Jump to content

How Not To Pit Fire


Recommended Posts

Hi guys!

 

Sunday I learned that there is WAY more to pit firing bisque than having a pit

with combustibles and ware in it and dropping a match into it.

Every piece broke, and, they (the pieces) still look the same dull white as

when they were loaded. I mean I didn't ever get nice looking driveway fill.

The only bright-tish spot in the whole mess is that they were not very

nice bowls, platters or jars, so I didn't really lose anything.

 

I haven't ever tried, or even had a chance to watch the process before, but I

think maybe using a leaf blower to keep the fire Going was probably not my

brightest move, It did sound like a good idea at the time though.

 

Almost forgot, it was cone 03 bisque

 

Anyone willing to hold my hand and walk me through this???

 

I am your humbled,

 

graybeard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can't say I have had much pit experience but the one time we did it all the pots were in a sawdust/colourant layer with about 15cm sawdust over the top of all pots that we then built a fire on top. I feel the sawdust layer added some heat lag to the pots and warmed them up slower than direct flame contact.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Grey beard

After collapse of the A.Orange empire most knowledge was lost except for a small tribe on Tonga

They handed it down one generation to the next

Quite by mistake they discovered pit firing back in the day buy dropping a piece of clay into the fire while walking on it.

In more modern times say in the middle 1800's a whaling ship blew offcourse and made landfall looking for water and saw wonderfully pit fired pots

They in turn brought this Tecnique into the modern world

The early whalers used to carve on these pit firedpots of clay and developed a process that latter became what you may have heard as scrimshaw

When they ran out of pots to carve on long voyages they starting using whales teeth.

These long lost histories are still carried out in Molokai where I have heard many of oral histories of not much known knowledge pasted on generation thru generation

When you're are on an island isolated from other clay folk your imagination can at times get away from you.

But seeing that A.Orange pot from yesteryear brought it all together

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mark,

 

Over the years (and I mean a LOT of years) I have striven to become the weirdest guy in the room,

and I have enjoyed a large amount of success and have been very proud of that achievement.

 

As you undoubtedly know it is no small achievement and can only be accomplished through years

nay, decades of intense study and dedication with a laser like focus on that one goal.

 

Well, as of this day, SIR, I step back, and I doff my chapeau to you.

 

g-beard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.