Curtis Nelson on wed 26 dec 01
I've often wondered what cone mass produced molded
terra cotta flower pots are fired to.
Just for my own use, I'd love to quickly brush on a
colored engobe (if the initial firing is in the bisque
range) or a low fire glaze just to dress up the pots.
But I'd like to know what temperatures these
inexpensive mass produced pots can stand before I
make a bad assumption, fire too high, and have a melt
down. That is, can they take even <06?
Any knowledge or experience one of you might have?
If not, I'll put a few shards in a saggar and fire it in
an future bisque firing to see what happens.
Curt Nelson
Harry on wed 26 dec 01
Hi Curt,
Most low fire red can take it up to ^03 safely.
Harry in Iowa
Kate Johnson on wed 26 dec 01
The company I most often buy from offers a terra cotta they say can go ^06
all the way up to ^2--higher than I would have thought...I haven't tried it
yet, but since my pipkins are meant to be used to cook over hot embers, I
will probably try it...
Best--
Kate
Dannon Rhudy on wed 26 dec 01
Curt said:
...........If not, I'll put a few shards in a saggar and fire it in
>an future bisque firing to see what happens........
No matter what ANYone says, you should do just that.
Put some shards in the kiln on a clay saucer and test.
Where the pots were made may make a difference
in the firing temp. Test your own.
regards
Dannon Rhudy
Tommy Humphries on wed 26 dec 01
That depends on where the pots are made. The Marshall Pottery flower pots
are all fired to 06, but the Georgia Lizella red pots can take ^6 or higher.
Some Mexican red pots can melt before good red heat is reached. Your plans
to test the locally available pots sounds like a good one.
Tommy
> I've often wondered what cone mass produced molded
> terra cotta flower pots are fired to.
Martin Howard on thu 27 dec 01
From the kind of clay used for flower pots in the UK I would assume they
were fired or would take firing up to cones 01, 1 or 2.
Just found a stack of them under an old oil tank that we have had replaced.
So, can put one in the cooler part of the kiln next firing 2/3.
Would be good to put some slip and glaze experiments on them.
Martin Howard
Webbs Cottage Pottery
Woolpits Road, Great Saling
BRAINTREE, Essex CM7 5DZ
01371 850 423
martin@webbscottage.co.uk
http://www.webbscottage.co.uk
Updated 26/12/01
Jocelyn McAuley on thu 27 dec 01
Hi Curt and anyone else interested in re-firing terra cotta pots,
A friend of mine in the ceramics studio discovered that a large number of
terra cotta flower pots are embedded with a resin which makes them melt.
This was discovered when she used them as a sagar (melted at raku
temperatures!). These weren't even the obviously plastic looking ones-
these seemed to be clay pots.
So, just make sure you test, and are fairly observant when chosing your
pots.
Have fun
Jocelyn
who has been enjoying her cookbook. And will enjoy her Mojitos on new
years!
--
Jocelyn McAuley ><<'> jocie@worlddomination.net
Eugene, Oregon
http://www.ceramicism.com
Martin Howard on fri 28 dec 01
Jocelyne. Yes I am interested, because found a store of old terra cotta pots
under the old oil tank.
They must have come from my wife's former garden just up the road, where
there was a lovely walled garden cared for by generations of gardeners.
So the clay was probably local, or the usual red clay from The Potteries,
which, as I have said, fires to cones 1, 2 or even 3.
So, I'll join you in having some fun with these old pots.
Martin Howard
Webbs Cottage Pottery
Woolpits Road, Great Saling
BRAINTREE, Essex CM7 5DZ
01371 850 423
martin@webbscottage.co.uk
http://www.webbscottage.co.uk
Updated 26/12/01
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