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cone6 soda or salt

updated thu 28 oct 04

 

Vince Pitelka on mon 25 oct 04


Louis -
All of my work is cone-6 soda, but I use minimal glazes - the primary
decoration is done with laminated colored clays and/or impressed decoration.
Julia Galloway's work is all cone 6 soda, and her pallette of glazes is
available - she gives it out when she teaches workshops. I think that cone
6 soda is a good way to go - bright colors in combination with the soda
effects on a good flashing body produce some pretty nice effects. On my
website under "gallery" and then "current work" there are images of some of
my newer colored clay pouring vessels, and they were all fired to cone 6
soda, using a pound and a half of soda dissolved in hot water, in a
20-cubic-foot softbrick kiln sprayed with ITC. Our soda kiln is very
heavily used, so we only get three or four years out of such a kiln. But
then when we rebuild, we recycle the bricks with the other side face-in for
another three or four years. It is a simple, small, economical
easy-to-build crossdraft kiln, fired on high-pressure propane with two
MR-100 GACOs - low cost all the way.
Best wishes -
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/

Louis Katz on mon 25 oct 04


I am considering building a cone 6 soda or salt kiln of the local low
duty fire brick. They hold up o.k. except under extreme loads to cone
10, They fire a few times as stilts in our soda kiln but if you soda
them too many times and drop them in the cone 12 corner of the firebox
they get soft at the edges. Anyone on clayart have any significant
experience with cone 5 or 6 soda?

My interest is that my students often make poor seem rich and often
become lover's of soda and other vapor glaze effects. I am hoping to
lower the setup cost a good deal. I also think I can get the university
to swing for the brick as research grant, but I am trying to avoid dead
ends. I also intend to start start working on a cone 6 palette of
glazes for oxidation and reduction. I have several BFA's who would be
doing better in the world if the first step into the studio was a bit
cheaper.
Thanks
Louis






http://falcon.tamucc.edu/~lkatz/

Lee Love on tue 26 oct 04


Hi Louis,

You might contact John Kantar: http://www.handmadepots.com/
He fires in lower temp soda. I was lucky to see him and his work
after he came back from a residency at Banff, at the UofMn. You can
see some of his work at the above page.

Only question I might have is if
building a kiln out of cheap bricks isn't "penny wise"?, considering the
high prices of fuel? I know folks are building soda kilns out of
soft brick, using ITC or another coating to protect the interior.
Donovan built one that I used at Northern Clay Center. I know that
folks have had back luck with ITC in salt, but it seems to hold up with
soda.

--
Lee in Mashiko, Japan http://mashiko.org
http://www.livejournal.com/users/togeika/ WEB LOG
http://public.fotki.com/togeika/ Photos!

Louis Katz on tue 26 oct 04


Vince, Lee,
Thanks for the information. I will take a look.
I don't know why this never occured to me, I can be awfully brain dead,
truly brain dead. I can fire my existing kiln lower a couple of times.
Duh. The existing kiln is not what I want to build. It is an odd shape,
made mostly of cement kiln block with an eccentric arch. It gives very
directional effects, has an incredible variation in color and surface,
but is not very predictable. Small changes in loading bring about large
changes in effect. I am hoping to build a more box-like controllable
kiln, but mostly I am trying to get money to build one, and build
something my students could see themselves building.
Louis

Dan Hill on tue 26 oct 04


Hi Louis
I have been doing soda at ^6 for about 6 years now. The reduced wear and
tear on the kiln and shelves at ^6 as compared to ^10 is significant as well
as savings in fuel costs. I purchased used bricks to build the kiln and
have fired about 50 times now with very little deterioration of the kiln.
Dan Hill
Hill Pottery
----- Original Message -----
From: "Louis Katz"
To:
Sent: Monday, October 25, 2004 5:00 PM
Subject: Cone6 Soda or salt


> I am considering building a cone 6 soda or salt kiln of the local low
> duty fire brick. They hold up o.k. except under extreme loads to cone
> 10, They fire a few times as stilts in our soda kiln but if you soda
> them too many times and drop them in the cone 12 corner of the firebox
> they get soft at the edges. Anyone on clayart have any significant
> experience with cone 5 or 6 soda?
>
> My interest is that my students often make poor seem rich and often
> become lover's of soda and other vapor glaze effects. I am hoping to
> lower the setup cost a good deal. I also think I can get the university
> to swing for the brick as research grant, but I am trying to avoid dead
> ends. I also intend to start start working on a cone 6 palette of
> glazes for oxidation and reduction. I have several BFA's who would be
> doing better in the world if the first step into the studio was a bit
> cheaper.
> Thanks
> Louis
>
>
>
>
>
>
> http://falcon.tamucc.edu/~lkatz/
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> 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.
>

Rudy Tucker on tue 26 oct 04


Dan, Louis, Vince and Lee,

I am quite interested in firing soda/salt at cone 6. Currently firing a two
chamber woodkiln to 9-10 and want to do salt/soda in the second chamber.
Lower temp than cone 9-10 would suit me fine. How about a clay body or two
to start with? I'd prefer home mixed so I can adjust and alter to suit me,
but do need a starting point. Also, how do you introduce soda into the kiln?
I've only used solid salt in the past.

