Cavy Fire Studios Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 Hello! So, I'm planning on making two gargoyles to protect my home. Sadly, my kiln is a tired old man and only likes to fire in earthenware. Anyone here have experience with this? I was thinking a heavily grogged terracotta that is fired to ^03 might be my best option, but I'm not sure. The statues will not be glazed, as South Dakota winters are lethal to glazed ware!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benzine Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 If your kiln is electric, and only reaching those temps, because of age, why not replace the elements? In regards to the Earthenware sculpture, if you found a way to seal it, the sculpture would better be able to survive. The ceramic's absorption of water, which will then freeze, is the concern. So either do a lot of testing and find a glaze that fits almost perfectly, as to seal the ceramic, or perhaps use some type of concrete sealant. The other option is to either cover the sculptures in the Winter, or bring them inside. Also Gargoyles out in front of your house, I like your style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 Glazed ware would survive better than unglazed. When water soaks into the piece and freezes, it cracks it apart from the inside. Your goal is to keep water from soaking in at all, which means either glazing the piece or firing it hot enough that it vitrifies. Cone 03 terra cotta will not do it, but many terra cottas will go up to cone 3 or 4 and get quite tight. If your kiln will only get to earthenware temps then it needs to be fixed. You're wasting a lot of electricity even if you're just firing to 03. Ideally you want to fire with a fine grained clay that vitrifies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idaho Potter Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 I learned the hard way that outdoor ceramics need to be fired to at least cone 4 to survive harsh winters--and definitely glazed or taken indoors before the first hard frost. Kudos on the gargoyle at the front door. Style points! Shirley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benzine Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 I learned the hard way that outdoor ceramics need to be fired to at least cone 4 to survive harsh winters--and definitely glazed or taken indoors before the first hard frost. Kudos on the gargoyle at the front door. Style points! Shirley Gotta find some way to keep the demons away right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bciskepottery Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 Regardless of the clay body -- earthenware, stoneware, or porcelain -- you need to fire it to vitrification to reduce the absorption of water. You'll need to go higher than 03 for earthenware as the clay remains too porous and very absorbent at that temperature. You will also want to keep the gargoyle from being directly on the ground/step/whatever so that water doesn't pool around the base and get absorbed. A location where there is overhead protection would be ideal for protecting against breakage. I'd think a clay with multi-sized clay particles would work best for outdoor work -- so if water is absorbed and frozen, the water has a variety of openings between the clay particles in which to expand/contract. A clay body with only one size particle would not offer much room for expansion/contraction . . . and resulting in cracking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavy Fire Studios Posted June 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 Thanks, everyone! One reason why I work in earthenware us because my kiln came with a blank ring, and my back is far too screwed to remove it. Another reason is that it is cheaper to fire in low temps than mid-range.The final reason is that my whole studio is set up for lowfire work. It would cost a mint to replace everything... Okies, the gargoyles will be outside for late spring, summer, and early fall. And, yes, this is of spiritual significance. In the Dakotan countryside, there is a lot of dark energies present from all the horrible things that happened to the Natives there. The Medicine Men arevery busy around the Rez...some of the stories they tell can give you nightmares for weeks! EDIT: I hate my phone--sorry for all the errors!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benzine Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 Are gargoyles really a part of the Native American belief system? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted June 6, 2014 Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 As long as it isn't freezing, you can use whatever clay you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavy Fire Studios Posted June 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 Are gargoyles really a part of the Native American belief system? Nope, but I'm not Native. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted November 21, 2014 Report Share Posted November 21, 2014 This is Chip Clausen's Freeze proof terra cotta. It is surviving on the grounds of the Archie Bray Foundation in Montana. Chip Clauson's Freeze Proof Terra Cotta ...................Batch .........% Hawthorne Fire Clay 20 ............9 C and C Ball .......50........... 21 Red Art ...........100 ...........43 Talc ...............15............ 6 Muddox Grog........ 50 ............21 .5 Barium Carbonate Sorry about the formatting but it was the best I could do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted November 21, 2014 Report Share Posted November 21, 2014 I may be about to utter heresy in a ceramics forum but here goes... Don't glaze it. Finish it with wax, or varnish to make it waterproof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted November 22, 2014 Report Share Posted November 22, 2014 Just keep in mind Gargoyles keep folks away sometimes-or at least visitors are on thier toes.I have three. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavy Fire Studios Posted November 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2014 Well, my reason for moving to South Dakota ditched me to go work for the CIA, so I kinda shattered like a vase thrown on concrete. Stuck in eastern Washington, broken-hearted and broken-walleted. I'm making a rabbit out of terracotta--not very scary, but I am hoping it turns out well enough to sell. Gonna make it talavera in my own way. :3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted December 1, 2014 Report Share Posted December 1, 2014 Hey Marcia. Thanks for the recipe. What temp would this be for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helen_gould@hotmail.com Posted June 15, 2020 Report Share Posted June 15, 2020 I'm making garden signs in Scotland after reading this im going to look into cement preservative for putting on the backs of them either that or bringing them in its annoying when you have to unscrew them Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted June 15, 2020 Report Share Posted June 15, 2020 Check out what other poters are doing re ouside sculptures. Prob hewn out of solid granite:-)) I have a sister who makes many clay thinbgs for her garden. Not sure she uses anything special. Her teacher is Julian Jardine from Perth. He makes amazing sculptures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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