Runyan,Jacob on wed 31 mar 04
I have been having some trouble deciding which way to go
lately. I would like to get your opinions on the subject.
Lately, it seems a lot of people have been going the
purchase premix clay route. I can see all of the
advantages (time, safety, cleanliness), but unfortunately
see all of the disadvantages also (control over body,
cost). I work mostly is cone 6 stoneware and have pretty
good recipes to work from for mixing my own...also have the
equipment.
So...your thoughts?
-Jacob Runyan
sdr on wed 31 mar 04
If you already have the equipment for mixing your
own clay, and like the control over the body and
so forth - mix your own. I prefer to do my own,
and generally have done so. If you did NOT already
have the equipment for mixing, then you might want
to buy it made, since good equipment is costly, and
your time is worth more than anything else in the studio.
There are good commercial clays available, though it
is hard to find a true cone 6 body - most are made for
"cone 6 to cone 10", not a satisfactory state of affairs.
So - it depends on a lot of things: how much clay you
use, how much space for materials you have, etc., and
most importantly, where you want to spend your time.
regards
Dannon Rhudy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Runyan,Jacob"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 4:03 PM
Subject: Clay Body...to purchase or mix
> I have been having some trouble deciding which way to go
> lately. I would like to get your opinions on the subject.
>
>
> Lately, it seems a lot of people have been going the
> purchase premix clay route. I can see all of the
> advantages (time, safety, cleanliness), but unfortunately
> see all of the disadvantages also (control over body,
> cost). I work mostly is cone 6 stoneware and have pretty
> good recipes to work from for mixing my own...also have the
> equipment.
>
> So...your thoughts?
>
> -Jacob Runyan
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
wayneinkeywest on wed 31 mar 04
Jacob:
There is an old saying in my family:
"If you try to please everyone, no one
is pleased. If you please yourself,
at least one person is satisfied."
Sounds better in Italian.
The clay companies can't hope to
please everyone, all they can do is
put out a (hopefully consistent)
quality product, attach a recommendation
from a "big name" (no offense RR,
Tom Coleman or anyone else)
and hope someone buys enough
to make their production worthwhile.
If you have the equipment and the
time and inclination, make your own.
You can tweak the recipe to suit
yourself, and it will reflect in the quality
of your work, your firing schedule,
your glazes.
In my humble opinion, anyway. YMMV
Wayne Seidl
still searching for the recipe for "my" perfect porcelain
----- Original Message -----
> I have been having some trouble deciding which way to go
> lately. I would like to get your opinions on the subject.
>
>
> Lately, it seems a lot of people have been going the
> purchase premix clay route. I can see all of the
> advantages (time, safety, cleanliness), but unfortunately
> see all of the disadvantages also (control over body,
> cost). I work mostly is cone 6 stoneware and have pretty
> good recipes to work from for mixing my own...also have the
> equipment.
>
> So...your thoughts?
>
> -Jacob Runyan
Milla Miller on wed 31 mar 04
I think the answer is individual.
How much is cost, your time and how you productivly care to divide time
between making clay and making/decorating/firing.ect. work.I mixed mine for the
most part when it was cost effective and I used huge amounts and had purchasing
advantage by reselling a portion to others unable to handle the big quantity
to get low cost and shipping on an individual basis.
However ,when I tried new bodies that used ingredients I was not likely to
buy seperately,ecconomically or on a continuing basis I usually bought
premixed.The premixed route has it's shortcomings when material substitutions are
employed or the machines mixing the clay are not adequately purged of former
mixes or the moisture content varies or other mistakes occur.These problems can
each have negative impacts depending on your requirements.Your shipping
costs and available storage accomodations also should influence your decision, as
well how you tie up your operating capital.It also takes a lot of stamina and
time to do the mixing,which as we age may not be in unlimited supply,lol..
As I first stated, it all depends on how you see fit to operate and your
circumstances as to which choice you make.
Margaret in SC ,
where we sure could use more rain as we are 6'' down so far since the first
of this year.
jrunyan@CHARTERMI.NET writes:
> Lately, it seems a lot of people have been going the
> purchase premix clay route. I can see all of the
> advantages (time, safety, cleanliness), but unfortunately
> see all of the disadvantages also (control over body,
> cost). I work mostly is cone 6 stoneware and have pretty
> good recipes to work from for mixing my own...also have the
> equipment.
>
> So...your thoughts?
>
> -Jacob Runyan
>
>
Susan Giddings on wed 31 mar 04
Jacob,
I don't have an answer for you. I share the same quandry. Leaning strongly
in favor of buying pre-mixed. Setting up my first studio. I, too, have all
the equipment to make my own clay. I've made a fair share of clay over the
years and hate the mess, the dust, the physical labor. I made a clay body at
the co-op I belong to and was unable to make what I would have wanted - had
to stick with the given formula. There were a lot of issues with the body
once some of the key ingredients became unavailable over the years. So it
wasn't at all a fun or a learning process for me. It was just work.
