Curtis Adkins on thu 22 feb 07
Dear All,
I have a fun problem I need to solve and would like all of your expert opinions on which way I should turn.
I am going to make little or no utilitarian pieces for the next several months and concentrate on sculpture and wall hanging type pieces.
Therefore, I am wondering what commercially made clay body/ies do you hand builders and sculptors out there prefer and why?
Additionally, as some of you know, I do single-fired ^5/6 electric with paper clay that I make out of whatever body I'm using at the time...currently I have B-mix, (as J. S. knows) and it is not to conducive of my hand building process...(not getting a wheel for a while because of low tax return...I digress.) Anyhow, if you guys would again please fill me in with what I am lacking I would be very grateful, my success rate has plummeted since I went to b-mix from the much groggier or sandier (I never can get that straight) body I was using before, although the glazing is much better than it was...teeter-totter affect! Well, I'll be waiting with glazed eyes and dusty breathe for your responses!
Thanks in advance,
Curtis Adkins
See Monk's Hovel Ceramics @ yessy.com (search for Curtis Adkins)
http://www.yessy.com/lostkid1967/gallery.html
Dannon Rhudy on fri 23 feb 07
Curtis, there are a number of things you can do for
sculptural clay bodies. It appears that you do not make
your own clay; that cuts your options a bit. There's still
lots of possibilities.
You can order clay with nylon fiber mixed into it- it is
terrific for sculptural purposes. It seldom cracks or
parts when green, and carries through firings well, too.
I've made life-size porcelain figures using clay with
nylon fiber. You can do the same thing with paper clay.
Both of those are available commercially, though not
all suppliers have them.
If you need a lot of clay, you can make a special order.
If you only need a little, you can buy nylon fiber and
wedge it into your clay. Doesn't really take long, but
use soft clay.
You could use raku clay bodies; some like them, though
I don't care for them myself.
You'll get lots more suggestions from the list.
regards
Dannon Rhudy
> I have a fun problem I need to solve and would like all of your expert
opinions on which way I should turn.
> I am going to make little or no utilitarian pieces for the next several
months and concentrate on sculpture and wall hanging type pieces......
Stephanie Wright on fri 23 feb 07
Hi Curtis,
Sorry to hear you are wheel-less. I am in the same boat, and saving toward
getting one myself.
As I am sure you know, you can make functional pieces without a wheel. I
have seen some very nice slab dinnerware, and coiling also works well.
That having been said, your experiment sounds interesting, and may yield
some cool inspirations for you.
You can pretty much use any clay for handbuilding. Even paper clay. What
percentage of paper are you adding into your clay when you make this?
Perhaps if it is a high amount, you may need to lower it a bit to make it
easier to work with. Or, you can build in sections using paper clay. Wait
until it dries a bit, and add on to your piece. It is time consuming, but
effective.
As far as the B Mix, I have heard about it (both pro & con), but never
used it. If you have some B Mix left, and want to use it up, the simplest
fix would be just to add some grog in yourself. Or you may want to see how
it works for slip casting pots.
I have actually used Standard Ceramics #181 successfully. It is half
stoneware & half porcelain, smooth to work with, great for carving, and
holds up very well. I have also tried Michael Wendt's porcelain with some
success. If you try porcelain though, keep in mind, that it should stay
pretty damp while you are doing any carving, etc.
Good luck!
Stephanie
Snail Scott on fri 23 feb 07
At 11:24 PM 2/22/2007 -0800, Curtis wrote:
I am going to make little or no utilitarian pieces for the next several
months and concentrate on sculpture and wall hanging type pieces.
Therefore, I am wondering what commercially made clay body/ies do you hand
builders and sculptors out there prefer and why?
<<<<
I'm not super-crazy about any I've tried, but
some are adequate.
For large work, I like the Laguna (west)
^5 Buff Sculpture. Coarse and ultra-gritty,
which I like, low shrinkage and durable
outdoors, sort of ivory-colored in oxidation.
It takes glazes very strangely, though: it
is so porous (even when vitrified) that
thin coatings just soak right in. Engobes
are good, though, and putting them under the
glaze makes the glaze behave more normally.
You won't get the porcelainlike color response
that B-Mix allows, though, unless you use a
quite white engobe. Test!
For smaller work, I've recently been using
a ^5 red tile body from L&R in Nixa, Missouri.
