Michael Jones on thu 8 mar 07
I've gotten conflicting responses over on the Basic pottery Yahoo group abo=
ut whether pit firing ocarinas with a bit of "metal salts" to add some colo=
rs would be toxic or safe for putting in one's mouth. I am a complete newbi=
e as far as kiln work or firing even though I have made several ceramic oca=
rinas, in fact I got a small Paragon 110 volt kiln given to me and have not=
yet fired anything in it (just a little nervous!). I am using cone 06 whit=
e and red clay.=0A=0AI have looked out on the web but can't really find the=
answer to the toxicity question. =0A=0AAny help or websites would be appr=
eciated, =0AMike Jones
Vince Pitelka on thu 8 mar 07
Mike Jones wrote:
"I've gotten conflicting responses over on the Basic pottery Yahoo group
about whether pit firing ocarinas with a bit of "metal salts" to add some
colors would be toxic or safe for putting in one's mouth. I am a complete
newbie as far as kiln work or firing even though I have made several ceramic
ocarinas, in fact I got a small Paragon 110 volt kiln given to me and have
not yet fired anything in it (just a little nervous!). I am using cone 06
white and red clay."
Mike -
I've fired lots of whistles and ocarinas in above-ground bonfirings and have
achieved wonderful surfaces without adding anything. A pitfiring gets much
hotter, and thus infuse chemical salts and other toxic materials into the
clay. For a whistle or ocarina, I would avoid using any potentially toxic
materials in the pit-firing - no chromates or copper compounds. You can use
salt, steel wool, any sort of organic combustibles as long as they do not
contain any toxic compounds. Remember that pit firing does not seal the
clay, so any toxic materials would definitely be there to absorb into
someone's lips. Stay far away from that possibility.
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/
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