diane on tue 1 may 01
Where I am taking classes the rule is that
functional pieces can not be fired at any
cone under cone 6, is this a fact or can
you have safe functional pieces at the cone
06 or 04 range? The one fact that is brought
up often is that the pieces fired under cone 6
would not be durable enough or safe from leaching.
Could I get peoples opinions on this matter?
Diane
Wild Duck Pottery
Dannon Rhudy on tue 1 may 01
At 04:36 PM 05/01/2001 -0400, you wrote:
>Where I am taking classes the rule is that
>functional pieces can not be fired at any
>cone under cone 6, is this a fact or can
>you have safe functional pieces at the cone
>06 or 04 range? Could I get peoples opinions on this matter?.......
Without a doubt, you can and will get a great many opinions
on this - or any other - matter.
If the rule is that functional wares must be fired to cone 6,
then - that's the rule. There may be reasons for it (i.e., all
the glazes are cone 6 glazes, or the clay is a cone 6 clay, etc).
On the other hand, it may only be "the rule", with no
particular thought behind it other than a bit of confused
opinion. It is hard to speculate about why a particular
studio may have a particular rule. Have you asked the
instructor(s) why that rule is in place?
It is of course possible to have functional wares fired
to cone 04. The world is full of majolica, wares that
are made of low fire red or white clays, made specifically
for that firing range, with glazes calculated to match.
People have been using such wares for a very long time.
regards
Dannon Rhudy
ferenc jakab on wed 2 may 01
----- Original Message -----
From: "diane"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, 2 May 2001 6:36 am
Subject: functional pieces at lower cones
> Where I am taking classes the rule is that
> functional pieces can not be fired at any
> cone under cone 6, is this a fact or can
> you have safe functional pieces at the cone
> 06 or 04 range? The one fact that is brought
Majolica ware is ^04 and has been used in a lot of functional ware. In fact
the tea I am drinking is from a Majolica tea pot.
Feri.
mudlark on wed 2 may 01
This "rule" is quite possibly an old school way of thought. It seems that there
has been some changes in the way we are doing things now than lets say 30 years
ago. I learned clay in a studio that didn't even have an electric kiln and moved
on to one that used them only for bisque. I'll add that we used lead in some of
the raku glazes and most of the wheels were kick. I never owned an electric kiln
until about 1985. My understanding is that many school situations are almost the
opposite now. And, after all that, I work almost excusivly out of electric kilns.
At 03 I don't think my funtional work is unsafe. Of course, no lead, or other
toxic leachables. Good tight body, mine as well as the clay. Compression glaze
fit. I'll admitt that I've painted some patterns that would make you throw up. But
that's different.
It's easier sometimes to make rules rather than teach. Sadly the "rule" is closing
the door to an appreciation and developement of alot of good work.
So , Feri, throw that damn "unsafe" teapot away and get with the program.
Thank you Dr. Science.
ferenc jakab wrote:
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "diane"
> To:
> Sent: Wednesday, 2 May 2001 6:36 am
> Subject: functional pieces at lower cones
>
> > Where I am taking classes the rule is that
> > functional pieces can not be fired at any
> > cone under cone 6, is this a fact or can
> > you have safe functional pieces at the cone
> > 06 or 04 range? The one fact that is brought
>
> Majolica ware is ^04 and has been used in a lot of functional ware. In fact
> the tea I am drinking is from a Majolica tea pot.
> Feri.
>
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--
Clyde Tullis
Mudlark Pottery
320 G Street
Salida, CO 81201
719-539-1299
mudlark@chaffee.net
http://www.mudlarkpottery.com
Jonathan Kaplan on wed 2 may 01
>
>> Where I am taking classes the rule is that
>> functional pieces can not be fired at any
>> cone under cone 6, is this a fact or can
>> you have safe functional pieces at the cone
>> 06 or 04 range? The one fact that is brought
>
> Majolica ware is ^04 and has been used in a lot of functional ware. In fact
> the tea I am drinking is from a Majolica tea pot.
Majolica or for thqt matter, any ware at cone 06-04 is extremely unvitrified
unless a frit is used as a body flux. And that is another story. While this
range is ok for the hobby area, functional work at this temperature is prone
to failure. Even if you glaze the foot and stilt the ware, it will craze
over time and is not really a practical or safe solution for functional
ware.
06-04 bodies use primarily talc as a body flux. While the ware may look
good, it is prone to delayed moisture crazing and crazing in general in that
most of the glazes at that range are just frit, maybe a little clay, and the
resulting glass is quite poor.
We work at cone 3-4 for many projects and the our plastic bodies and casting
formulae are quite vitreous and the glazes perfect. Why? You can use the
available fluxes and fillers, and glass formers that work..flint, spar,
pyrophyllite, etc.,
We work terra cotta and whiteware at this temperature. Another little know
fact is that most commercial glazes, underglazes, like Reward, etc can fire
to a much elevated temperature and produce the same colors that you would
get at the 06-04 range, You get better ware at cone 3-4. In fact, by just
moving to cone 1, you could make stronger and more durable ware.
Jonathan
--
Jonathan Kaplan
Ceramic Design Group
PO Box 775112
Steamboat Springs CO 80477
infor@ceramicdesigngroup.net www.ceramicdesigngroup.net
(use PO BOX for all USPS correspondence)
Plant Location
1280 13th Street
Steamboat Springs CO 80487
(use PLANT LOCATION for all UPS, Common Carrier, and Courier deliveries)
PERRY STEARNS on wed 2 may 01
Likely your school does not want students bringing in low-fire clays =
that will require setting up new firing schedules and which would =
require a policing system to prevent mix-ups resulting in meltdowns in =
the cone 6 firing. And so they invent a rule that precludes your =
questioning. Don't try to flout it on their premises; you are sure to =
make a mess.
I have in my kitchen my own Cone 04 and 06 pots made 30 years ago that =
are in the microwave or the oven at least once a week.=20
Buy an old cone-sitter kiln and make your own lo-fire pots on your =
own...handbuild if you aren't ready for your own wheel at home.
Fran Stearns
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