Type of salt used in salt firing

[timbo_heff]

Anyone experimented with different types of salt in their kiln? ie Kosher, table salt, sea salt, etc

I suspect it makes not difference at all except that a coarser salt will take longer to dissolve in water if one is spraying it on.

I suspect that the small amounts of impurities that can make salts taste different would be not significant enough to effect the tonality of a salt glaze.

 

Thought? Ideas? experience ?

 

Thanks!

 

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[Mark C.]

As far as what type of salt in my salt fires-it has made ZERO difference- kosher- rock or sea salt-table or whatever. We cook it all in huge pot outside and spray it into the kiln.Tried all types listed-I tend to buy 50# bags of it now.Now as far as eating it then thats another thread.

Mark

[Marcia Selsor]

Actually, I prefer soda ash..eliminates chlorine and seems to work better.

ruthanne Tudball convinced me of this.

I have used it in several places where I went to fire soda kilns.

I used it when I was working at Archie Bray and again when I was a resident artist at the Mary Anderson Center.

Previously, when I salt fired regularly I used fifty pound bags of Morton salt for my source.

 

Marcia

[Mark C.]

I like a little soda ash as well. We make a few soda tacos (thick hot melted soda on paper tacos then dried) and toss them into the fireboxes while salting-adds a nice color to the exposed stoneware feet of the pots.

Mark

[Marcia Selsor]

I like to spray the soda ash into the kiln after dissolving it in hot water. my past experiences for getting soda and or salt into the kiln include using a blow pipe, burritos made of newspaper, angle iron slides through ports. I found the best IMHO to cause most even distribution to be spraying in a water solution. There is much less slag build up because it vaporizes instantly.

marcia