Terra Cotta: My musings on...and resulting actions with.

[HorseloverFat]

And no, about the UV light.. that sounds fun!

 

[sorce]

Yooperlites. They may only be on Superior, though that seems geologically impossible, but it would make it more cool if you found one!

I'm on the PC so a better photo of these seconds....

That leftmost one is the golded clay body mixed with porcelain, so sexy, if that makes it through winter it's going on the menu!


Sorce

 

[ABCarve]

Reading about your quest here, seems to be reinventing the wheel and that is always an interesting endeavor. It remind me of a short story "the voyage of the ant". This guy wanted to build a birch bark canoe which by some has been achieved numerous times and was fairly unremarkable. BUT.......he wanted to do it without the aid of modern tools. He wanted to wonder into the forest armed with nothing but his hands and history. He had to find and then learn flint knapping to create the stone age edge tools good enough to cut the wood to build the ladder to cut the bark.......it goes on and on. He also had the find the clay to build and fire the pot that boiled the wood to bend the frames and reduce the sap to make the pitch that covered the seams of the birch bark canoe. Named the "Ant" it was to pay omage to this insects slow, relentless progress to a singular goal. It makes you comprehend how we stand on the shoulders of our ancestors. Took him 6 years to complete and he paddled it from upstate NY to the city down the Hudson.
I'm sure your quest will result in a deeper understanding and appreciation of all things clay.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Reading about your quest here, seems to be reinventing the wheel and that is always an interesting endeavor. It remind me of a short story "the voyage of the ant". This guy wanted to build a birch bark canoe which by some has been achieved numerous times and was fairly unremarkable. BUT.......he wanted to do it without the aid of modern tools. He wanted to wonder into the forest armed with nothing but his hands and history. He had to find and then learn flint knapping to create the stone age edge tools good enough to cut the wood to build the ladder to cut the bark.......it goes on and on. He also had the find the clay to build and fire the pot that boiled the wood to bend the frames and reduce the sap to make the pitch that covered the seams of the birch bark canoe. Named the "Ant" it was to pay omage to this insects slow, relentless progress to a singular goal. It makes you comprehend how we stand on the shoulders of our ancestors. Took him 6 years to complete and he paddled it from upstate NY to the city down the Hudson.
I'm sure your quest will result in a deeper understanding and appreciation of all things clay.

THANK YOU for sharing that story.



It’s quite relevant.

There is another potter whose “path” is very similar to mine.. (she’s also alot FURTHER down this road then me. But i’ve only been “muddy” ((keepin’ it goin’, @sorce )) since May.. so I have SOOO much to learn and experiment with... it’s honestly sometimes TOOOO exciting!)She just published a book.. but the name escapes me.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Yooperlites. They may only be on Superior, though that seems geologically impossible, but it would make it more cool if you found one!

I'm on the PC so a better photo of these seconds....

That leftmost one is the golded clay body mixed with porcelain, so sexy, if that makes it through winter it's going on the menu!
View attachment 346586

Sorce

Nice! Those are superb, my friend. What are those smaller “hiding guys”?

This is what Clay Aiken is doing in my life, today.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Gotta find dem Yooperlites, son!

 

[HorseloverFat]

So here she “blows” (Continuing a conversation Sorce and I were having about a safe-conversion)... upon inspection.. the mechanisms can be (somewhat) easily removed.
Also... oxides?.. DWAM!

 

[sorce]

Can those innards be removed easily?

I was thinking tipping it back and setting the kiln on top....

But sideways like this....

You'd have to support it well since you'd be stoking it underneath the body. But you could use the current holes on this kiln, possibly just enlarging the intake..then you could also use the structure of the safe to build a chimney up.

Downside is the lid would be facing the structure, so we'd have to find a new lod and cut the holes in the bottom, to make it easier to load.

Pimp I think....so far.

Sorce

 

[HorseloverFat]

Nice! Gotta see, for sure, if i can “claim it as my own”

 

[HorseloverFat]

Just evaporate.. boom! Semi-crude NiO.. I HOPE common NiO appearance is a greenish-powder.. caaauase that’s how this will look when I’m done.

