Fara Shimbo on tue 15 jun 04
I get great raku (or perhaps raku-like) results without
smoke just by using a propane torch after taking the object
from the kiln. Sample here:
http://crystallieri.org/fs.html
Fa
--
=============================================================
Fara Shimbo, Master Crystalliere, Certified Public Nuisance
-------------------------------------------------------------
Shimbo Pottery, PO Box 41, Hygiene, CO 80533 USA 720.207.5201
Crystalline-Ceramics.Info ShimboPottery.com Crystallieri.Org
Klysadel.Net TuranianHorse.Org
=============================================================
Vera Romoda on tue 15 jun 04
> I get great raku (or perhaps raku-like) results without
> smoke just by using a propane torch after taking the object
> from the kiln.
Can you explain that in detail ( for English and technically challenged
person like me) Vera
----- Original Message -----
From: "Fara Shimbo"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 2004 8:47 AM
Subject: Re: smokeless raku
>
> http://crystallieri.org/fs.html
>
> Fa
> --
> =============================================================
> Fara Shimbo, Master Crystalliere, Certified Public Nuisance
> -------------------------------------------------------------
> Shimbo Pottery, PO Box 41, Hygiene, CO 80533 USA 720.207.5201
> Crystalline-Ceramics.Info ShimboPottery.com Crystallieri.Org
> Klysadel.Net TuranianHorse.Org
> =============================================================
>
>
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Dorie Mickelson on wed 16 jun 04
Wow, Fa, these are awesome! And you did it after you glaze fired your
ware just by using a propane blow torch?? Could you say more about
this? Were your pots electric or gas fired first? To what cone? Did
you use special raku glazes or just regular glazes? How long do you
hold the blow torch on your pots and do you have to worry about the pot
exploding (I recall my teacher saying that could happen if you heat a
vitrified piece too quickly...) or other structural integrity or
physical safety issues? Do you only do this on decorative ware or can
it be done on the exterior of food safe items and still be food safe? I
love raku, but with an electric kiln in my basement, and a house on a
corner lot in the city, it is just not something I can do the
traditional way these days. Would love to experiment with the blow
torch idea on some decorative ware (I fire to cone 6 in oxidation) but
any tips you could give me first would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Dorie in Ann Arbor, Michigan, waiting for the bisque to cool so I can
unload the kiln...
smokeless raku; I get great raku (or perhaps raku-like) results
without smoke just by using a propane torch after taking the object from
the kiln. Sample here:
http://crystallieri.org/fs.html Fa >
Fara Shimbo on thu 17 jun 04
Hi, Dorie,
>Wow, Fa, these are awesome! And you did it after you glaze fired your
>ware just by using a propane blow torch??
Yup! The plain old garden variety one you get at the hardware store.
> Could you say more about
>this?
I sent a post this AM but never got a "your post has been submitted
to the moderator" message so I'll answer your questions here.
> Were your pots electric or gas fired first?
Doesn't matter, I've had excellent success with both gas and electric.
> To what cone?
Between say eight and ten, all work, depending on the glaze.
> Did you use special raku glazes or just regular glazes?
I use my own crystalline glazes. I imagine raku glazes would
work as well. Ababi (dear Ababi, I've been trying to think of
some fitting tribute to write to you, but my heart is breaking...)
came up with the term "crys-raku" for the whole process.
> How long do you
> hold the blow torch on your pots and do you have to worry about the
> pot exploding...
The whole trick is to keep the pot moving. I put it on the wheel
and set the wheel to its lowest speed and it keep the pot turning.
Additionally I play the flame of the propane torch in slow circles or
slowly up and down, so long as it's moving.
> Do you only do this on decorative ware or can
> it be done on the exterior of food safe items and still be food safe?
I will leave this to the food-safety gurus.
> I love raku, but with an electric kiln in my basement, and a house
> on a corner lot in the city, it is just not something I can do the
> traditional way these days. Would love to experiment with the blow
> torch idea on some decorative ware (I fire to cone 6 in oxidation) but
> any tips you could give me first would be greatly appreciated.
