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What Type Of Sand? To Add To Clay.


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Well I threw a lot of cups today without sand and grog just to see how it was going back. I have to say I disliked almost everything I made, although I kept them all. It is hard to tell how much you like a cup until you trim the foot.

 

However at this point I need to fire the sand I bought with glazes over it to see what happens. So I won't know until Friday probably on how successful the sand I bought is. Either way, I am pretty addicted to the way my pots look with course grog and sand in them. I also like throwing with the sand and course grog a lot more. Centering is a bit of a challenge, but I just use two sponges on each hand. Once I have it centered I don't need the sponges anymore. The texture of my pots in the style I like making is just so much better.

 

Since changing to this new type of surface, I am completely rethinking everything glaze wise. I need glazes that show off the surface! So I am probably abandoning all the work I did in the last few months. haha :huh:

 

Made this cup the other day and I can't stop picking it up... addicted.

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As a follow up for others asking similar questions in the future:

 

I finally got around to firing a pot with a lot of sand+grog. I took it out of the kiln this afternoon. I am not really sure what is going on with the pot. Since this is the first piece I have tested I didn't realize how much variety the sand and grog was going to add. The texture breaking of the glaze creates a lot of different colors and spots in the glaze. This is just one glaze sprayed on this pot. The little black specs are the sand and grog pushing their way back out I guess because this glaze has no specs in it, it was unusual to see specs when I pulled it out. The clay body itself is just black porcelain, its very clean and has no real spots. 

 

It definitely has me interested. This was one of those little test bud vases I was talking about for testing glazes. I just bought a basic play sand at homedepot. (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Quikrete-50-lb-Play-Sand-111351/100318476). I tried finding some better quality sand but my pottery supplier was out. They are ordering more. I do have to say that I sieve the playground sand, it has little rocks in it that are too big to be thrown. I am going to make more pots with sand in them now that I see it doesn't create any real problems in the firing. I am going to refire this piece in my next load. I also plan on glazing two pots side by side in the kiln, one with S+G, and one without. Then comparing the differences.

 

I have been making curry grid tiles, and I think I am also going to be making some grid tiles with sand and some without, to compare again. Very interesting stuff.

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Nice pots. Really like the color and surface texture.

 

Thanks Curt! I do to. I doubt I will throw pots without wedging sand and grog into them for a while. My wife came home to this bud vase on the bar with a few roses in it and she said, "I will take 4 soup mugs just like that please." :wub:  First time, in three years she has instantly requested something from me. 

 

Anywho. As I keep experimenting, I will post any important updates. I doubt there will be much from this point on unless I discover something dramatic.

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Joel:

 

This is the same glaze as this tile:

 

Titanium White - Iron Wash under.

 

Sea Shell Test

(fired a second time, on shells)

 

 

However! This tile wasn't slow cooled as aggressively as that vase was. So a lot of the crystallization is from that slow cool. However the spotting and variations are from the sand texture changing the variation in the glaze (I think?) . The vase had almost cone 7 heatwork, while the tile was a perfect 6. So there are a few discrepancies happening here. I will fire the same glaze soon on another vase without sand on the same schedule and post it if you want me to. I didn't link the other glaze because of the discrepancies, but since you asked this is the closest I have. Like I said. I am not sure what all is going on! I just know I like it. This was the first test I had ran with sand + grog. I have currie grid tiles with sand drying now as well as a bunch of little bud vases for glaze test.

 

So much work. I am currently filling my kiln for test only. 

 

Also, I find working with the clay with sand and grog in it very nice. Making marks is much more impactful, which is something I enjoy in my work.

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Joel:

 

As promised here is the result of the same glaze on three bottles, note the application isn't the same as the original bottle. I was testing thick at top and thinner at the bottom.  Also I have been testing a fake ash glaze, so just ignore that part. I always try to get as many things on a bottle as possible.

 

But you can still see the massive difference the sand and grog adds near the bottom of both the black clay vases. One looks like a plain ole grey. The other is very different. I prefer the sand and grog personally. It is also much more enjoyable to throw.

 

Black Ice with Sand and Grog, Black Ice, Red Rock

 

I did one with stoneware just to contrast the different base colors in the glaze.

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Thanks.

 

The pictures don't convey the feeling in your hands. But yea. It is subtle in the pictures. These pots in particular compared to the previous one as the glaze is really too thick for what I like. I got carried away with the spray gun.  :blink:

 

The fake ash I had been testing for a few weeks now. Finally figured out a good application that looks good and is kind of a dingy greenish brown. 

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