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Pastimes : ceramics-clay-pottery -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: AugustWest who wrote (208)	3/9/2002 7:47:55 PM
From: Crocodile	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 338

No problem about taking your time with a reply to the raku and clay questions. As you know, I'm kind of sandbagged by a lot of work at the moment, but I'm getting around to the "thinking about" and "planning" stage now. (o: I am, indeed, interested in the idea of either a primitive kiln of some kind, or building one from either brick or steel. I've noticed that at least 2 or 3 of the busiest production potters that I know, have large (probably homemade) kilns made out of bricks out in their backyards. Unfortunately, I've never inspected the construction that carefully, but I know that they are propane-fired. I'll probably be out to a couple of the studios in the next few weeks, so I'll be sure to take a much look this time around to see exactly how they are made. Actually, one of the kilns is inside of an old barn.. which seems kind of scary, especially when you see that it is just layers and layers of bricks and is in the very center of the building which is also the studio, etc... but this particular potter has been working with it for years and years and so I guess it's an okay set-up.. else it would have burned up by now.. (o: I do have some access to welding equipment now, but just through a friend who has a welding biz. My Dad used to have everything at his place, but he sold it all before he died. I should mention that I don't weld.. I have spent a few years working with propane torches..the kind that run off of propane and compressed air, but never welded, so I'll have to have my friend whip up any gear that needs welding, but that's not a big deal. I have watched other potters doing raku-firing with oil drum kilns and it looked like A LOT of fun, and I am anxious to give it a try. The idea of relatively low-tech firing appeals to me because I do tend to build or make almost everything myself. I like making tools, buildings, etc... I built most of my studio (26 x 32 feet) myself a couple of hours at a time each day after work over the course of a couple of years. I don't mind putting my time into such things as I enjoy making things that I "understand" well. I tend to trust things more when I have built them and know how they work. You probably know exactly what I mean by that. (o: Anyhow, I'm going to try to do some research into all of this stuff so that I can figure out if I want to give this a shot once the snow is gone and I can work out in my yard. I'm hoping to have lots of time to "do stuff" outdoors this year, and the idea of building a kiln seems to be growing more and more interesting as time passes. Very much wanting to do more sculpture again... kind of tired of doing computer graphics and all of this stuff that ties me to the indoors once the weather is good. Working on things out in the garden seems the way to go. Good info about the clays. Thanks! I thought I remembered some of this stuff from when I was younger (long time ago), but I've forgotten a lot. Good to have someone knowledgeable to talk to who understands the problem and also understands that I'm willing to experiment (a lot). Sounds like you're back having fun with the clay again. I am more than just a little envious! <gg>

To: AugustWest who wrote (208)	3/9/2002 8:28:46 PM
From: Crocodile	Respond to of 338

Just requested a bunch of books from the library -- about 5 books on building pottery equipment, kilns, etc.; another 2 on raku glazes and firing. Also a book on Oriental glazes - chemistry and composition, etc.. Whhheeee... I've got this feeling that I'm gonna have some FUN this summer! (o: BTW, our area library system has one heck of a lot of books on pottery... a person could spend so much time reading books that they'd never get around to DOING anything!! (No danger of that happening to me though!!)

To: AugustWest who wrote (208)	3/10/2002 7:42:49 AM
From: Crocodile	Respond to of 338

one of my nicest raku pieces is(coincidentially) a mask I titled "Aging" where I used a low fire englobe by accident. The result was that the glaze crazed in a big way seperting(not from the clay but from itself) by about 1/8 inch, hence it looked like a really old wrinkled face and that's where it got it's name, Aging. after i did the raku firing though on it, I coated it in a very low fore clear glaze to gloss over and bond the englobe to the clay permently- I did that a few weeks later because i noticed some of the glaze was flaking off the piece. I guess what I'm saying is there are infinite possibilities. And while there may be more optimal bodies or glazes to use, you can get striking results by accident and give your piece that unique look to it. If you have that one around, you should get your Dad to photograph it today.. I would like to see it too. (o:

To: AugustWest who wrote (208)	3/14/2002 9:25:08 PM
From: Crocodile	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 338

Four books on building kilns came in at the library today, so I picked them up this afternoon and have been looking at them. I think I can do this!! (o: Worked in my gardens all day before driving into the city. Earliest I have ever been able to work doing post-winter clean-up. It was so nice to work around the herbs which still have all of their scent from last year even though they are still half-frozen. I spent part of the afternoon limbing some trees that have been starting to throw shade across my vegetable garden. When I carry the branches back to the big brush pile near back of the barn, one of my collie dogs likes to try to "help" by grabbing onto one side of the branch then tugging and growling and trying to pull it along. Makes me laugh. She stays right beside me the whole time I'm walking back and forth with branches and wheelbarrow loads full of trimmings. Hope the weather has improved there. It's been more like late spring here this week, but I think we're just very lucky.