So here's one of the new test bodies for the platter clay... only one way to deal with disaster jump right back in... at the end of last week i was throwing some new bodies a 30 mesh warm body, some of my recycled and some bennetts stoneware ordinary body some are very groggy and the 30 mesh warm is my fav so far, tomorrow they will all get a wash of porcelainous slip...There are 3 platters and a bunch of kiln filler bowls in this batch...
Then i need to get this load through in order to complete my commission for the restaurant.. woohoo!
Nice bowls, are you going to mark through the slip?
ReplyDeletehey mr Y, no jusy adding a layer of white slip to the dark bodies to give the best glaze response..
ReplyDeleteSounds like your in the final stretch for the restaurant commission. Yabadaba!
ReplyDeleteHi Ang,
ReplyDeleteI like the shape of that bowl, a nice profile. Hope you have more luck with the firing of the large platters and so on, I was reading your posts a few days back and feeling very sympathetic. I've had a large platters crack too in the past, but I think mine were in the cooling phase, probably the last 200 - 300 degrees C as evidenced by a very clean crack with no sign of glaze flowing into it. My wood fired kiln holds quite a bit of heat in the brickwork of the arch, and I have to be careful in the final cooling of the kiln and the unloading, as things on the top shelf stay very hot, well after the lower pots have cooled down. I had a feeling, from one of your photos of a broken plate, that it may have split initially when firing up, as there seemed to be glaze flowing into the crack in one part, but the crack had finally run and separated whilst cooling?? Are you firing really fast through 200-300 and 500-600 degrees C??? As this might be part of the trouble?? (I know that the clay may also be a problem too).
You know all that stuff, so apologies for stating what you has probably been all diagnosed and sorted, but.., as I am old and senile.., I thought I'd say it anyway, just in case.. :)
Happy potting in your Cooool city! P.
yummy looking at this point, good luck with the commission.
ReplyDeletehey thanks patricia..
ReplyDeletePeter I believe you are spot on! I have fired this body before to cone9 in my gas kiln but i feel it is the wide flat space that is causing the issue and the clay just doesnt like the tension..
I had the same prob last year with a blue crackle glaze and was losing 50%, i also thought it was the glaze but now i have confirmation its the body..
The difference is only 20-30 deg when the cracking happens as the black glaze can take a wide firing range and looks nicer at 1220....still onward with the tests and thanks for your input I do appreciate the knowledge :))
Ta jim...just some more tweaking the clay is quite rough we'll see how the slip covers the surface...