Jump to content

steel nail in stoneware?


Recommended Posts

Define safe.  A steel anything is going to rust and get weak, the pot may crack around it since it will shrink in firing.  Only way to truly find out is to do it.  Nichrome wire is a better option but will still turn black and can shed some.  I haven't ever tried firing a nail so you should do it with a test piece.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If don't want the nail to oxidize, due to the firing, you could make a hole for it, before firing, and just epoxy it in after both firings.  You would need to make the hole larger, to account for shrinkage, but it might be the most fool proof method...  Unless of course you want the nail to oxidize and affect the clay body around, as part of the design.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The pot will probably crack around the nail during drying and again during the glaze firing. Also, the nail will degrade heavily during the reduction firing, and possibly melt its way through the pot. Reduced iron is a flux. I've seen this happen several times in wood kilns where there were nails and such in the wood that ended up doing damage to pots, melting part or all the way through.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When the Franklin Adams factory was on its last legs, we'd get pugs with chunks of (we assumed) rusting and deteriorating pug mill, some as big as 1/2". It became a contest to see if a pot could be thrown to completion around these obstacles. I got a large chunk, about 3/8" square, embedded in a 10" pot, even bellied out the wall and it remained, so I drew a design around it, glazed it and fired. The chunk melted, leaving a hole and a big drippy iron stain mid pot. 

Thinking the nail might melt and puddle, especially if glaze is involved. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmm...I recently bisque fired a couple of pretty big and solid corbels for a friend and when I opened the kiln, both the corbels were in pieces. They broke apart...did not explode...and I found a couple of pieces of 3/8" rebar embedded in them apparently for reinforcement. I'm guessing that the metal expanded to the point that the clay just broke apart around the metal.

Just saying...

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Metal and clay expand at different rates and amounts-metal at cone 10 can melt or deform -The only way is to try it and learn.

Me well I have seen metal at cone 10 ands it not pretty .I suggest doing it and seeing.

Is it safe well safe for what-not safe for cooking or eating from-safe for nailing a plank up afterwards -well no the nail will not ever be the same.But on the plus side that nail may stop a vampire

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Mark C. said:

Metal and clay expand at different rates and amounts-metal at cone 10 can melt or deform -The only way is to try it and learn.

Me well I have seen metal at cone 10 ands it not pretty .I suggest doing it and seeing.

Is it safe well safe for what-not safe for cooking or eating from-safe for nailing a plank up afterwards -well no the nail will not ever be the same.But on the plus side that nail may stop a vampire

Only if it's dipped in holy water and used to hang garlic:ph34r:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you all for your very helpful responses!  As long as I don't have to worry about causing some sort of kiln damaging event I will give it a try; and also try making the hole first and latter inserting the nail.  I hadn't though about different expansion rates.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, lbbloom said:

Thank you all for your very helpful responses!  As long as I don't have to worry about causing some sort of kiln damaging event I will give it a try; and also try making the hole first and latter inserting the nail.  I hadn't though about different expansion rates.  

You most likely won't damage the kiln, but you could damage the kiln shelf if the nail melts through the pot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.