3 done, 2 to go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Less than three weeks to the fist show of 2012. I have done three glaze firing last three weeks, and two to go.  I always wonder I made enough pots at this time of year.  No way I can make every possible item made.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In between the glaze firings, there are bisque firings.  Ya, the studio is dry and hot all the time.  At least I am having the good results.  Exhausted.  Two to go.

 

 

Worms are here.

I got worms yesterday by the priority mail. They are packed in a video cassette size priority mail box.  They are alive, but not active at all.  I prepared the compost bin with extra plastic container laying around for the craft shows. Drill bunch of holes on the bottom, and put an air hole with a cushion came with the Orton cones glued over the top.  My wife teased me about names for new pets.  I have checked them a couple time since, they are more active now.

 

I had very good firing, and found couple good leads for new glaze combination.



 



 

 

Fired.

The vase is fired. It comes out good.  I did not lose any thing, but one teacup.  That is good firing.  After remaking the saggar smaller, all pots come out reduced.  So, the pottery inside the saggar was reduced by burning the impurity contained the clay to a ratio of the space inside the saggar, I guess.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I lost two large pieces for upcoming exhibition in the basement where I store pottery. It was my carelessness. I found the water dripping from the humidifier attached to the furnace and the large bowl almost full of water, and replaced the filter night before. After replacing the filter, I bring back the emptied bowl under the humidifier if the water drips again.   The cover of the humidifier dropped and smashed two pieces overnight.  That always the story with me.  I never think through.

 

 

Almost perfect firing...

I got every pottery reduced.  I am very happy for the results, and am ready for the Clotheslines Festival this weekend.

[caption id="attachment_1737" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Teapot 19"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1738" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Teapot 22"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1739" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Teapot 23"][/caption]

This is my discontinued blue glazes, and applied to thick. Unfortunately it pours very slowly.

Interior of one of sagger did not hold up during the firing, and shot up pieces into a bowl and surroundings. I believe this is fifth firing of this sagger, and others show crack as well.  I need to find better clay recipe for the sagger. Does any one know a good recipe?

Thunderly Sunday

I decided not fire the kiln today, that means there is no way to fire 3 time in 8days.  I finished loading the kiln yesterday, ready to go. But looking at the weather map, and expecting lots of thunderstorm, and the remaining pieces for another firing (mostly duplicates), I stayed home and took naps almost all day! If I go to the show already tired, my grumpy face scares away the customers.  I learned several years ago.  Turned out, there were several thunderstorm passing through with winds, so I made a good decision.  I will fire tomorrow, and pack potteries with plenty of time this week.

3 glaze firings and 1 bisque in 8 days

Getting ready for the Elmwood festival next weekend.  I realized I mis-caluculated the date to the festival.  I have not fired the kiln after the two shows, and really needs pots!  I have finished the first firing on Wednesday, and now bisquing today.  I will glaze tomorrow getting ready for the glaze firing on Sunday, then Wednesday.  That is the schedule.  I got tired today, and came home early.  A set-back..  But, much needed rest.  I  feel like I really did not have a real day off this summer.  Good news is that heatwaves were the past and it starts to fell the fall, so the studio is not that hot like three weeks ago.

Before and after

I fired the kiln on Friday.  It was very claim warm day (80°F outside) until toward  the  end of the firing (about 2000°F), then the rainstorm came with gusts from the south.  The winds started sucking air out from the kiln, and the oxyprobe reading hit zero.  I needed to lowered the gas pressure while closing the damper, and close the windows at the studio.  It heated up the studio very quickly, close to 100°F.  It lasted about 30 minutes, and became less windy so I could open the windows.  I opened the kiln today, and it was another good firing. I guess the oxidation at the later stage of the firing did not affect the result.

Here is before and after pictures.  Glazes do not have the same color before and after firing.  Glaze is a glass structure over the clay, and its color is refection of the metal particle inside the glass, and varies by the thickness of the glaze application.  The thickness is hard to measure and observe.   Redish color is from the red iron oxide.



These are new saggars with fireclay.  It shows different colors on outside, tan and white, that reflect reduction and oxidation. However, I got good reduction inside the saggar as well as the bowls stored inside.

