mel jacobson on sat 28 oct 06
boy.
that is a big story.
when you do not have control of the firing...it
is almost impossible to do proper glaze research.
you wind up having only a recipe. and, others
can screw it up in a heart beat.
it is what john and ron have been saying:
control of all the elements is the way
to understand chemistry.
it is not just the
things you put in the glaze bucket...it is
how you heat, decide when it is done, and
how you cool. how do you read cones? a quarter
over, half over...full over and melted? i am convinced
that cone ten is when the tip of the cone touches
the shelf. if i always follow that rule...and never convince
myself otherwise...i get a good firing. but, the fire devil
in your brain can do a great deal of damage to `good sense`/
potters are folks that try and control fire.
any kind of fire, from the pit to the
computer aided electric kiln to the
wood fired kiln.
it is a great deal about fire and heat.
every grouping of glaze has a different
firing cycle.
if you over reduce and fire down too hard a
temmoku, it will crystallize and get very
metallic.
some glazes just like a touch of carbon...
celedon, temmoku are touchy glazes.
copper reds love heat and extra up and down
cooling cycles.
if you want rich shino...full of color and crystal
development...then do the hank murrow
firing schedule...long re/heat of the kiln at
1900F or so.
my god, a potter can spend a lifetime just studying
glaze thickness. the relationship of bisque temp/softness
and hardness...and viscosity and length of time in
the glaze bucket. it makes gobs of difference.
and, if you have any doubt...about what is going
on in your community kiln...be a bully and take
over the firing...or make enough pots to fill the kiln,
pay the price and fire just your pots. just don't be
a victim. `oh, my...more of my pots ruined`.
i have always advised folks when they want to buy
a potters wheel...`get the kiln the same day. don't start
a pottery at home without the kiln...total insanity.
as soon as you start paying for firing by the pound...quit
and buy a kiln. i saw people at the art center paying
20 bucks to fire one bowl...`my god, that bowl is not worth
twenty bucks`. and, then it is a crap shoot for you to get
a glaze firing that you will be happy with.
so.
buy a kiln.
do your own firing.
take control of your craft...and learn
all the parts and pieces of being a potter.
not just the making part.
the clay part
the making part
the bisque firing part
the glaze making part
the glazing part
the firing part
the cooling part. and then sell some.
mel
from: mel/minnetonka.mn.usa
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
Clayart page link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
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