Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Hot studio

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After a week off, sort of. Back to the studio. Outside temperature is in teen's, and studio is 90's. It depends on the direction of the wind. North wind makes the studio really cold, getting good down-draft through the kiln chimney. Last two days it was different story. Even I opened the windows, the chilly air did not come into the studio. It was just strange. I should not complain, though. Warm is better than cold.

I have been thinking about the new items for next year. So far, I can't think of any. I threw several flower pots last week, which I used to make. Several people asked me about the canister sets, which takes up the space in the van to bring to the shows. Any suggestion?

It is a time to apply shows. I cannot decide whether I apply 100 American Craftsmen (10+ years doing the show) or Three River Art Festival (4 years ) next year. This is the first time the date for the show overlapped. It is tough one. My daughter is going to graduate the high school in June, so I should be careful not double booking events.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Two sectional vase 2

It is frigit outside, and tropial inside the studio.

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I trimmed and decorated the vase today.  It will be cover for a couple days, then another a week for drying.

Two sectional vase trimming hodaka potteryTwo sectional vase hodaka pottery

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Two sectional vase

I threw a large vase with two sections. I threw a bottom pieces with the groove, and the top without it, and let dry on the wheel for 1.5 hours with the wheel turning and a fan running. Then put together.

bottom piece with groove hodaka potterytop piece hodaka potterytwo sections vase hodaka potterySmoothing two sections hodaka potteryTwo sectional vase hodaka pottery

Friday, December 11, 2009

Slowing down

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Winter is back.  Arrived here late.  I certainly enjoyed the warm weather.

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Many people came out for the studio opening, and I enjoy showing my work space.  I wish to have a little more space so I can display my pottery year around. This was the set-up over the weekend.

Decal hodaka pottery

The decal in the glaze kiln to cone 10 held in the position it applied. So, it works to brush on the wax resist over the raw glaze, and apply the decal if you are in rush.  However, it was faded very much in the cone 10 firing. (left cone 04, right cone 10)  So, it does not work well in cone 10.

I finally slowed down last couple days, and picking up the studio to the working condition. I start making 2010 pottery now on.  I want to make a couple of large vases to start with.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Decal

I have been reading the decal on the pottery. Keith Phillips and Cynthia Guajardo describes their process at his and her blog. That makes me very curious. I bought the HP 1020 laser printer and the laser printer decal paper off the ebay last week.  I made the decal of the Hungerford Urban Artisan logo on the glaze fired cups, and put in the bisque kiln to cone 06.

Decal 1 hodaka potteryDecal 2 hodaka pottery

Most recommended to cone 04, though I like the bisque pieces to cone 06 for better fit of the glaze. The toner of the laser printer contains 50% iron, that is fused to the glaze, and become very nice sepia color. I like how the test turned out, especially with the rutile blue and the amber glaze combination.

Decal 3 Hodaka pottery
Today, I was glazing and loading the kiln for firing tomorrow.  I wanted several cups made with logo before the studio opening this weekend, but don’t have enough time to glaze fire, attach the decal and bisque fire them.  So, I glazed the cup, waxed over it, and attached the decal on the waxed surfcae. I have no idea this would work or not.

Decal 4 Hodaka pottery
I think making a design for the decal to fit with the glaze would be the most difficult part, and have a whole winter to think about.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Two in the row

kiln loads 11/24/09 hodaka pottery

I opened the kiln today, and yes, it all reduced. The saga of oxidation is finally over!  I guess I have been reducing way too much, and choking the kiln. The setting now is very similar to what I have fired at my previous home studio.   It has been three years since I moved the studio, and I really do not remember how and when I changed the way I fire last couple years.   I change a setting, and guess the result and change again .  Bad spiral and going deep to a black hole, that I felt last 12 months.

Couple things to note are 1)  I begin the body reduction earlier. 2) oxyprobe reading maybe off .10 to .15 now.  Last firing, the reading at the end of the firing was .54, which is lowest I ever been, and I was very afraid of oxidation.  But the kiln temperature was climbing (it stalled at .60)  and I got both spy holes getting back pressure.

I enjoy now until another thing to headache with.