Saggar and Reduction

[Saggar firing is a technique for the firing of pottery.  Saggars are ceramic, boxlike containers which can be used to enclose or protect ware in kilns. Traditionally saggars were made primarily from fireclay. Saggars have been used to protect, or safeguard, ware from open flame, smoke, gases and kiln debris: the name is a contraction of "safeguard". From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]

I have four to five firing done with the saggar placed at the oxidation spot, and got the good reduction constantly.  The best result was achieved when the sagger was flipped over.  I tried to placing the plate as a cover, with different gaps, that was not satisfactory.



I used the white stoneware body for the sagger, and it started to show a sign of the bloating. This clay is not meant to be the saggar and repeated firing.  I made new saggars, with mixture of roughly 50% fireclay and 50% white stoneware. I hope this will last longer.



With the saggar, I was able to fire a relatively small piece related to the shelf space.  I still like getting two small pieces rather than getting two seconds.  Now I am getting close to 90-95% of good pottery out of the kiln.  I am almost done throwing for now, and am ready to fire the kiln 2-3 times in next two weeks. Then I am ready for the first three shows.

Good results

Fired the kiln over the weekend.  I placed a sagger with a small gap this time.  It almost reduced.  I think a gap was a bit too big, but this is the solution for the oxidation problem I was working on last couple years.  I did not loose any pots in this firing, made me a BIG smile.  The first four festivals for this summer are set. I updated the schedule.





Custom order planter under way.

Well...

11 days past the earthquake in Japan.  My family and friends are safe.  I was very hard for me to watching TV, and talking to my family.  They are in Tokyo, so they had no direct damage, but got a large earthquake and following lots of aftershocks, which they have never experienced before.  Now, the radiation scare starts to set-in. My parent lives near many foreign embassies, and are customs to see many foreign people. They told me most of foreign people are gone home, and the supermarket specializing the foreign goods are vacant.  I hope quick recovery.

I had very good firing over the weekend. A bowl in one of the saggar with a tight cover got too much reduction.  I will put a gap at the lid at the next firing.



Teapot 5-7 are fired.

[caption id="attachment_1440" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Teapot 5 fired"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1441" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Teapot 6 fired"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1442" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Teapot 7 fired"][/caption]

Flat pieces and Netbook

First firing in 2011 is done. It was ok firing. Fired the flat pieces, pitcher, and soy pourer.  I like them.  The shape gives more dimensions, and the softness to the curve.   I glued the cork to the cap, and looks good, I think.  Now moved to the teapot.



I fixed the LCD of my netbook, the first replacement LCD I bought at the EBay did not work well, but second one I picked up the website recommended in this blog worked perfectly.  I changed the wifi network adapter to Intel Wifi Link 5100 as well. Reception in the basement went up significantly. It was from 802.11b/g to 802.11n with the same g router.  I am pleasantly surprised.  On the very bad note, my ford winstar is in shop, will cost $1600 to repair the engine malfunction light.  It was running all right,  though. Well, lots of mugs.  Mug is so cheap compared to these repairs. I am in wrong business....

Testing mugs

Leaves are burning right now. It is definitely one of beautiful season in Rochester.


Flesh out of the kiln. I test the mugs with boiling water once a while to see any problem with the thermal shock.
They passed.

Thermal shock. If you pour water in ice cube, it cracks.  It is similar to that.  Sudden change of temperature makes the clay and the glaze to expand, if their rates are not the same, it cracks.
If you throw the pot unevenly, it may causes the thermal shock. If the clay and glaze do not fit, the properties of the clay, list goes on. It is good idea to put a spoon (metal) in a cup when pour the hot boiling water, and start with the cold oven. I usually put a dish in 355F oven as long it is room temperature (not from fridge), though.  I read somewhere that 400F is too hot.   I stop making the pie dish long time ago, as everyone bakes differently, and sometimes it broke beyond my control, but I replaced them anyway.
I am testing a white glaze recently.  I used to use the Vivika's white glaze until I start using the white stoneware and it started to crazing. I am not sure how I am going to apply it.  This glaze does not show any crazing on the current clay.

Two days later, still hot

Fired the kiln on Wednesday. It was near record heat of 89°F. The temperature at further from the kiln in the studio was as high as 104°F. I really did not want to know the temperature near the kiln. The sweat just kept coming standing next to it. It was getting toasty after 6PM, and continued to the end of the firing at 10:30pm. So,my plan of firing later backfired. I wish I have a separate kiln room. My daughter will start her collage at the NYU Abu Dhabi in UAE in September. Tomorrow's forecast for Abu Dhabi is 107°F. I should not be complaining... How does she manage that? That would be very interesting.

