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Saggar Firing


DianneF

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I am just venturing into saggar firing and have watched many videos showing types of saggars and materials to use in them. While I wont be using ferric chloride I wondered what effects aluminium foil produces with organic materials. I was hoping to use it has one of a series of tests but I have just found out that my college will not let me use foil for fear it will damage the kiln because it will ignite & burn. I understood it would disintegrate rather than burn so I'm wondering if anyone here has any experience with it, how it acts and if in fact it leaves any residue on kiln walls. I have however been told I can use it if it is contained in another saggar - is this going to change what it does.

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It can melt. I used some last April and the little gas kiln got a little too hot..enough to cause the structural qualities of the foil to fail...not quite melting but sticking in spot to the work. I usually use clay sag gars for my own work.

 

Read Russel Fouts articles on electric kiln saggars with the specific temperatures mentioned. He had an article in PMI several years ago. <div>http://users.skynet.be/russel.fouts/

I have one of his pieces. He does amazing work with aluminum foil sag gars in electric kilns and a wide variety of resists from lipstick to wet paper. He has given workshops in the US. He lives in Belgium and comes to NCECA every year.

You just need to have an accurate reading of the temperature and know what happens when.

 

Marcia

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I've done quite a few saggars with Ferric Chloride - gas masks or 'running away' when the kiln is firing are helpful as the chloride produces mustard gas when burning. A simple safety solution is to go with a gas- mask for those in proximity to the kiln. The firings I've done with ferric chlorides were with the addition of wax, table salt sugar, and string. All produce interesting effects. Additionally, stains and slips can be added underneath the chloride - none that I've tried produced very desirable effects. In terms of aluminum foil coating the kiln walls, I have not seen anything like this, however - as stated - it can melt. Hope this helps! Jeff

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