I get it through Krueger's in St. Louis.
Lots of very fine sand. Not good for big
stuff, but very workable for up to 18" or so.
I currently get a custom white mix without
the iron, but the red is nice, too.
Clay is very regional, though. I'm not familiar
with many suppliers' products in regions where
I haven't lived, and it makes no sense to import
a clay from far away at great expense if a local
one is adequate. If you post your location,
you'll get better info.
-Snail
sacredclay on fri 23 feb 07
I remember wedging those nylon fibers into my clay. It cutted up my
hands some. Haven't used it in two decades, preferring grogs. So since
you didn't mentioned anything about that effect, I'm wondering if the
technology of that fiber has changed enough to not hurt people's hands
anymore. Appreciate and info on it. Thanks and happy potting! Kathryn
in NC I
> If you need a lot of clay, you can make a special order.
> If you only need a little, you can buy nylon fiber and
> wedge it into your clay. Doesn't really take long, but
> use soft clay.
>
> >
> Dannon Rhudy
>
>
>
Curtis Adkins on fri 23 feb 07
The problem w/nylon or fiberglass is two-fold as I researched it. One, it is terribly hard to cut and two, if you should have to file, sand, or polish it before firing there are even more bad things in the air to avoid!
Curtis
sacredclay wrote: I remember wedging those nylon fibers into my clay. It cutted up my
hands some. Haven't used it in two decades, preferring grogs. So since
you didn't mentioned anything about that effect, I'm wondering if the
technology of that fiber has changed enough to not hurt people's hands
anymore. Appreciate and info on it. Thanks and happy potting! Kathryn
in NC I
> If you need a lot of clay, you can make a special order.
> If you only need a little, you can buy nylon fiber and
> wedge it into your clay. Doesn't really take long, but
> use soft clay.
>
> >
> Dannon Rhudy
>
>
>
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Dannon Rhudy on fri 23 feb 07
The nylon should not hurt your hands at all. I suspect
that in the past the clay had fiberglass in it - people used
to do that, but it cuts the devil and all out of your hands.
regards
Dannon Rhudy
............I remember wedging those nylon fibers into my clay. It cutted up
my
hands some. Haven't used it in two decades, preferring grogs. So since
you didn't mentioned anything about that effect, I'm wondering if the
technology of that fiber has changed ........
June MacDonald on sat 24 feb 07
Laguna makes B-Mix with grog for Cone 6 (5), and B-Mix with sand for Cone 1=
0. The Cone 6 B-Mix with grog is really nice to use, but the glazes that f=
it Cone 6 B-Mix so well do not necessarily fit the body with the added grog=
. Guess the grog must change the coe, or perhaps Jon Pacini may have anoth=
er idea on this. =0A=0AJune=0A=0A=0A=0A=0ALaguna makes a B-mix with sand t=
hat a few of us here are about to try=0Afor tile murals, sculptural additio=
ns to thrown ware, and sculpture.=0AAnd I hear they're coming out with B-mi=
x with grog, too.=0A=0A=0As=0A=0A__________________________________________=
____________________________________=0ASend postings to clayart@lsv.ceramic=
s.org=0A=0AYou may look at the archives for the list or change your subscri=
ption=0Asettings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/=0A=0AModerator of th=
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tinkerbellesarah on sun 25 feb 07
Laguna makes a B-mix with sand that a few of us here are about to try
for tile murals, sculptural additions to thrown ware, and sculpture.
And I hear they're coming out with B-mix with grog, too. Nice to nto
have to redo all your glazes and such...
sarah in snowy sitka
Ben Shelton on tue 27 feb 07
In reference to grog additions changing the COE of a clay body...
Grog is once fired clay so it has already shrunk. If you add this to a clay
body you will lower the shrinkage which would seem to help with
handbuilding. Of course shrinkage is not the same as expansion. Shrinkage
from wet to dry is due to water loss and expansion is a matter of heat. It
will all depend on the nature of the grog that is added. What is it made
from and how high has it been fired. For example, if the grog formula has
excess silica and is fired hot enough the silica would form cristobalite
which can alter the COE drasticly and for the worse.
As to the ^5 bmix with grog, you would be best to ask Laguna if they publish
coe data for that clay. Without knowing the exact formula and firing for the
grog it is hard to guess how it will effect the coe.
Ben
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