Cone 6 Clay Body

[MMB]

So here is where Im at now. I have stock of EPK, bentonite, red IO, and (being I live right next to a Mica Mine) access to mica. I know mica has little significance in a body, but I just like it for the flecks. From what Ive read I like what Wollastonite can do for both bodies and glazes so I would like that to be an addition to my body. My direction is more than likely going to be making tea pots or other vessels. SO I guess really Ive been searching for a recipe that would mature nicely at cone 6 and would hopefully have more character if it were to lack having a glaze.

 

The Bizen and Shigaraki bodies have such an attractiveness to them yet I doubt that can be attained at cone 6 in an electric kiln. Ive always liked how clays change their look the higher you fire, but Im only wanting to go as high as cone 6. I also have been falling in love with more iron rich clays and drifting away from the buff white clays.

 

I have rewritten this post multiple times and having trouble conveying what Im looking for...I think. So am I in the ball park?

 

Red Art (or red natural clay, low workability)

EPK

Red IO (maybe the addition for a darker clay)

Wollanstonite

Mica (if natural clay is not to be used)

Ball clay (if natural clay is to be used)

 

Red IO and Wollanstonite are fluxes right ? so keep their percentage at a maximum of 25 %? And the rest filler?

[Biglou13]

I m making some epk based clay bodies . Ill get back to you when at computer

[Biglou13]

So here is where Im at now. I have stock of EPK, bentonite, red IO, and (being I live right next to a Mica Mine) access to mica. I know mica has little significance in a body, but I just like it for the flecks. From what Ive read I like what Wollastonite can do for both bodies and glazes so I would like that to be an addition to my body. My direction is more than likely going to be making tea pots or other vessels. SO I guess really Ive been searching for a recipe that would mature nicely at cone 6 and would hopefully have more character if it were to lack having a glaze.

 

The Bizen and Shigaraki bodies have such an attractiveness to them yet I doubt that can be attained at cone 6 in an electric kiln. Ive always liked how clays change their look the higher you fire, but Im only wanting to go as high as cone 6. I also have been falling in love with more iron rich clays and drifting away from the buff white clays.

 

I have rewritten this post multiple times and having trouble conveying what Im looking for...I think. So am I in the ball park?

 

Red Art (or red natural clay, low workability)

EPK

Red IO (maybe the addition for a darker clay)

Wollanstonite

Mica (if natural clay is not to be used)

Ball clay (if natural clay is to be used)

 

Red IO and Wollanstonite are fluxes right ? so keep their percentage at a maximum of 25 %? And the rest filler?

You'll prolly love standard 266.... Thing is rio doesn't make for dark clay on its own!!! But your thinking....

I'm happy to see others here making and or,thinking about making clay bodies......

It's a bit of a mess but so very very worth the effort!!!!

For your,darker clay body. You'll need a mix of,iron oxide, magnesse dioxide along with redart.

 

You'll prolly be better off adding Barnard blackbird clay into the mix. And lizella is a different feel and look than red art.

 

Check out some of my posts clay making 101, B 10 , And others. There's a lot of info and most of your answers are there.

 

Bizen and shigariki ( I'm excited that there is interst). Is a whole other issue. First there is no replacment for wood fire. Second there s no replacment for natural clays found in Japan. I've seen some,passable renditions of shigariki, the granite and or feldspar chunks are the catch here. John b. recently answered some of my questions regarding bizen. I could be wrong here but I think there are 2 different classes in bizen. One is dry and flashy, the other deep and dark. And that's another look I'm working on now,also.

There's a japanese saying about clay ..... It's kinda like fight clubs rules

Of first importance is clay, second importance...clay, third importance....the clay.

 

Give the clay and the wood burning environment. It's highly doubtful you'll get anything close at cone 6, evenless with cone six electric. But there is no harm in dreaming and trying. I haven't quit .... Yet.

 

Atomic axe gave me a recipe to try in one of my posts. ( he's one of the Jedi here, but not here so much anymore). It was lizella, epk based while not the same you could switch out red art. There is a b mix thread. Where I think you could switch in the dark stuff and have some decent results.

 

Keep me informed with your experiments and ideas. I have a porcelaineous body that may hold up at lower temps ill see in about 2 weeks.

[MMB]

Yeah I have been reading from 3 or 4 threads about certain clays. I was reluctant for a while to make a thread because I didnt want to create another thread thats so much a like others. Ive been reading so much lately and it gets to that point where I just have to leave the computer and get to trying something. As for the Maganese Dioxide, I did see a dark brown/ metalic brown depending on the firing atmosphere recipe, but then I saw how nasty that Mag dioxide was and someone even said to where gloves when handling the clay. I dont want to have to have that worry, the dust and fuming from firing I understand but not when Im forming.

 

I hate to bring up the natural clay thing too. Its probably one of the most annoying questions to bring up, at least thats how I think the pros see it. I jumped at the idea way back only to be met with failure. I added 20% epk to my slurry and it helped a bit but nothing special. I only thought to use it again because I still have a bucket or two hidden somewhere underneath my work station and it has the mica already accounted for. Old habits I guess. I was experimenting the other day by adding back in some of the small bits of quartz and/or granite that I had once taken out of my natural clay. It did improve the workability a small amount so I shoved it into a plaster bowl shape, let it dry, and its on its way to cone 6 this evening. So we shall see. Ill move my updates into your thread since we are all attempting the same. Maybe the mods could sticky that thread since there is already a wealth of info to be had in it.

 

:edit: I see youre from north florida. It makes me think about when I was last in Jacksonville visiting some family. There was a small exhibit at once of the Museums there where a old local potter dug up clay from around Coral Springs. Which I was actually staying near Coral Springs. I thought about playing in the mud and bringing home a bucket of what ever I found haha. Maybe next time.