Lili Krakowski on sun 6 feb 05
For the small studio I think plaster bats or plaster-covered tables the =
last resort for drying clay. They are heavy, they are clumsy, they =
cannot be folded up, they take forever to dry, they take forever to =
clean if going from one color clay to another, and they chip. I think =
cloth much preferable. You can make canvas "pillow cases" which you =
hang up. We used to do that by taking old chairs, cutting the backs =
off, and setting them up upside down (seat on floor) and making pouches =
that fit over the legs--the same idea as sling back chairs, which used =
to be called African campchairs. If you care you make little pockets at =
the corners of the canvas so it will stay put.=20
These canvas sacks will drip, so put a pan underneath. The clay dries =
from the bottom as well as top, and once you are done the canvas can be =
washed and put away.
Another way of drying clay is to make the equivalent of pallets--use 2" =
x 1" boards. Keep your slats about 1.5 inches apart. Cover with a =
thick layer of newspaper, cover with a piece of canvas. Spread your =
clay out on top of this. Again there may be water on the floor. If =
you are clever you can arrange to stack these "pallets" one on top of =
the other. I have used "trays" on which bread is delivered--and which =
both groceries and delivery trucks discard at the slightest damage--in =
the same way.
Now Eleanor's problem is common enough, alas. Several possibilities.=20
That the materials in the big batch were from a different =
supplier/supply/shipment from the ones the test were made with.
Then: when we make 100 gms samples and have 9.5 whiting it is all too =
easy to put in 10 gms. Or with 20 Custer spar to put in 21. WE ALL DO =
THAT, though prob. Ron, and John, and John, Edouard and Steve and Ivor =
do not. When you get to 1 K batches that 1/2 or 1 gram error matters =
not.
Then when we mix up and apply tests we may not use the same amount of =
water as in the final applications to pots. And we may apply the glaze =
differently. And in a test kiln you are likely to get a different =
result than in a big glaze kiln. There even can be a difference if the =
test tile is thin and the pot thicker.
Once more with feeling. NEVER put a new batch of glaze on "all your =
pots" Always have a test of the new batch in your previous glaze kiln. =
Eleanor: I would suggest you dry out the glaze you mixed. Take 100 gms =
of the now dried out clay and add a bit more 3124. I would start with 1 =
gm. OR make a straight line blend with what you have now at end A and =
a batch with 5 gms more 3124 at the other end....Anyway, no matter how =
you go, you have to test....
Sorry. =20
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
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