william schran on thu 22 apr 04
Folks - Summer session starts in a few weeks and I'll be offering a
couple classes in raku. I've taught raku each summer since 1978 -
goodness that's quite a while. Anyway, I go over verbally,
physically, visually and with written handouts the history, the
process and safety issues regarding raku. I do demos, I suggest areas
of investigation, I show how the burner/kiln works - I cover
everything I can think off. In all the years I've taught raku, I've
had only one injury, a burned thumb due to a hole in the glove.
We do traditional American raku, horse hair, naked raku/peeling slip,
combining other materials in the clay (nails work great) and
alternative stuff - you should see what happens to a pound of Doritos
in the kiln!
Does anybody have any suggestions regarding what you wish you
knew/what your teacher should have told you when you started doing
raku?
After you do something for long enough, some things just seem like
common sense. But if you haven't done it before, nothing makes sense.
That's what I keep telling myself as I impart the information to my
students.
Thanks, Bill, in southern Stafford County, VA where the weather is
grand, flowers are blooming and I'm headed down to the Smithsonian
Crafts Exhibit this afternoon where I'm sure I'll spend money I ain't
got.
daniel on thu 22 apr 04
Hi Bill,
I guess that the only major thing that irritated me early on with raku was
the ease with which the soft hot glaze surface was damaged in the reduction
materials, particularly copper lusters but others also. (Of course, now
there are other things to irritate me about it :)) So I would like to be
sure that people knew how to pack a bin with paper - if that's what's used
or other materials if not - and how to get it to light if the piece is
cooler (eg. crackle) without the glaze surface getting damaged.
Worth knowing which cleaning techniques are useful for what surface
finishes also.
I expect you cover this but ...
Thanx
D
Belmont, California, USA
(ex terra australis)
daniel on fri 23 apr 04
Hi Angela,
Like everything else in ceramics this method is not mine but I'm minding it
for friends :) Paul Rubio and Jerry Hurst on this one. To my eternal
discredit I forget who showed me this first.
What I do is this :
Loosely roll large newspaper pages and pack the rolls into the can so that
they are around the inside of the wall of the can. They can be stacked all
the way up the wall of the can like this. Usually I put a piece of old kiln
shelf in the bottom of the bin because I like something flat to put the
piece on. It is said that it helps the bin bottom a bit too. Having done
that I also usually fold a piece of paper neatly so that its maybe 3"wide
and lay it across the piece of kiln shelf and tuck it under the rolls of
newspaper at the bottom of the can. This can act as a fuse with colder
pieces. When placing pieces in they go straight down the middle. Remarkably
the paper does not immediately unwind and fall on the piece. Very clean.
Now this paper can take longer to light than shredded, so don't roll it too
tight. When the piece goes in first I often fan the flames with the lid of
the can untit its all well alight. Whack the lid on and do whatever else you
normally do. Unless they are really small I try only one piece per can. It
sounds like a lot of work but time spent shredding trades pretty well with
time spent rolling.
I use slacker burnish - terra sig and a cloth. I have found it can be
sensitive to burning paper giving an uneven surface. So I use this method
for these pieces as well. But, as I mentioned to Bill Schran today I came a
cropper last night because I did not get it black enough as it was at the
top. TS needs smoke to do its best but I love it when it works.
Thanx
D
Belmont, California, USA
(ex terra australis)
Angela Davis on fri 23 apr 04
Hello Daniel,
You have voiced a problem we have been having at school
with some of our Raku pieces.
We reduce in metal trash cans with newspaper usually, I have hesitated to
sacrifice many of my pots because of the damage to the glaze surface.
Would you be willing to share your method with us?
I would love to do more pieces, but since I do a combination of
burnishing and glaze a lot of time is invested just to have the glaze ruined
by the scars.
Angela Davis
"Have joy in everything you make."
----- Original Message -----
From: "daniel"
To:
Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2004 5:17 PM
Subject: Re: Raku - what you wish you knew
> Hi Bill,
>
> I guess that the only major thing that irritated me early on with raku
was
> the ease with which the soft hot glaze surface was damaged in the
reduction
> materials, particularly copper lusters but others also. (Of course, now
> there are other things to irritate me about it :)) So I would like to be
> sure that people knew how to pack a bin with paper - if that's what's used
> or other materials if not - and how to get it to light if the piece is
> cooler (eg. crackle) without the glaze surface getting damaged.
>
> Worth knowing which cleaning techniques are useful for what surface
> finishes also.
>
> I expect you cover this but ...
>
> Thanx
> D
>
> Belmont, California, USA
> (ex terra australis)
>
>
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sdr on sat 24 apr 04
> ...... reduce in metal trash cans with newspaper usually, I have hesitated
to
> sacrifice many of my pots because of the damage to the glaze
surface........
Put a half concrete block in the bottom of the trash can.
Push the paper down around the block, and lay one sheet
flat on the top of the block. Set your piece on it's foot
inside on the block. The heat will ignite the paper, and there
will be plenty of smoke, but no scars on the glaze.
regards
Dannon Rhudy
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