Vince Pitelka on sat 27 may 06
> Ok! I'm looking for "recipes" for doing bisque firing in either a pit or
> trash can, even a drum. Since I'm new at the firing part I'm not sure what
> to search on or were to find a book or instructions to do what I want.
Donna -
The reason you cannot fine a "recipe" is because you cannot bisque-fire in a
trash can, drum, or pit fire. You need to do your bisque firing in a proper
kiln - either gas or electric, and then you can do your raku, trash can, or
pit firing. A bisque firing needs to be regulated carefully to heat the
wares very slowly, and to avoid underfiring or overfiring. Of course
ancient and tribal cultures fired wares in a bonfire or pit fire without a
bisque firing, but their clays were specially formulated to stand up to the
thermal shock, and the firings were conducted very slowly. That simply is
not very practical when other alternatives are available.
Good luck -
- 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/
Donna Pfledderer @ Virtual Business Connection on sat 27 may 06
I should say that I have the Alternative Kiln & Firing Technique book, but
it doesn't tell you how to set up for a bisque firing or I'm missing
something.
Original Message*******
Ok! I'm looking for "recipes" for doing bisque firing in either a pit or
trash can, even a drum. Since I'm new at the firing part I'm not sure what
to search on or were to find a book or instructions to do what I want.
I want to do both the bisque firing and raku firing so I need to find
something that can tell me what I need in the way of firing material to do
both.
I found "instructions" at one time but I have no idea were. Plus the old
memory is failing me these days. LOL
Can anyone help me please!
Thanks!
Donna
Snail Scott on sun 28 may 06
At 11:41 PM 5/27/2006 -0500, Donna wrote:
>> Ok! I'm looking for "recipes" for doing bisque firing in either a pit or
>> trash can, even a drum. Since I'm new at the firing part I'm not sure what
>> to search on or were to find a book or instructions to do what I want.
>
Vince wrote-
>The reason you cannot fine a "recipe" is because you cannot bisque-fire in a
>trash can, drum, or pit fire. You need to do your bisque firing in a proper
>kiln - either gas or electric, and then you can do your raku, trash can, or
>pit firing...>
Well, there are ways to manage it. One is to
set up a saggar to 'cushion' the irregularity
of the heat, and combine it with pre-heating
the work in a home oven to a temperature well
above the boiling point of water. Cook it
slowly to start - under 200 - for a few hours,
then turn up 'til you reach the max heat for
your oven. Pull the item out with a thick
wool or cotton blanket - it will scorch - and
run out to the pit and get it cooking the rest
of the way to temperature. This is more or less
how it's done in Mata Ortiz, and other places
using low-tech firing in modern times. This
process can also be aided by using materials
which are forgiving of thermal shock, like
kyanite or mica, and by using an 'open'
body (i.e. lots of sand or grog), but getting
it fully dry (not just air-dry) first will
improve your success the most. It will also
be difficult to control the peak temperature
in this styleof firing, so don't plan on
using this method for temperature-critical
processes, like bisquing before using a red
low-fire glaze.
-Snail
Taylor Hendrix on sun 28 may 06
I agree with Vince that other alternatives are 'better'......
However,
Louis mentioned something to me the other day about bisque firing pots
with cow dung and I have wanted to try this. The cow patties I
accidentally caught fire outside my last pit firing were smoldering
very very slowly yet hot enough to melt plastic when I returned from
dinner that night. I had placed them in a 50 gal barrel to be on the
safe side. Dork.
I am sure that protecting pots from too much heat too early is a BIG
problem to solve. I'm going to use an OPEN body, mix pots, dung in a
steel drum with plenty of holes in it and fire from top down or maybe
bottom up with weed burner assist. Hopefully something interesting
will happen.
This is just to say "I did it." I usually bisque electric to 012 and
that is much more practical for the pit. Again, I'm doing it just to
say "I did it once"........Vince.....:)
Taylor, in Rockport
On 5/27/06, Vince Pitelka wrote:
> > Ok! I'm looking for "recipes" for doing bisque firing in either a pit o=
r
> > trash can, even a drum. Since I'm new at the firing part I'm not sure w=
hat
> > to search on or were to find a book or instructions to do what I want.
>
> Donna -
> The reason you cannot fine a "recipe" is because you cannot bisque-fire i=
n a
> trash can, drum, or pit fire. You need to do your bisque firing in a pro=
per
> kiln - either gas or electric, and then you can do your raku, trash can, =
or
> pit firing. A bisque firing needs to be regulated carefully to heat the
> wares very slowly, and to avoid underfiring or overfiring. Of course
> ancient and tribal cultures fired wares in a bonfire or pit fire without =
a
> bisque firing, but their clays were specially formulated to stand up to t=
he
> thermal shock, and the firings were conducted very slowly. That simply i=
s
> not very practical when other alternatives are available.
> Good luck -
> - Vince
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