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> For those of you who live in the cold belt, i am from michigan, and work in
> an unheated studios, or turn off the heat when closing up for the day, a
> couple of questions.
>
> What happens when you throw a pot and leave it to dry and it freezes? Is
> your work destroyed?
> Is there a problem with working with heat and then leaving and shutting off
> the heat. Does any of this affect the clay or the pottery or what about your
> water supply?
>
> I am thinking about building a studio in an outbuilding and i wish to only
> have to run the heat while i am there. I am curious about how this affects
> your work and supplies. Thanks for your replies in advance
> Christine
> chris1clay@aol.com
Olof Petren on tue 16 nov 99
------------------
In the Swedish climate you just have to learn that wet clay is cracking by
getting frozen. Not good for pots or other products, but a real good
=22aging agent=22 for the raw clay. Glazes seem to survive well, although =
the
vessels easily are broken if too filled-up.
Regards from
Olof
At 14:55 1999-11-15 EST, you wrote:
=3E----------------------------Original message----------------------------
=3EFor those of you who live in the cold belt, i am from michigan, and work =
in
=3Ean unheated studios, or turn off the heat when closing up for the day, a
=3Ecouple of questions.
=3E
=3EWhat happens when you throw a pot and leave it to dry and it freezes? Is
=3Eyour work destroyed?
=3EIs there a problem with working with heat and then leaving and shutting =
off
=3Ethe heat. Does any of this affect the clay or the pottery or what about =
your
=3Ewater supply?
=3E
=3EI am thinking about building a studio in an outbuilding and i wish to =
only
=3Ehave to run the heat while i am there. I am curious about how this =
affects
=3Eyour work and supplies. Thanks for your replies in advance
=3EChristine
=3Echris1clay=40aol.com
=3E
=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/
Olof Petr=E9n =5F/
Dataenheten =5F/
Chalmers Lindholmen =5F/
Box 8873 =5F/
402 72 G=F6teborg =5F/
=5F/
Tel 031 - 772 59 06 =5F/
Fax 031 - 772 59 10 =5F/
=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/=5F/
Susan Fox on tue 16 nov 99
Well, Christine - One time I went away for four or five days in
January, and the oil burner heating my barn-studio went off. when I got
back everything was frozen. The glazes, in 30 gallon trash cans; the
clay, in plastic bags from the supplier; and the slurry bucket, a trash
can full of slop, in which two mice had drowned and frozen with their
little heads poking up.
The glazes were OK, as I remember, but the clay was miserable when it
thawed - all in layers, like shale.It had to be wedged like crazy before
it was usable again. And I had to wait for the slurry to thaw before
getting the mousies out - ugh. It all took a long time to thaw, too.
So I highly recommend finding some way to keep it above freezing - you'll
warm up faster, yourself, in the mornings, too. Hands that are reasonably
warm work better and stay healthier.
So that's my advice, for what it's worth...
Susan
On Mon, 15 Nov 1999 14:55:02 EST Christine Laginess
writes:
>----------------------------Original
>message----------------------------
>For those of you who live in the cold belt, i am from michigan, and
>work in
>an unheated studios, or turn off the heat when closing up for the day,
>a
>couple of questions.
>
>What happens when you throw a pot and leave it to dry and it freezes?
>Is
>your work destroyed?
>Is there a problem with working with heat and then leaving and
>shutting off
>the heat. Does any of this affect the clay or the pottery or what
>about your
>water supply?
>
>I am thinking about building a studio in an outbuilding and i wish to
>only
>have to run the heat while i am there. I am curious about how this
>affects
>your work and supplies. Thanks for your replies in advance
>Christine
>chris1clay@aol.com
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Alex Wilson on tue 16 nov 99
Hello Christine, well I'm in sunny Iowa, which isn't a whole lot warmer than
Micigan in the depths of Winter, and I wouldn't dream of working in an
unheated workshop - maybe I'm getting too old and soft.
Certainly, overnight, your water supply lines would freeze and burst, and
your clay will freeze - which will make it impossible to throw.
Pots made and then left in an unheated spot would most likely freeze and
crack.
Your glazes and slips would freeze, etc., etc.
Find yourself a fatbelly stove or build a hearth of heavy brick and bank it
up with big lumps of wood or coal to keep your gear from freezing overnight.
A 100W light bulb by your pipes will maybe stop them from freezing.. maybe.
Basically, keep the heat on low and don't turn it up too much when you're in
there and you should be O.K.
If you've a cellar, the clay can be stored there without freezing and has the
added benefit of keeping it moist in the Summer. I'm seriously considering an
underground workshop!
Needs to be at least six feet under the surface, though.
Hope some of this helps,
Be seeing you,
Alex
Nina Jones on wed 17 nov 99
------------------
I work in an unheated space, my attic. But it's not as completely unheated =
as a
studio built out of an outhouse would be because I am getting a thin trickle=
of
heat from downstairs, the main floor of my house. All my wet clays are =
stored
in an area close to the door to receive the full benefit of that trickle,
because I had been told by my supplier that if the clay freezes and thaws =
out,
it is not the same texture upon thawing. Like the way cheese changes =
texture
after freezing and thawing out.
Last winter I kept my pots in large plastic storage containers and these =
seemed
to keep the pots from freezing as long as I didn't leave them in there too =
long.
The ones that did freeze cracked.
As far as plumbing is concerned I was told once by a landlord who wouldn't =
heat
the basement of the house we were renting that we had to allow the tap to =
run at
a little bit heavier than a constant drip so that the pipes would not =
freeze.