I opened the kiln today. The kiln has still retained its heat this moring, and the studio was over 94°F while outside was upper seventies. The kiln god difinately smiles at me on this firing. There are no oxidation or crawling except one piece. This is the best firing-ever at this studio!



I will be exhibiting the following shows in June, the Three Rivers Arts Festival on June 4 to 6, and the Allentown Art Festival on June 12-13. I am not exhibiting the 100 American Craftsmen this year due to the schedule conflict.

Joye Schwartz of Joyefulart wrote my pottery on her blog today, http://joyefulartblog.com/painting/one-of-a-kind-friday-pottery. Thank you , Joye.

Good result

Good firing.  I really like the tenmoku glaze combination.  I had this series very limited basis at the show last year. It will be very interesting to see how it sells or not sell.

Now I have one more firing before the first shows in two weeks.  85F is forecasted for next Wednesday. Last firing, the studio was 95F while outside was 74F. I do not think simple math is order here, but will be very toasty.  I am thinking to delay the start of firing for four hours and finish up late night when the temperature drops.  Will see.

I am printing the postcard now. 800 of them.

Two sectional piece 2

Unloaded the kiln today. Three large pieces came out very good.  Two tall pieces were glaze by dipping, and the round one was sprayed.  I bought the High Volume Low Pressure Gravity Feed Spray Gun for $6 (on-sale) at the harbor Freight Tool. It worked  very well. I set up a temporary spray booth with a fan and a furnece filter and lots of newspaper.  I rarely spray glazes.

The height of the vase and the pitcher are 21".

Unloaded kiln

The wind stopped over the weekend, and fired the kiln on Sunday. I opened the kiln today.  Here are some new attempt.

One is the stamped directly over the green-ware, and glazed a bit differently. I like the flow of the things, but I am not sure.



This is combination of the tenmoku, the tomato red and the rutile blue.

I like it.



I really like the rutile blue and the amber combination, but I cannot find the recipe for the amber glaze I came up last year. I checked the Hyperglaze, but the software acting wired and did not save the data.  My blog entry said the chun blue.  I mixed and tested the similar glaze, but turned out the celadon.  Looking at the old batch, I remember I used the different iron oxides, the iron silicate; calcined iron and silica mixture I made.  This is not feasible for a large batch, so I need find the alternative.



I  glaze the large pieces today, and fire on Thursday.

Electric kiln 4

Bisque firing was completed. So problem was related to the thermocouple.

I hurt my hip, and pay a visit to my chiropractor today. Take easy for next couple days.

Electric kiln 3

I tested elements of the electric kiln last week. I set the kiln to "the fast glaze", and turned on for 30 minutes with the lid open. All elements are lit, so the elements are fine.  I checked the thermocouple, and replaced one in the middle with one in the top, and placed a new thermocouple on the top.  I will bisque tomorrow to see how it works.



I had the glaze fire on Friday, and opened the kiln today.  All looked good, except one piece.  I am very happy.  When I draw the sample at the end of firing, the clay got lots of carbon (gray),  reduced too much. I had some pieces at the front of the kiln had crawling started slightly.  I will place three test pieces at the next firing, and draw them at the different stage of the firing to see when it collecting the carbon.

Electric kiln -2

Something was still wrong with the electric kiln. I completed the bisque, but the controller was acting up again, and wound up to fire with one segment.  Further test is needed, once the kiln is unloaded. To be continued.

Electric kiln- L&L JD230

With the help of the L&L technician over the phone, he concluded that my L&L JD230 kiln is fine after the following tests, and the problem was due to the shelf touching the pyrometer.  I will retry the bisque tomorrow.

Here is two tests to check the elements and the replays on the kiln.

First, the elements.  Unplug the cord connecting to the red box from the elements. Check the ohms by inserting the probes of the digital multimeter into each hole of the flat part of the plug tightly.  Mine read around 17 ohm, for each plug.  If element is broken, it does not register the resistance. I bought this kiln with the heavy duty elements option in 2001, and used for bisque cone 07 only.  I bisque roughly 40-50 times a year. So, this have been 400 bisque firing done.  According to the technician, my element will be for good for long time.



Second, relays. Turn on the power, and set the kiln to "fast glaze"mode, and turn on.  Unplug the same plug, and insert the plug into the socket this time, and read the voltage.  I read 235V.  This shows the relay is working fine.  My friend told me that I can get the relays at the Grainger at reasonable price.



There is very good instruction/ trouble shoot articles available at the L&L website.