Material To Make Ceramic Or Porcelain Components

[kubeek]

From what I´ve read I should add ball or plastic kaolin to make the clay plastic. Is that right?

Also, what should I use as a binder?

[Wyndham]

It looks like you have 2 issues. First ceramics are insulators not conductors .. If you want the heating element to conduct heat through a material as to vaporize the moisture then you need to find a conductive material like metal or a way to have thinner walled ceramics.

I think some more research is needed because we here on the forum don't have the background you need, we're just guessing

Wyndham

[kubeek]

It seems that the only way now is to try it and see what happens. I already have a propane trorch and a gas bottle, so I will wait for the thermometer to come and will build a kiln similar to this

[kubeek]

I don´t see anything that would be blatantly unsafe, what did you have in mind?

[Bob Coyle]

Why don't you try firing it with charcoal in your barbeque grill? With a good hot fire and the piece in the middle, you should be able to get bisque temperature. 

[kubeek]

first of all, thanks for the great post

 

You see, I know I can go to some local pottery course or shop or something and ask them to fire it for me. But here the finished product is not really what I am after, it is more of a byproduct. The path of learning and trying new stuff on my own is far more important for me. Also, I understand the risks involved here, especially the placement, ventilation and general safety when handling propane, I am not new to doing dangerous processes. But on the other side, if I can get to make a first test fire in late november, it will be fast. In the mean time, I will be researching whatever I can get my hands on, getting some base materials and preparing some test samples to try it out.

 

Now for the kiln, you say you need 24+ hours to fire your products, is it beacuse the kiln takes so long to heat up, or just because the clay needs that much time to be fired properly? Are there some phases to this process and some recommended time the pottery should be there?

 

I know that there are many variables I don´t even know about, and a lot of other that I think I know what they are. But it seems that maybe a few more weeks and I will be more or less prepared for the possible outcomes.

[kubeek]

Another interesting kind of kiln I found on the interwebs is this http://www.clay-king.com/raku_kiln_kit.html

Imagine I would make it about 1/3 size, it seems to me that the mineral blanket would be much better for handling than a bunch of bricks, and the thermal capacity will be much lower so I think it would be safe to handle soon after turning the gas off. I don´t know, I might turn this into electrical kiln after all, I just need to find a suitable heater wire for this. What power output do you think I would need? I guess something around 2kW if the kiln is properly isolated.