Wanda Holmes at Alistia on wed 9 jan 02
I spent a good part of last year testing locally available clay bodies for
cone 6 work. I settled on a cone 10 body, Special Stoneware II from
Clayworld, though I am still not completely satisfied. SSII is not as
vitrified as I'd like at cone 6, but all the midrange claybodies I tried
were overfired at cone 6 (most were advertised as cone 5 bodies). The
notion of mixing my own claybody is growing in the back of my mind despite
the fact that I don't have all the equipment I'd need and I'm still up to my
eyeballs in learning about glazes.
I'm interested in the comments of other clayarters on the joys and cautions,
benefits and frustrations, of mixing your own claybody. Any advice, anyone?
Wanda
Paul Gerhold on thu 10 jan 02
Wanda,
When I started playing with Raku I tested almost all the available clay
bodies from commercial suppliers and found them wanting-of course at that
time nobody was using Kyanite commercially. Developing my own body by mixing
in tubs and drying was a combination of major work and great fun with all the
testing required.
Once the body was close to working properly I decided to have it mixed
commercially since suppliers supposedly have all the equipment and testing
methods required. In the last ten years I have been through many different
suppliers trying to find one that would test the raw materials properly and
actually mix the clay with some degree of consistancy.I currently am using
Miller with great results (about four years).
I guess to summarize my experience developing a clay body was great fun and
well worth the effort ( although now there are commercial Raku bodies which
are probably as good as mine).Mixing clay however is just work in my opinion
and probably best left to those with more experience and better equipment.If
you are a functional potter who uses a lot of clay the savings might justify
mixing your own clay although I kind of doubt it
Paul
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