Ellen Currans on mon 4 aug 03
Dear Clayart,
I've been lurking awhile and have finally worked up to adding my 2 cents
worth.
1. WHEEL SPEED CONTROL: I learned to throw on an old green Maytag washing
machine my brother converted to a pottery wheel. I don't know how he did it,
but he was a High School machine shop teacher at the time, and was anxious to
encourage my potting. It arrived one day unexpectedly by truck freight, and it
is probably the reason I am still potting 43 years later. It came with no
foot pedal - just a knob to turn it off or on. No speed control at all. After
awhile my husband added variable control to it. This consisted of a metal
box about the size of a small radio which set on the counter near the wheel,
with a knob which adjusted the speed up or down. (I graduated to one of the
first Creative Industry wheels, $169.00) in about l969 and what a treat that was!)
He could probably explain how he did this if anyone was interested.
1. RED IRON OXIDE: This may be way out of date, but I too was looking for
pure red iron oxide years ago to get iron reds. I found the best for me was
named 2199, one of the "1000" series of "Williams Pure Red Iron Oxides". The 21
in the code number refers to the "depth of color" and the 99 indicates the
approximate ferric oxide content. (Their "100" series was supposed to be
brighter, purer, finer and more uniform that the !000, and I don't remember why we
chose this one.) I've been using this Iron in all my glazes since l971. We
bought several 50 lb bags over the years from Pfizer Minerals, Pigments &
Metals Division before they moved out of Portland, OR. I don't know if they are
still operating somewhere in the U.S. or have been swallowed up by a larger
company. Williams and Pfizer would be two good search options. It may be that
one of the ceramic supply houses has this quality Red Iron Oxide but I am not
aware of it. The New York address for Pfizer in l971 was 236 East 42nd St. New
York, N.Y. 10017.
3. A SAFER KILN SHED: After 525 firings our 36 cu. ft. MFT needed to be
rebuilt and we decided it should be rebuilt in a safer place -- out from under
the wood shed roof adjoining our studio. We poured another cement slab and with
a great deal of help from a contractor friend, put up an all metal stud and
cement board kiln shed. It adjoins the studio, but no part of it touches. The
kiln cart runs on its track into the studio through a barn door to load and
unload in a heated space. My husband has built all our structures, but wasn't
familiar with metal studs and load requirements, etc. but you can get this
information from contractors who do metal stud building (getting pretty common
commercially). The contractor recommended reinforcing the walls with Duroc
(cement board) for stability. The precut studs and cement board were delivered to
the site. A crew of two guys who do metal studs and sheet rocking came with
all their special saws and drills, and put up a 18 by 30 structure in two
Saturdays. (We also covered an area for a carport.) My husband finished it with
metal siding and roofing.
We live in a rural area in the woods, and I no longer have nightmares
of setting the hillside on fire! It certainly cost more than "Do it Yourself
with Salvaged Materials", but it is worth the peace of mind and will probably
be our last kiln shed.
Enough for now.
Ellen Currans
Cedar Pond Pottery
Dundee, Oregon 97115
curranset@AOL.com
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