lili krakowski on fri 2 jan 04
The question was single fired, right? Well, we do not know at what =
temp. you are firing.
Single fired glazes, I think, are best applied to leather hard clay. =
Which means they need a good % of bentonite or clay. Do not be shy. 8% =
- 10% Bentonite is ok.
If you are using fireplace ash, remember to not use any glossy paper, =
preferably NO paper in starting the fire. Paper --depending on =
type--contains kaolin, interferes, as it were, with the mix.
Depending on desired color you can use some of the body clay, or try Red =
Art, found surface clay, or one of those new Albny replacement ones. =
You also can use plain ball clay. =20
Just add whatever slowly,,,,5% at a time. =20
And, yes. DON'T start this at all till you have a good box full of =
washed ash. To the best of my knowledge wood burned in the fireplace =
gives off as much lye as wood burned otherwise!!!!! Directions for =
washing ash plentifully available in books, our archives.
If you start with too little ash, you will have to redo your tests for =
next batch unless you really have lots of conrol over what wood you are =
burning....
Good luck. Remember ALL the cautions re: dangers of wet wood ash.
SusanRaku@AOL.COM on fri 2 jan 04
In a message dated 1/2/2004 1:21:15 PM Eastern Standard Time,
mlkrakowski@CITLINK.NET writes:
> DON'T start this at all till you have a good box full of washed ash.
I have never bothered to wash my fireplace ash for the light blue glaze I use
it in (cone 6) and have not experienced a problem.
How important is this?
Susan
Teresa Testa on fri 2 jan 04
Hi Everyone,
Thanks for all the great information about making ash glazes from fireplaces
ashes. I forgot to add that I work with porcelain, cone 10 oxidation. Check
out website: www.windancerstudio.com
Thanks Again,
Teresa
Windancer Studio
Las Vegas, NV
Dave Finkelnburg on fri 2 jan 04
Dear Susan,
First, if it works for you, why change?
Washing wood ash removes soluble alkalis that affect how the glaze
behaves, both in the bucket and when applied to the pot. For some recipes
the soluble alkalis are really problematic. Washing the ash solves certain
problems. Essentially, raw wood ash tends to deflocculate a glaze. However,
whether you need to/want to wash the ash depends on how you use the ash and
what results you want.
Soooo, if you're happy with what your doing now, no, it is not important
at all to do anything different.
By the way, I don't wash my ash, either. I do follow Lili's admonition
to have a hefty quantity on hand to work from, so I can stir it up and have
a consistent source of ash for some time.
Good glazing!
Dave Finkelnburg, in from another brief tour over the sunny, snowy
local hills on cross country skis, still marveling at how snow is so many
shades of white and blue and gray and how sky blue is really aqua blue at
the horizon on a cold day, and how yellow the dry wheat grass is against the
sparkling snow crystals, and how matt olive green/gray/blue the sagebrush
leaves are, and how black/brown/gray/white the sleeping mule deer were on a
south slope in the sunshine. To avoid disturbing them, Bailey, who passes
for our wonder dog, and I turned at that point and went in another
direction...we had climbed for an hour by then, anyway, and it was time for
a run down...15 short, glorious minutes of sailing, cruising, coasting
across the wind-packed drifts, finally running down the narrow, carefully
broken trail...somehow mussed up by...dog tracks?
----- Original Message -----
From:
Sent: Friday, January 02, 2004 12:39 PM
> I have never bothered to wash my fireplace ash for the light blue glaze I
use
> it in (cone 6) and have not experienced a problem.
> How important is this?
Paul Herman on fri 2 jan 04
Hello Susan,
If plain ash works for you, then by all means, carry on. I normally use
unwashed ash, and have no problems with it. It ain't broke, so why fix
it? So to the question "How important is this?" I answer, "For you, not
at all." As for gathering a bunch up before you test it, yes.
