Tuesday 21 June 2011

glaze firing




The bits of yellow ochre have got past the throwing stage...must get these down to the supplier, luckily only just over 12 miles away...they will have to deal with the clay company. I'm sure it isn't me now, I cleaned the table scrupulously before kneading this clay..and I haven't used yellow ochre since about a year, and then it was a powder not granules... . First peek!!
Then unpack, shelf by shelf
I'm getting a problem of small bits dropping from the kiln roof...there must be something I can paint on it to stabilize it. I don't think battwash would do, possibly something similar.
The new iron red...possibly needs
reduction firing, still interesting....
Segasaurus!!
This firing really needed to go higher, but gas was getting low. I managed a longer soak instead. I'm getting better at firing, but I'm still not sure how to push that last bit.


Look at those red mugs in front....

This is a glaze that should be applied generously...but now it is doing this, quite nice but unpredictable!! I'm trying to find a replacement red, but I think I'll have to make do with a new batch of this for now

Warped bowl.

I think the footring could be the root of this, plus I'm working at the top of the firing range, plus it could have done with a heavier rim. It is a bit nondescript.
I put the blue pots on the bottom shelf as this colour likes it hot! Could have been more thickly applied, but still fine.
Shaving mug. New shape!
Also a new batch of glaze...which was supposed to be black... I think another 2.5% of oxide, and yellow ochre not yellow iron oxide.

My favourite yellow ochre comes from a copper mine in North Wales....I must go back and get more, as I'm fiddling on trying other colourants, and they just don't give me that luscious black!!

4 comments:

Michèle Hastings said...

we get those occasional kiln droppings too... very frustrating. it happened more during the first couple of firings. it seems to be settling down now. do you have a brick door? on occasion if i am not very careful bricking up the door, crumbs can get into the kiln from the door bricks.
cool segasaurus!

gz said...

I think the kiln is getting old!!
It is all HTI bricks, and the door is hinged, so I don't have to brick up.

Kath said...

It must be an exciting moment opening the door and peeping in for one's first glimpse of the treasures within.

Sandy Miller said...

my experience has been almost anything painted in the kiln usually ends up flaking off. Not sure what the answer might be for that. Have you posted on clayart? The masterminds can bat that around for awhile :-)

lovely mugs gz........