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Saturday, November 21, 2009

Getting ready for the open house

cups with handles by hodaka pottery

I have been glazing last couple days and am firing tomorrow. I mailed  postcards to Rochester area customers and was working on the map of the hungerford building for the building wide open house.  The kiln is loaded with slightly new setting, moving the target brick 1/2" toward burner, and I will ease the reduction at the end of firing.  I hope to have another firing after this load before the open house.

Studio Open House and Sale


December 4th (5PM to 9 PM) & 5th (10AM to 5PM)

In conjunction with “A-MAZE-ING Hungerford”
- Art at the edge Building-wide open studio over 25 Hungerford Urban Artisans


Come to the door 2.  There will be the elevator operator helping you to my floor, and other artisans floors.


1115 East Main Street Suite 422, Rochester, NY 14607


I will put a map at next post.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Cups

Cups Hodaka Pottery

I threw a bunch of small cups today to use at the studio open house on December 4th and 5th. I will serve a hot drink in it.

I had great experience when I visited the Craft People just outside Woodstock, NY last fall, who carries my work. We had great time with Rudy and Mary. The store carries vast variety of potteries in one of their building, and otehr ctaft items over others. If you are near Woodstock, NY, I highly recommend to stop by. Anyway, they served a hot apple sider with sprinckle of cinamon with slice of lemon in Rudy's handmade Demitasse, that I was thinking today.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Got reduction

kiln load 11/14/09 hodaka pottery

I peeked the kiln yesterday, and came home depressed. I saw bad crawling, and the bottom looked oxidized. This have been the pattern last two years.

With my great surprise, I just lost three pieces with crawling, that I saw yesterday. Reduction, reduction and reduction. Bottom was lightly reduced, but reduced. This is the second time a whole kiln reduced in three years. Last time was in June, but I could not reproduce the effect then.

Firing a kiln has not been fun for a while. I became addicted to the pottery after watching the flame dance in the kiln. It was magical feeling, and just fascinating to watch the edge of pottery starts to melt. Last couple years, opening the kiln was not pleasant.  80%-85% of pottery came out of each kiln beautiful. But that 10 to 15% of loss was big problem for me. I threw the pottery knowing that is placed at the bottom shelves for oxidation.   Firing kiln was not fun recently.  More I changed the setting, the deeper the problem goes.  Just frustrating. Now I got the good firing! I hope this new setting brings me back the fun of firing.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Sunset

Firing is done. Gorgeous sunset today.

P1060469Sunset 3 11/12/09 hodaka potterySunset 11/12/09 hodaka pottery

Sunset 4 11/12/09 hodaka pottery

Sunset 5 11/12/09 hodaka pottery

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

New setting

November sky hodaka pottery

orton cones for testing the temperature differenceKiln load hodaka pottery

Kiln is loaded.  I am testing couple new settings to reduce the oxidation area on the bottom.  I have changed the target brick setting to allow more flame going to the front/ bottom of the kiln. Do you remember the flame comparison on the last post? The first one I have been firing since moving to the studio, and the second was I used to fire before moving to the studio.  I have no idea how I have changed the setting to begin with. The theory is that first one was way too much reduced flame, and I have been choking the kiln, and therefore I am not getting the correct circulation. I know supplying the air to the flame cures another problem, orange peel look on the glaze.  I will fire the kiln all way from the body reduction to the end with the second flame, instead of giving the first flame at the body reduction stage.  Hope this will reduce the oxidation area, and not a big disaster.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Forced burner and open studio

Which is the correct flame setting for the reduction? Either or neither. I have been working with help of the special person.

[caption id="attachment_953" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Flame setting 1"]flame1[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_954" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Flame setting 2"]flame2[/caption]

I am getting ready for the open studio.  December 4 (5pm-9pm) and 5 (10am-5pm).  I will post more details later.

