vince pitelka on thu 15 nov 01
> Hi--I bisque a load of burnished, terra sig pots/sculptures to ^012 for a
> pit fire. Should I re-bisque to a higher cone? And, I can't remember--do
I
> shine the pots/sculptures with Crisco before I put them in the pit? I
can't
> find any of the answers to these questions in my notes.
Carolyn -
I'm not sure whose information you saw before, but I am uncertain as to what
you are using the Crisco for. It is a good burnishing medium, in which case
you apply it to the terra sig-coated pot and then stone-burnish it (or spoon
burnish or whatever). I cannot imagine any reason to apply Crisco any time
after that. Applying it before firing would of course be pointless because
it would just burn out, and applying it after firing would be a horrid,
greasy mess.
Bisque-firing to ^012 is necessary only if you are truly burnishing with a
stone or spoon or some other hard, smooth object. With such work you cannot
bisque higher than that because the clay starts to shrink, and a burnished
surface is so dense that if there is ANY shrinkage it will crinkle on a
microscopic level, ruining your burnish. This is not true of polished terra
sig (polished with a soft material like a cloth, brush, chamois, or plastic
bag material), and you can bisque it at normal ^08 bisque temperature.
Good luck -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/
Carolyn Bronowski on thu 15 nov 01
Hi--I bisque a load of burnished, terra sig pots/sculptures to ^012 for a
pit fire. Should I re-bisque to a higher cone? And, I can't remember--do I
shine the pots/sculptures with Crisco before I put them in the pit? I can't
find any of the answers to these questions in my notes.
Thanks, Carolyn
L. P. Skeen on thu 15 nov 01
Yes to #1 and no to #2.
----- Original Message -----
From: Carolyn Bronowski
Subject: sawdust/pitfire question
> Hi--I bisque a load of burnished, terra sig pots/sculptures to ^012 for a
> pit fire. Should I re-bisque to a higher cone? And, I can't remember--do
I
> shine the pots/sculptures with Crisco before I put them in the pit?
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