Firing Local Indigenous Clay

[Pitterpotter]

I dug some clay from my birthplace to utilize in creating some of my work. I had the good fortune of having someone local that could test it for me so I would know all that it was in it. There were few trace elements/minerals but its primarily kaolin! :-) I'm wondering if anyone has fired locally dug clay and if so if you have suggestions on what temp to fire it to. 

 

Thanks for input!

Debi Lane

[Benzine]

A Science teacher I worked with, brought me in some from her property.  It was a blue green body, that fired golden yellow.  I had to slaked it down, and screen it, to remove the large rocks and such.

 

I only fired to Cone 04.  I had a classmate in college, bring in a similar clay.  The instructor let her fire it, in a dish, which was a good call, as it melted at around Cone 6.

[bciskepottery]

You'll need  to test the clay.  It might be suitable as a clay body, likely low-fire unless you add to it.  Isculpt, another forum contributor, uses native clay for pit firing.  It might also be suitable as a glaze or glaze ingredient.  Make a few small pinch pot cups from a known clay, then test fire a sample in the cups at bisque and glaze temperatures. 

[Marcia Selsor]

all local clays are different. If it is mostly kaolin, you should test it for high temperatures. If it is mostly sediment, you should test for low temperature ranges.

 

Marcia

[Pitterpotter]

Thanks for the input!