Isculpt Posted March 14, 2014 Report Share Posted March 14, 2014 I use Highwater Raku clay for my sculptures because I like the workability of it and I occasionally pit fire. I'd like to make a teapot that is both sculptural AND functional for an invitational teapot show. After 2-days of hair-pulling frustration, I'm halfway through making a sculpture that gives every indication that it will be a functional teapot -- BUT it just occurred to me that raku clay may be inappropriate for a functional piece. If I fire it at its maximum temperature, cone 6, would it be non-porous? It wouldn't need to be every-day functional; if the future buyer uses it at all, I'm sure it would be on very rare occasions because my teapots are not exactly ergonomically designed! (see pix of last two failed attempts at function). So -- do I switch to another clay or keep going with this one? Jayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted March 14, 2014 Report Share Posted March 14, 2014 You'll have to test it to be sure, but most raku clays I've used will go to cone 10, meaning they will be a little loose at cone 6. Not ideal, but functional for a teapot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bciskepottery Posted March 14, 2014 Report Share Posted March 14, 2014 Highwater indicates its Raku clay has an absorbancy rate of 1.9% at cone 6. That's well within acceptable limits for functional work and comparable with a good stoneware clay body. Keep on working. http://www.highwaterclays.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=236&ParentCat=36 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diane Puckett Posted March 14, 2014 Report Share Posted March 14, 2014 Beautiful work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Coyle Posted March 14, 2014 Report Share Posted March 14, 2014 The folks here at Raven Tree like your ravens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benzine Posted March 14, 2014 Report Share Posted March 14, 2014 Beautiful work! Agreed, great pieces! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isculpt Posted March 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2014 Thanks so much for the information and the kind words. The current project is a boat with a Native American woman and a bear. Her braid is the handle, the bear's mouth will be the spout and the flat bowl in her lap will be the teapot lid, with a channel undeneath it that leads into the body of the boat. The bear will be treated like a fetish with a raven and a few other things "tied" to it. I'm not sure about this bear in the design but I've gone this far, might as well keep going. I still have a ways to go but thought I'd share an image of it under construction. Thanks again, Jayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted March 14, 2014 Report Share Posted March 14, 2014 Love the bear, that is just what dogs do on our canoe, only some times they travel on one side, makes for a sore side and back for the paddler. Great pieces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isculpt Posted March 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2014 Thanks, Babs. I actually envisioned a wolf there but the sculpture had ideas of its own.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted March 15, 2014 Report Share Posted March 15, 2014 WOlf might need a sleeker craft!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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