Rudy


----- Original Message -----
From: "Dan Hill"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 6:02 AM
Subject: Re: Cone6 Soda or salt


> Hi Louis
> I have been doing soda at ^6 for about 6 years now. The reduced wear and
> tear on the kiln and shelves at ^6 as compared to ^10 is significant as
well
> as savings in fuel costs. I purchased used bricks to build the kiln and
> have fired about 50 times now with very little deterioration of the kiln.
> Dan Hill
> Hill Pottery
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Louis Katz"
> To:
> Sent: Monday, October 25, 2004 5:00 PM
> Subject: Cone6 Soda or salt
>
>
> > I am considering building a cone 6 soda or salt kiln of the local low
> > duty fire brick. They hold up o.k. except under extreme loads to cone
> > 10, They fire a few times as stilts in our soda kiln but if you soda
> > them too many times and drop them in the cone 12 corner of the firebox
> > they get soft at the edges. Anyone on clayart have any significant
> > experience with cone 5 or 6 soda?
> >
> > My interest is that my students often make poor seem rich and often
> > become lover's of soda and other vapor glaze effects. I am hoping to
> > lower the setup cost a good deal. I also think I can get the university
> > to swing for the brick as research grant, but I am trying to avoid dead
> > ends. I also intend to start start working on a cone 6 palette of
> > glazes for oxidation and reduction. I have several BFA's who would be
> > doing better in the world if the first step into the studio was a bit
> > cheaper.
> > Thanks
> > Louis
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > http://falcon.tamucc.edu/~lkatz/
> >
> >
>
____________________________________________________________________________
> __
> > 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.
> >
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> 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.
>

Vince Pitelka on tue 26 oct 04


Rudy -
The soda is dissolved in hot water as a saturated solution and simply
sprayed into the firebox. You don't need much soda - it is very different
from salt. I go for fairly light soda effects so as to not obscure my
colored clay patterns, and I use 1.5 lbs. of soda dissolved in about two
gallons of hot water, sprayed with an ordinary garden sprayer. I spray it
in 15-second bursts right into the burner ports, aimed at the bagwall,
fanning it back and forth. I will alternate between the two burner ports,
several 15-second bursts in each burner port, wait five minutes, and pull a
draw-ring to gauge the deposition. Keep it up until I get the surface I
want.
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/

Dan Hill on wed 27 oct 04


Hi Rudy
I use prepared clay bodies so I cannot help you with the clay body
recipe.Most porcelaineous clays work well as do stonewares with not to much
iron content(I fire in reduction and don't want a dark clay).
The soda is sprayed into ports with a garden sprayer. I use about 1300grams
of soda for my 40 cu. ft. kiln.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rudy Tucker"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 12:37 PM
Subject: Re: Cone6 Soda or salt


> Dan, Louis, Vince and Lee,
>
> I am quite interested in firing soda/salt at cone 6. Currently firing a
two
> chamber woodkiln to 9-10 and want to do salt/soda in the second chamber.
> Lower temp than cone 9-10 would suit me fine. How about a clay body or two
> to start with? I'd prefer home mixed so I can adjust and alter to suit me,
> but do need a starting point. Also, how do you introduce soda into the
kiln?
> I've only used solid salt in the past.
>
> Rudy
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dan Hill"
> To:
> Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 6:02 AM
> Subject: Re: Cone6 Soda or salt
>
>
> > Hi Louis
> > I have been doing soda at ^6 for about 6 years now. The reduced wear and
> > tear on the kiln and shelves at ^6 as compared to ^10 is significant as
> well
> > as savings in fuel costs. I purchased used bricks to build the kiln and
> > have fired about 50 times now with very little deterioration of the
kiln.
> > Dan Hill
> > Hill Pottery
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Louis Katz"
> > To:
> > Sent: Monday, October 25, 2004 5:00 PM
> > Subject: Cone6 Soda or salt
> >
> >
> > > I am considering building a cone 6 soda or salt kiln of the local low
> > > duty fire brick. They hold up o.k. except under extreme loads to cone
> > > 10, They fire a few times as stilts in our soda kiln but if you soda
> > > them too many times and drop them in the cone 12 corner of the firebox
> > > they get soft at the edges. Anyone on clayart have any significant
> > > experience with cone 5 or 6 soda?
> > >
> > > My interest is that my students often make poor seem rich and often
> > > become lover's of soda and other vapor glaze effects. I am hoping to
> > > lower the setup cost a good deal. I also think I can get the
university
> > > to swing for the brick as research grant, but I am trying to avoid
dead
> > > ends. I also intend to start start working on a cone 6 palette of
> > > glazes for oxidation and reduction. I have several BFA's who would be
> > > doing better in the world if the first step into the studio was a bit
> > > cheaper.
> > > Thanks
> > > Louis
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > http://falcon.tamucc.edu/~lkatz/
> > >
> > >
> >
>
____________________________________________________________________________
> > __
> > > 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.
> > >
> >
> >
>
____________________________________________________________________________
> __
> > 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.
> >
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> 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.
>
>

Catherine Yassin on wed 27 oct 04


In a message dated 10/26/2004 12:05:04 AM Central Standard Time,
vpitelka@DTCCOM.NET writes:
my newer colored clay pouring vessels, and they were all fired to cone 6
soda, using a pound and a half of soda dissolved in hot water, in a
20-cubic-foot softbrick kiln sprayed with ITC. Our soda kiln is very
heavily used, so we only get three or four years out of such a kiln.
I am wondering if I can use my raku kiln for Cone 6 soda or salt firings? It
basically consists of hard brick bottom, short soft brick wall, and a square
cage made of welded rebar and hard wire mesh lined with Kaol Wool on the
inside. The cage has a hole in the top of the cage and one on the side. For raku
firings we made a hoist with counter weight to lift the cage to pull out the
pieces. It has 2 burners that run off of a propane tank. Does this setup sound
like something I could do Cone 6 soda or salt firings in? If its possible, would
I then not be able to use it for rakuing?

Thanks!
-Cat Yassin
San Antonio