Nina D. Jones
Southside Chicago
=40 njones=40winston.com
=3E=3E=3E Christine Laginess =3CChris1clay=40aol.com=3E 11/15/99 01:55PM =
=3E=3E=3E
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
For those of you who live in the cold belt, i am from michigan, and work in
an unheated studios, or turn off the heat when closing up for the day, a
couple of questions.
What happens when you throw a pot and leave it to dry and it freezes? Is
your work destroyed?
Is there a problem with working with heat and then leaving and shutting off
the heat. Does any of this affect the clay or the pottery or what about =
your
water supply?
I am thinking about building a studio in an outbuilding and i wish to only
have to run the heat while i am there. I am curious about how this affects
your work and supplies. Thanks for your replies in advance
Christine
chris1clay=40aol.com
Michael Banks on wed 17 nov 99
>
> Christine Laginess wrote: (Snip)
> > What happens when you throw a pot and leave it to dry and it freezes?
Is
> > your work destroyed?
Yes, is the short answer Christine. I used to work in a studio where the
greenware drying on shelves occasionally froze. The most recently thrown,
wettest ware froze first (due to greater evaporative cooling) and was
generally too badly damaged to persist with. Visible dendritic ice crystals
interpenetrated through the soft clay and when they thawed, left a network
of cracks, terminally weakening the piece.
Michael Banks
Hank Murrow on thu 18 nov 99
Good Evening Joanne and Christine; I know that Jan Edwards, now a member of
the Oregon Potters' Association, lived and worked in Carbondale, CO
(Elev.8000+) where the temps are fiercer than MI. She designed, built, and
operated a passive solar studio with many of the features Joanne suggests,
and at my suggestion, wet clay as a heat storage medium. I suggest you
contact her for a briefing. My last address for her is: Jan Edwards, 2650
SW Custer, Portland, OR 97219, and say hello from me, Hank in Eugene
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>What comes to my mind is passive solar heating, southern exposure, reflection,
>super insulation . Perhaps you don't get enough winter sun in Michigan.
>I grew
>up there but moved to Arizona 20 years ago so I forget a little.
>
>Christine Laginess wrote:
>
>> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>> For those of you who live in the cold belt, i am from michigan, and work in
>> an unheated studios, or turn off the heat when closing up for the day, a
>> couple of questions.
>>
>> What happens when you throw a pot and leave it to dry and it freezes? Is
>> your work destroyed?
>> Is there a problem with working with heat and then leaving and shutting off
>> the heat. Does any of this affect the clay or the pottery or what about
>>your
>> water supply?
>>
>> I am thinking about building a studio in an outbuilding and i wish to only
>> have to run the heat while i am there. I am curious about how this affects
>> your work and supplies. Thanks for your replies in advance
>> Christine
>> chris1clay@aol.com
Hank Murrow on thu 18 nov 99
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Christine,
>
>Freezing clay is supposed to be good for it, according to some, though it
>does necessitate a greater effort in the wedging department.
>Cindy Strnad
>Earthen Vessels Pottery
>Custer, SD
Hi Again: In my previous post on freezing clay I was talking about slurry
or slip clay being brought to a plastic condition by freezing and
subsequent thawing. Once to this state, you have to keep it from freezing
to keep it plastic. At Anderson Ranch in the early seventies, Brad Reed and
I used to put canvas bags of our recycled clay in slurry form out in the
yard overnight, dust off the ice in the morning, and bring them into the
studio to thaw; then peeling the bag off and wedging. Great clay, and a
sort of 'reverse microwave' drying process. Harry Davis did much the smae
thing at his places in Peru and New Zealand. Also see my followup to
Joannes remarks. Hank in Eugene
Gerry Turner on sun 21 nov 99
Wow, Christine! I know that the cost of heating a studio 24 hrs. a day is a
killer, but I would think that Michigan is much like Wisconsin in the
winter. That being so, let me tell you from experience that trying to throw
frozen clay is impossible, and that's what happens when the temps get down
there in Janurary andFebruary. I thought I could get by by storing my clay
in the house, but lugging it back and forth is too much. Okay, you're
right...it can be done even though it takes a lot of time and effort. But
then the first time I left a bunch of freshly thrown pots in the shop
overnight and returned next day to find the freeze lines spiraling up the
walls, then had them separate along those lines as they thawed out it became
obvious that I was going to have to either move to Florida for the winter
months or heat the studio somehow. The latter was less expensive than the
former. I invested in an electric wall heater and use it only at night to
keep the temperature above freezing. I now wish I had spent more and had a
gas heater installed because my electricity bills just for heating a really
bad. But since I have to use LP gas, I couldn't really afford the cost of
the tank and the necessary piping/plumbing at the time. However, if you
have gas available, that's what I would do.
Gerry In central Wisconsin
-----Original Message-----
From: Christine Laginess
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Monday, November 15, 1999 1:56 PM
Subject: unheated studios/ frozen pots/plumbing
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>For those of you who live in the cold belt, i am from michigan, and work in
>an unheated studios, or turn off the heat when closing up for the day, a
>couple of questions.
>
>What happens when you throw a pot and leave it to dry and it freezes? Is
>your work destroyed?
>Is there a problem with working with heat and then leaving and shutting off
>the heat. Does any of this affect the clay or the pottery or what about
your
>water supply?
>
>I am thinking about building a studio in an outbuilding and i wish to only
>have to run the heat while i am there. I am curious about how this affects
>your work and supplies. Thanks for your replies in advance
>Christine
>chris1clay@aol.com
>
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