Remember to do this in a well-ventilated area. While it doesn't smell
there are still copper fumes (and silver if you use it) which can
be bad news.
> Thanks!
You're quite welcome!
> Fa in Colorado, tutting at a Rottweiler who's afraid
of thunder...
--
=============================================================
Fara Shimbo, Master Crystalliere, Certified Public Nuisance
-------------------------------------------------------------
Shimbo Pottery, PO Box 41, Hygiene, CO 80533 USA 720.207.5201
Crystalline-Ceramics.Info ShimboPottery.com Crystallieri.Org
Klysadel.Net TuranianHorse.Org
=============================================================
Dorie Mickelson on sat 19 jun 04
Thank you so much for all of the helpful info Fara -- can't wait to try
it out! I did take an old broken pot that was oxidation fired to cone 6
(with a glossy forest green glaze) and tried your slow turning blow
torch technique on that, but nothing happened, so I am thinking either I
did not do it long enough or it is really a glaze ingredient dependent
phenomenon? I have some raku glazes and would like to do a few little
test pieces with them to see how it works...my only concern is that if I
fire something with my heavily copper based raku glaze (a commercial
raku glaze I bought a year ago, pre-mixed dry ingredients that I just
add water to) in my regular kiln load of functional ware, that it might
fume copper and negatively impact the other items in the kiln and/or
contaminate the kiln shelves or kiln itself? Does anyone know more
about this? I recall reading some posts in the past about copper fuming
and just searched the archives and it all sounds pretty scary! Perhaps
I will hold off on this experiment for now...
Dorie in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where the sky is blue, the sun is shining,
my sweet kitties are hanging out with me, the music is playing, and I am
happily potting away!
shimbo@CRYSTALLINE-CERAMICS.INFO; Subject: Re: smokeless raku.
> Were your pots electric or gas fired first?
Doesn't matter, I've had excellent success with both gas and electric.
> To what cone?
Between say eight and ten, all work, depending on the glaze.
> Did you use special raku glazes or just regular glazes?
I use my own crystalline glazes. I imagine raku glazes would work as
well. Ababi (dear Ababi, I've been trying to think of some fitting
tribute to write to you, but my heart is breaking...) came up with the
term "crys-raku" for the whole process.
> How long do you hold the blow torch on your pots and do you have to
worry about the > pot exploding...
The whole trick is to keep the pot moving. I put it on the wheel and set
the wheel to its lowest speed and it keep the pot turning. Additionally
I play the flame of the propane torch in slow circles or slowly up and
down, so long as it's moving.
> Do you only do this on decorative ware or can it be done on the
exterior of food safe items and still be food safe?
I will leave this to the food-safety gurus.
> I love raku, but with an electric kiln in my basement, and a house >
on a corner lot in the city, it is just not something I can do the >
traditional way these days. Would love to experiment with the blow >
torch idea on some decorative ware (I fire to cone 6 in oxidation) but >
any tips you could give me first would be greatly appreciated.
Remember to do this in a well-ventilated area. While it doesn't smell
there are still copper fumes (and silver if you use it) which can be bad
news.
Fara Shimbo on mon 21 jun 04
Hi, Dorie,
Hmmm, should have mentioned that, as it's quite important.
Although if you work at it enough you can get a green glaze
to take on a copper luster, to really do all the exciting work
you need to have enough copper in the glaze so that the piece
is black when it comes out of the kiln. The black is CuO and
that's what you're working on to get the colors. And yes, it
does fume. (Silver fumes worse!) I do all my "lighting up"
outdoors, and since there's always wind here I don't worry
overmuch about the fumes.
Fa, in Colorado, with my not-so-sweet kitties hovering over
me like a pack of vultures waiting for me to take my eyes
off my tea...
Fa
--
=============================================================
Fara Shimbo, Master Crystalliere, Certified Public Nuisance
-------------------------------------------------------------
Shimbo Pottery, PO Box 41, Hygiene, CO 80533 USA 720.207.5201
Crystalline-Ceramics.Info ShimboPottery.com Crystallieri.Org
Klysadel.Net TuranianHorse.Org
=============================================================
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