mel jacobson on mon 14 jul 03
all firing is designed around the ware, what you
are doing, what fuel, your needs.
there is no magic system.
it is up to you, and experience will guide you.
we did some `fast up firing` at the farm to
find out about it. bob anderson and i wanted
to try out some theories of nils and feriz d.
you cannot just do things the same all the time.
no growth. and taking risk, will at times, give you
a better way.
we did the full, fast fire to cone 11,
crashed cooled for about 10 minutes.
let the kiln cool to 1900F.
turned the kiln back on for two hours...others
like hank, will fire for hours and hours...up to 15.
that is based on what you are firing. what glazes, what
pots, what you want.
we did not reduce on the way up...just oxidized and full
power. we decided to reduce on the way down.
using the gas would work just fine, but we had tons of
scarp wood around, we were outside, so we just used
the scarp wood. anything that will make smoke will
work. try whatever you want. this is not a magic
formula. it is trying a variety of things to see if they
work. others may find it stupid and foolish. we did not.
our pots were as good as any slow, careful firing, they
were as good as pots fired at 5.5 on the oxyprobe for
the entire firing. in fact, bob had three teapots that
were total racers. malcolm davis would have taken
them in a heart beat, put his name on them.
we got large black streaks and patterns, shino was perfect
color. i got great bottles.....as good as i ever get.
and, we abused everything i have said about early reduction.
etc.
reds were crisp and clear...bright red. but, that had more to
do with the slow cooling.
we saved a great deal of gas. we did not waste gas for the
overnight firing style. we did not nurse the kiln, in fact, we
kicked it in the ass.
so, try some things. we did, and had a good time.
we are learning folks at `hay creek`..that is the purpose
of the camp. stretch out, try things. if we lose pots...so
be it. if we gain ideas and knowledge, well, we share it.
we think that is the way it suppose to be.
this is not a fool proof, always do it technique. it is a try
to study the affects of fast firing, and slow cooling...we are
trying to find out when reduction really happens.
in my opinion, and that of others like gail nichols, it happens
when you make it happen.
so, that is it.
if you do some experimenting, let us know.
it is like the folks that want a good cone 6 clear.
get it from ron and john...and they are never heard
from again. selfish. they make a new glaze, color
and call it there own.
`hell, wally and i made this from scratch, it is a secret.`
b.s.
mel
From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
new/ http://www.TICK-ATTACK.COM
Hank Murrow on mon 14 jul 03
On Monday, July 14, 2003, at 03:07 PM, mel jacobson wrote:
Snip.......
> others
> like hank, will fire for hours and hours...up to 15.
>
> that is based on what you are firing. what glazes, what
> pots, what you want.
> Snip..........
Actually, Hank fires pretty fast in moderate reduction up to around
C/5, where everything slows down for a leisurely stroll up to C/10+,
followed by a moderately quick cool to 1800 F, with a slow soak at that
temperature for anywhere from 2 to 8 hours in Oxidation. Normal cooling
follows. My kind of Shinos, but no soda ash folks, so your mileage may
vary.
Mel is right.......try 'going against the grain', as I did soaking in
Oxidation (no one advised this) you will learn something.
Cheers, Hank
Ron Roy on wed 16 jul 03
Hi Mel,
I assume there is no iron spotting over a fire clay typr body - seeing as
the iron is not reduced on the way up - did you have any glazes on such a
body?
RR
Ron Roy
RR#4
15084 Little Lake Road
Brighton, Ontario
Canada
K0K 1H0
Phone: 613-475-9544
Fax: 613-475-3513
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