Bowls and Mugs Hodaka Pottery

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Cutting tool

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I misplaced the cutting tool (Cutting tool, when you are throwing, it level the edge of the clay by cutting the uneven part). How  I made it  in 5 minutes. You need a metal band (I found these in a trash at Home depot), a skewer, a fishing line (metal preferred), drill, hummer and metal cutter. I cut the metal band to 6-inch long, and drilled four holes, two for wire and two for the skewer. Cut the skewer, and insert into the holes, and flat the both ends of the skewer with a hummer so it stays. Cut the wire and tie it.
Cutting tool 1Cutting tool 2

After I made it, I found it on the floor behind the wheel, of course.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Shelves

Before                                                                  After

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Last couple days, I dismounted the old shelves, which was built 20 years ago, and was too deep for this studio. I did not have a time to build the new shelves three years ago when I moved into this space in the middle of the summer festival season. I have been wanting to replace, but took three years. Richard Aerni taught me the design of the shelves. I have built one, and like it very much. The shelves are adjustable, and hold the plywood sheet (16” x 24”) . Now I just move around the wet / lather hard pots on the same sheet from throwing area to the bisque area.

In additional bonus, I might have created an extra space for another wheel. I will move around the stuffs tomorrow to squeeze in the trimming station.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Platter fired

See the difference in the color inside the kiln?  Orange color (top) is about 1450 degree Fahrenheit, and white color (bottom) is about 22oo degree Fahrenheit.  At this stage (2200F),  you need the welder 's glass to protect your eyes.

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Opened the kiln today.  This is the finished platter. This is 15.5" x 3" version.  The 22" one is waiting for the bisque firing.

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Next project:  Rearranging studio. These shelves are not fully utilized.

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Saturday, October 10, 2009

Espom salt

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Glazing today.

My studio gets very dry, and the glaze bucket does loose its water content in a span of two weeks even with the lid on.  I draw a line on the interior wall of the bucket when finish glazing so I knew when it lost water.
When I glaze, I usually check the thickness of the glaze by using the hydrometer or weighting the glaze (10 cc).  And I still had inconsistent results of the glazed ware.  I suspected the Epsom salt being the cause.  I use the Epsom salt as the flocculant, which slows the settling of the glaze.

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Last time, I mixed the new batch of glaze; I did not add the Epsom salt and tested the new batch of glaze in the last firing. (Test, test test!  I do measure carefully, but I still mess up time to time. )   Now I can mix with old batch of the glaze safely.  I checked the thickness by weighing 250 cc of the glaze this time; first the glaze without the Epsom salt, then added the Epsom salt in the glaze.   Both weights came up 275 g. The result showed the Epsom salt does not interfere with the weight of the glaze.  I guess 10 cc was too small of sample.  I did not test today, but I was very sure the hydrometer was inaccurate with the glaze containing the Epsom salt.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Missed oppotunity

Building’s radiator was on yesterday, so I left it on overnight to dry greenwares quickly. Studio was 90°F this morning. My neck stiffened quickly while trimming pottery in the heat.  I opened the windows, but stayed 80’s.  The greenwares were ready for the bisque, so I turned the bisque on.

So, I pick up another McDonald’s ice tea for my neck-ache.  I noticed a small sticker.  Yes, the Monopoly.

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This brings back to the memory.  When Kodak Japan was sent me to the Rochester for 9 months assignment, I had no idea of the life in the US.  Within a month, I got a parking ticket for $150, for parking on the handicap.  I did not know the handicap sign even existed. I do not think there is a handicap parking ticket in Japan now.  I was amazed leaving (parking) car in the middle of the intersection was cheaper…  Anyway, the Monopoly game.  I was eating the launch at the McDonald’s and saw the guy next me got the park place, while I had the board walk. You know, 1 million.  I talked about it to the friend (my wife now) later, and she told me why didn’t you talked with the guy, that did not occurred me, and thought illegal. Missed oppotunity.....

Sunday, October 4, 2009

I am not dry thrower...

I am not dry thrower...
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Saturday, October 3, 2009

Tank car inspired vase

Opened the kiln. Got very good reduction.

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My tank car inspired vase. I like it. Was fun.

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I decorated the large platter. I added the stamp decorations, and carving. Now let it dry for a week. If you do not dry enough this size of platter, it will crack during the bisque firing, or explodes as the trapped water become water vapor like volcano.