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Cone 5 Clay And Glazes


Chantay

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I use many of the Laguna Morroccan Sand glazes. They can be bought dry which is very cost effective. They are cone 5. The clay I am using this week is cone 6 to 10. At cone 5 it is under fired. But many of the glazes cannot be fired above cone 5. With further research I have found several cone 5 clays. My pottery supplier just wasn't carrying them. Oooh The angst. What does Chris say? Try, fail, repeat, learn. That would make a really great t-shirt. So next week I will be asking my clay supplier to provide additional product selection for those who want our clay fired to maturity at cone 5.

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Guest JBaymore

A move in the right direction, Chantay. 

 

Expect some ongoing adjustments though...... the interaction between the more mature body and glaze in the boundary layer even at cone 5 will possibly slightly alter things like surface, color, and glaze fit.

 

best,

 

..................john

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Going through some of the same issues Chantay.  Been testing the Morraccan Sand glazes as possible reasonable dipping glazes for students.  It seems they will go up to a low 6 I think.  I'm not the one that does the firing at the school and they haven't been putting cones in....arrrrgggghhh!  Switched them from a cone 6 - 10 clay at least to a cone 4 - 6.  Hadn't even thought about looking for a cone 5 clay.  (Didn't know there was such a thing)  I'd appreciate it if you'd keep me apprised of your findings and I'll do the same...maybe on PM or email so we don't bore everyone else.

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John, Doris,

 

I have been trying out different clays since January. I had asked for suggestions from the two suppliers I use. Not being happy with the fourth clay I tested I began to explore the issue deeper. I reliezed that neither clay supplier had asked me about my glazes. Only what properties i wanted in my clay. I guess when I stated that I fired to cone 5-6 that vitrification was not considered.

 

I feel like I have been running in circles.

 

Doris, I will let you know if I find any new info. Things are at a stand still for the moment. My basement is so damp I am having to toast the pots in the kiln to get them to dry.

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The MS series of glazes consists of many different formulas. They are not just color variations of the same base glaze like low fire gloss glazes are. So each glaze will behave differently when fired to cone 6. Some will do fine, others will run. You'll just have to test the ones you have.

 

Definitely get a cone 5/6 clay body. Cone 6-10 only works for cone 10.

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Yes, we are testing each glaze individually and on each type of clay.  Thanks, Neil.  it would never even have occurred to me that some glazes might require less testing since the base formulas were identical.  Shows how little I still know after several years in the saddle.  That's ok, though.  For me it's definately part of the allure.  Chantay, things should start to dry out now pretty quickly.  Good luck.

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I use quite a few Moroccan Sand glazes myself and I have a friend who uses several others. I'm on the Central Coast so we have a good supplier who makes runs to L.A. every couple weeks.

 

We have actually pushed some of the Moroccan Sand glazes to Cone 7-8 on accident (kiln needed adjustment) and though they did come out differently it was not ruined. For example, the Antique Jade glaze is normally a pretty even turquoise with an aqua float and nice break ... at the higher temperature it separated a little more dramatically and had pools of a clear turquoise and then other streaks of the lighter float. Quite pretty actually. You might try the glazes out at the temp your clay needs and just see what happens! :) You might end up with something special that nobody else has.

 

Do you have access to any of the Laguna clay or are you in the wrong region? If you are able to get them I'd be happy to recommend some of their Cone 5-6 clay for you to try.

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