Now, I am pretty much convinced to go with pre-made clay. Recycle will be
enough to handle and the equipment will come in handy for this. I trust the
supplier I will be using. I have been using their clay bodies for quite a
while now, just to get used to them and figure out which one to settle on. I
don't have glaze recipes yet settled down, and I'm figuring that's enough on
its own to tackle to start with. At least the clay body will be a constant
(well sort of...)
So I guess going with pre-mix is the easy way out. I am not as fit as I used
to be, so even though I CAN make all my own clay, the work is a little
daunting to me. So it's not a short cut I have an issue with. Now, once I
really get into developing glazes, I may feel quite differently. But I plan
to give myself at least one year before I revisit this decision.
This probably is no help to you, but I'm in the same boat as you and this is
the direction I will take.
So, just for what it's worth,
Susan
(But I guess I should add that I am very interested in other opinions your
question will garner. Nothing is engraved in stone! Haven't started yet, so
the year doesn't begin for a while.)
>
>I have been having some trouble deciding which way to go
>lately. I would like to get your opinions on the subject.
>
------------------
Susan Giddings
"There are painters who transform the sun into a yellow spot, but there are
others who, thanks to their art and intelligence, transform a yellow spot
into the sun." — Pablo Picasso
_________________________________________________________________
FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar – get it now!
http://toolbar.msn.com/go/onm00200415ave/direct/01/
Ron Roy on fri 2 apr 04
It is hard to beat having a clay company mix your clay for you but there
are number of factors that need to be met.
You design the body - hopefully with help from the person who does that
work for the company - they will know what clays are available and also
know which clays are more reliable (if they test them.)
Choose a company who tests their clays - and or do it yourself - both is
even better.
Choose a company who screens their raw materials - and tests them for
consistency.
You still have control over your clay - they have better machinery - you
can't buy raw materials in quantity and so pay more - you don't need to put
up with the dust and don't have to store materials - and off load them -
and you don't have to do the mixing and pugging. I'll bet - after you have
totaled all the savings you will find it will cost you less from a supplier
- if you can find one that will do it properly.
If you do make your own - it pays off big time to order your materials to
last years. That way you have a better chance of the not having to adjust
the body each time.
And don't make the mistake of using only three or four materials -
stoneware clay bodies are much easier to manage if they have at least 5
clays.
Let me know if you need more info on this - RR
>I have been having some trouble deciding which way to go
>lately. I would like to get your opinions on the subject.
>
>
>Lately, it seems a lot of people have been going the
>purchase premix clay route. I can see all of the
>advantages (time, safety, cleanliness), but unfortunately
>see all of the disadvantages also (control over body,
>cost). I work mostly is cone 6 stoneware and have pretty
>good recipes to work from for mixing my own...also have the
>equipment.
>
>So...your thoughts?
>
>-Jacob Runyan
Ron Roy
RR#4
15084 Little Lake Road
Brighton, Ontario
Canada
K0K 1H0
Phone: 613-475-9544
Fax: 613-475-3513
Jim Tabor on sat 3 apr 04
Runyan,Jacob wrote:
>...Lately, it seems a lot of people have been going the
>purchase premix clay route. I can see all of the
>advantages (time, safety, cleanliness), but unfortunately
>see all of the disadvantages also (control over body,
>cost).
>So...your thoughts?
>
This past year I have gone to a company (L&L in Nixa, MO) to custom mix
my ^1 body and only make it when I recycle scrap. It hasn't cost anymore
than the "premix" bodies and I know what is in it. There are 4 different
clays that help even out problems from fluxuations of any of them.
Enough combined silica comes to it from all of it's ingredients and so
no "free" silica is needed (or wanted). My last supply arrived 2 days
after I ordered it and there has never been a noticable difference from
the claybody I make other than some has been softer than I make. L&L
helps lighten my load of keeping enough clay for the 53 students I see a
day now and on other quarters with 75 clay students a day. I haven't
had to spend as many nights and weekends at school this year.
I also use a terra cotta body from Trinity Supply in Dallas that fires a
nice deep red brown at ^1. It is only used for a black slip scgraffito
project by those wanting a deeper color. Images are on a site to show
student work. The link below goes to the art dept. page and you will
find ceramics and my page. I haven't heard of many potters working at
this temp but it works for my school program.
Jim Tabor
http://www.members.cox.net/taborj/index.html
>
>
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>
>
>
| |
|
