Ron Collins on mon 25 dec 00
Michael McDowell:
Thank you for your thoughtful response...I have had good tests so far, and
am using a very low tech way to use only the fine particles of
pumice/volcanic ash.....dump it from the sand pile (here they call it white
sand at the construction sites) into a bucket of water, wait a minute, pour
off everything but the big stuff that has settled quickly, strain out the
floating stuff-a great low tech way to get small particles, and a WHOLE LOT
FASTER than dry screening into a 100 mesh sieve. Ron did that, and even it
was coarser than I wanted..and took forever..After most of the stuff has
settled out, pour off the water, and put what's left into a bisque bowl to
dry out...works like a charm, and who needs to make a ball mill? I might be
able to do a lot more with a coarser sieve dry and use it in the
earthenware, or for that matter, any clay...I think it's a great deal
going....Have always hated glazing-have been fuming for months here, when
the answer was right here out my front door. Found a recipe I thought had
potential for cone 6 clear...with :
63.7 vol. ash
frit 3134 26.3
kaolin 9
bentonite 1
it melts a lot sooner than cone 6 and my earthenware does great up higher,
so may meet in the middle at 02 and have a good glaze for my student's
clay...it's clear all right..the deal is, I added the above glaze and fine
jade powder 50/50, and got a nice fat glaze, just great, but ugly avocado
color but it did *lower the melting point even more.* no crazing, just a
nice fat fit. Added zircopax, and got an ok gold/yellow...that puts my
imported frit down to about 13%-plus the zircopax,so still have that, but
Mel's glaze 60 v. ash and 40 GB looks about the same as this one, and it
takes 40% imported gerstley borate, and don't want to depend on that
either....in this geologically rich area, even someone glaze dumb like me
may find something that has a potential...and I know that I'll find a way
get away from any frit...and zircopax..maybe just by continuing to reduce
particle size.but you know just 14 pounds would make 100 pounds of glaze,
and that's not a bad deal in the meantime and with more testing, decreasing
particle size even more, who knows? I'll get an earthenware glaze yet...and
your suggestion of little pinch pots for each fire to test interesting
deposits will be done...when we go into the mountains to buy jade, I'll
prospect more now..by the way, speaking of pinch pots...at the workshop at
your house, I had never made a pinch pot, being mostly self taught and
pretty isolated, claywise, came home and have practiced for 1 1/2 years now,
and make sets of teabowls, faceted, medium pots up to 5 pounds...with my
porcelain stoneware am the new Jimmy Clark of Guatemala...it's so much
fun -no one here wants to take time to learn it, but I don't think we
appreciate simplicity until we've come full circle.. thanks...Melinda
Michael McDowell on wed 27 dec 00
Melinda,
Well, you're well on you way in your voyage of discovery. You can be as
systematic (or as casual) and invest as much (or as little) in equipment as
suits your style. Just keep trying things! You may even discover one day that
you like glazing! As you continue doing tests, asking questions of your
process and environment, your glazes will gain much of both your locale and
you in them. A "simple" glaze will have a wonderful story that accompanies it.
Makes a world of difference... And of course, it costs less out of pocket!
Though I think in time you will appreciate that last as the least of the
benefits.
Congratulations on your developing pinch prowess. Another process full of
creative potential...
BTW The process you describe for how you "mine the fines" from the volcanic
sand (ash, pumice, or whatever) is almost exactly how I process the ash I have
collected from Mt. St. Helens. By all means, you should try to work with this
material wet whenever possible. Do wear good dust protection whenever you (or
anyone you care about) are handling it dry. Those particles are really jagged
and sharp in your lungs.
Michael McDowell
Whatcom County, WA USA
mmpots@memes.com
http://www2.memes.com/mmpots
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