 

[HorseloverFat]

This is my first attempt/try/swing at decorative/brushing/(any kind of external “slurry” really)-Slip “work”

I just made the first slurry/“nuke reduction” ()/slip material, pigmented with dyes and other “goodies” and applied my first layer... then altered the mixture did a layer of decorative work, altered the mix again (needing to make another “reduction” by that point, for mass’ sake alone), applied another decorative layer...

..theeen made a loose(r) but “gritty” mixture utilizing sand and crude local clay for a “tear-like” application that appears to be “etching through”, but is actually raised.

Basically trying a few things to see what happens.. all in this one...stupid piece.

The “design” is loosely replicated on every face.

 

[HorseloverFat]

So I am just going to buy a propane “blower”... the shop down the street does Raku often (weather permitting... The folks there said that any propane “raku” or “forge” blower would work well for my kiln.. and I’m sure could easily be utilized for the Gift of the Sorce..
One guy sent me a few links to blowers he thought would work well..along with the hardware-“sets”.. all i need... a few of them seem a little heavier duty than my needs desire.. like 308,000 BTU!!!... I found a nice “raku” blower that produces 80,000 BTU... (they provide the per-hour data as well) that seems perfect.. reasonably priced.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I interfaced more with that “Raku” lady... we landed on this guy for my needs... 80,000 BTU.. Commonly utilized in those standard “smaller“ Raku kilns, well, the only ones I have seen...
She said she was familiar with the brand, and I could run it half(or less)-choke and, for my needs, probably get “two 6 fires from one tank”... I said I don’t NEED 6 for my clay.. she then estimated that “at LEAST two fires for you” *Bulgarian accent*

 

[sorce]

If you haven't bought it, look into a weed burner. Used. Or...gulp...Harbor Freight has the cheapest ones. Like $30. Simon Leach uses them to Cone 10. Remember, a 400K BTu output can be turned down. A 80K BTU output can't be turned up!

Go Huger!

Sorce

 

[HorseloverFat]

If you haven't bought it, look into a weed burner. Used. Or...gulp...Harbor Freight has the cheapest ones. Like $30. Simon Leach uses them to Cone 10. Remember, a 400K BTu output can be turned down. A 80K BTU output can't be turned up!

Go Huger!

Sorce

Hehe! Too late.. T’will work with what I have.. for now.. THIS whole “plan” i had been discussing with the Raku lady was ALL about utilizing the propane burner in my EXISTING kiln.. so I may just buy that burner YOU mentioned for the “new project” still pretty friggin excited.. and 30 dollars MORE spent in this direction couldn’t be bad... got that stimmie. Lol

 

[HorseloverFat]

The SAME company makes a 380k unit that I almost bought instead... i normally go with my gut.. shi-yaaaaht!

 

[HorseloverFat]

Also working on this “thang”... I wanted to try this specific shape for a few days..... and I ALSO wanted to “fabricate” a pot in a design that “CLEARLY is joined at the seams”-lookin’. Paying closer attention to INITIAL application of “seam clay”... but NO regard to “cleaning it up”.. looking SOMEWHAT like it was welded. .. but that’s what I was going for... even measured/set the “inner”(respectively) walls “in” 1/8”.. to give “importance” to these “unclean seams”...

 

[HorseloverFat]

Now she’s drying out for “the count”

 

[sorce]

Hell yeah!

But you forgot 2 tie down holes!

I just think it's extra important for a cascade pot, to have the ability to tie one end down real strong.

That profile is wonderful though. I might need this one!

Sorce

 

[HorseloverFat]

Hell yeah!

But you forgot 2 tie down holes!

I just think it's extra important for a cascade pot, to have the ability to tie one end down real strong.

That profile is wonderful though. I might need this one!

Sorce

HAHAHAHA!!! By the time I was satisfied last night, it was 1:22. So when I woke up, removed the coffee filters.. and was all, “Two lil’ holes?.... Okaay?!”

If it survives, It’s your’s friend.