Need metal safe for firing

[ThisIsMelissa]

There are 2 types of things I'd like to make, but I a stumped what to use for metal.

 

I'd like to make some smallish wall hangings and want to imbed wire in the clay during construction to act as a hanger,

I'd also like to make some garden art and would like to use a stiff wire/narrow rod to drive into the ground.

 

But, since I don't really know what metals can withstand kiln firing, I'm at a loss for what to do.

 

I work in both Earthenware (cone 04) and Stoneware (cone 6)

Help?

[trina]

There are 2 types of things I'd like to make, but I a stumped what to use for metal.

 

I'd like to make some smallish wall hangings and want to imbed wire in the clay during construction to act as a hanger,

I'd also like to make some garden art and would like to use a stiff wire/narrow rod to drive into the ground.

 

But, since I don't really know what metals can withstand kiln firing, I'm at a loss for what to do.

 

I work in both Earthenware (cone 04) and Stoneware (cone 6)

Help?

 

 

 

Hi there,

 

 

 

You can generally use iron and aluminum, but for handing stuff attaching a coil of clay about a finger size in diameter and putting two holes in it works well. I find the problem when you work with added metal you need to make sure you have enough room for shringage otherwise things crack or break. As to metal rods, I don'T know how big your kiln is but leaving a space large enough to attach with some double component glue would work better than firing with metal I would think. Hope that helps....Trina

[Benhim]

Nichrome wire is safe enough for ornamental use. You can imbed it in the clay and the thicker gauges are fairly strong. However I'd recommend that for the purposes of hanging ceramic art on the wall that you make two small lugs on the back with a hole for a large gage wire. I often have remnant copper wire from projects, the 6 gage copper wire works just fine. For plates I just throw it with a deep enough foot that I can cut a couple small holes in the foot ring and mount the copper wire there after firing. I leave the insulation on the wire to protect the wire from abrasion.

 

Here is a CAD article on this subject.

 

http://ceramicartsdaily.org/pottery-making-techniques/handbuilding-techniques/pottery-video-of-the-week-slab-building-architecturally-inspired-forms-with-jeremy-randall/