Book Recommendation Please

[jgourlay]

All,

 

Could you please recommend some books for me?  Two topics:

 

1.  How to throw large pots and (less importantly) how to build up large pots?  By "large" I mean anything around or larger than 12" across by 12" tall.  I'm having severe slumping trouble....

 

2.  How to DRY tiles to prevent skrinkage/warping/cracking.  And then how to fire tiles to prevent same.

 

I know there are lots of books out there that deal with these, and I have a few.  All the ones I've seen talk about those topics in a sort of handwavey way.  I need something, especially on the tiles, that goes into deep, almost excessive detail.

 

 

[Marcia Selsor]

I'd recommend Tony Clennell's dvd on Throwing Large.

and Stephani Stephenson's dvd on architectural ceramics/tile making.

[RuthB]

The best thing you can do for tiles is to make your clay body bullet proof by adding grog for stoneware and molochite if you're using porcelain. Paper clay might work, too.

 

Be careful to flip the slab while sandwiched between 2 pieces of wall board when you're rolling it out. Cut when leather hard. Let dry for a week or more in a stack before touching to reduce the memory problem. Wish my memory was as good as the clay's!

 

Ruth

[jgourlay]

Thank you both.

[jgourlay]

The best thing you can do for tiles is to make your clay body bullet proof by adding grog for stoneware and molochite if you're using porcelain. Paper clay might work, too.

 

Be careful to flip the slab while sandwiched between 2 pieces of wall board when you're rolling it out. Cut when leather hard. Let dry for a week or more in a stack before touching to reduce the memory problem. Wish my memory was as good as the clay's!

 

Ruth

 

Ruth: is grogging something that can be done to wet clay, or only to dry clay?  Does Raku clay in it's 'as sold' form count as 'grogged' for this purpose?

[RuthB]

 

The best thing you can do for tiles is to make your clay body bullet proof by adding grog for stoneware and molochite if you're using porcelain. Paper clay might work, too.

 

Be careful to flip the slab while sandwiched between 2 pieces of wall board when you're rolling it out. Cut when leather hard. Let dry for a week or more in a stack before touching to reduce the memory problem. Wish my memory was as good as the clay's!

 

Ruth

 

Ruth: is grogging something that can be done to wet clay, or only to dry clay?  Does Raku clay in it's 'as sold' form count as 'grogged' for this purpose?

 

You can add grog to wet clay. You can wedge it in or add it in a pug mill (much easier). You can make a few test tiles with different amounts of grog (somewhere in the range of 20% by weight) to see what works best with your existing clay body. Or find a clay to which grog has already been added.... Raku clay usually qualifies. Your supplier should be able to tell you how high the raku clay can be fired. Also, I have found that a pizza cutter works well for cutting the tiles. Drag is reduced and it is easier to keep the pizza wheel at a consistent angle while cutting. I usually let the clay sit for a few hours before cutting, though that depends somewhat on the humidity. The clay is usually too dry the next day. Grogged clay will also help with your larger pieces.