Ashes contain varying amounts of water soluble alkalis (Potassium,
Sodium, Calcium, etc.) Some people are sensitive to them, though it
sounds like you aren't. I'm not either, in fact I regularly drink alkali
water. (grin)
Good glazes,
Paul Herman
Great Basin Pottery
423-725 Scott Road
Doyle, California 96109 US
potter@psln.com
----------
>From: SusanRaku@AOL.COM
>To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>Subject: Re: Fireplace ash
>Date: Fri, Jan 2, 2004, 11:39 AM
>
>> DON'T start this at all till you have a good box full of washed ash.
>
> I have never bothered to wash my fireplace ash for the light blue glaze I use
> it in (cone 6) and have not experienced a problem.
> How important is this?
>
>
> Susan
SusanRaku@AOL.COM on fri 2 jan 04
Dave, thanks for the info on the fireplace ash.
Your following paragraph really caught my anticipatory mood since I am in the
southeast but will be in Yellowstone for six days starting Sunday. We will
be cross countrying and snowshoing in various areas of the park. Here's to
taking fabulous pictures and shmoozing with the buffalo and elk!!
Susan
In a message dated 1/2/2004 11:44:18 PM Eastern Standard Time,
dfinkelnburg@CABLEONE.NET writes:
> Dave Finkelnburg, in from another brief tour over the sunny, snowy
> local hills on cross country skis, still marveling at how snow is so many
> shades of white and blue and gray and how sky blue is really aqua blue at
> the horizon on a cold day, and how yellow the dry wheat grass is against the
> sparkling snow crystals, and how matt olive green/gray/blue the sagebrush
> leaves are, and how black/brown/gray/white the sleeping mule deer were on a
> south slope in the sunshine. To avoid disturbing them, Bailey, who passes
> for our wonder dog, and I turned at that point and went in another
> direction...we had climbed for an hour by then, anyway, and it was time for
> a run down...15 short, glorious minutes of sailing, cruising, coasting
> across the wind-packed drifts, finally running down the narrow, carefully
> broken trail...somehow mussed up by...dog tracks?
>
SusanRaku@AOL.COM on sat 3 jan 04
Thanks for the info Paul.
Susan
sdr on sat 3 jan 04
I use fireplace or campfire ash for ash glazes,
and though I am aware that different woods
make different ashes, and even different TREES
in the same species will have various chemical
compositions - I have very little variation in my
ash glazes from batch to batch. I use it unwashed,
and like it that way.
It all depends on your personal preferences and
expectations from your glazes. If you need to repeat
a specific look, then take the trouble to wash the
ash, and/or collect wood from a particular tree and
burn it in isolation to keep the ash the same for as
long as that batch lasts (read Roger's "Ash Glazes";
he's really specific about what to do for repeatable
effects). If it's new to you, try everything, see what
suits you/your work. And look at others work who
use ash glazes specifically. It will tell you a lot.
regards
Dannon Rhudy
Edouard Bastarache Inc. on sat 3 jan 04
Hello all,
we should be aware of the irritant/corrosive action of
hydroxides (sodium, potassium, calcium) present in
unwashed ash.
Then make your choice.
Later,
"Ils sont fous ces quebecois"
Edouard Bastarache
Irreductible Quebecois
Indomitable Quebeker
Sorel-Tracy
Quebec
edouardb@sorel-tracy.qc.ca
http://sorel-tracy.qc.ca/~edouardb/
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/smart2000/index.htm
http://www.digitalfire.com/education/toxicity/
Snail Scott on sat 3 jan 04
At 02:39 PM 1/2/04 EST, you wrote:
>I have never bothered to wash my fireplace ash for the light blue glaze I use
>it in (cone 6) and have not experienced a problem.
>How important is this?
Washed ash is chemically different from unwashed
ash. Washed ash is less caustic, but less active
in the mix. If you don't mind working with unwashed
ash, and you like your glaze 'as is', then don't
change now. The ash will become a different material,
making a different glaze.
-Snail
| |
|
