fruch Posted April 28, 2015 Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 I am just starting to get into firing at cone ten and I am a bit confused. I have white stoneware cone8-10. I want to purchase some cone ten glazes. My confusion comes when I read the directions. It says to apply the glaze to cone 06 bisque. I thought I should be firing the greenware to cone ten. IS this not true? Should I actually be firing the greenware to cone 06 and then after the glaze is applied to the bisque I fire to cone 10? I copied and pasted an example of some directions. Thanks for the help. On a second note what is the best cone ten glaze for an electric kiln. I do not have access to gas. Spectrum 1263 Blue Lava Glaze (1 pint) Manufacturer: Spectrum Glazes Axner Number: A521188 Weight: 2 lbs., 8.00000 oz. Axner Price: $16.00 Ready to buy? Quantity: Add to a new shopping list Share on twitterShare on google_plusone_shareShare on pinterest_shareShare on emailMore Sharing Services Email this page to a friend! Product Details Glaze in the Spectrum Cone 9/10 Hi Fire Glaze Series. SHAKE AND STIR WELL: This glaze is designed to fit cone 9/10 clay bodies. Apply three brush coats to cone 06 bisque or greenware. Let dry and fire glaze to cone 9/10 to fully mature the glaze. Thin with water if necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted April 28, 2015 Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 Bisque firing is usually to ^06. Sometimes lower if working with Terra sig. Sometimes a little higher wif working with porcelain in fragile shapes. But the general bisque temperature is ^06. Are you working alone or do you have access to others who could help you along? This is an elementary question. I am wondering where you'll be firing to ^10. That is hot so take precautions with your kiln set up. Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denice Posted April 28, 2015 Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 Are there any pottery classes in a community center that you can take a class, while your there you can ask the instructor about helping to load and fire a kiln. There is a lot to learn and getting the basics down hands on is the best way. Denice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruch Posted April 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 So no one answered the question.... I get that it is a beginners questions. I have worked with low firing clay for years. I am trying to expand. Do I normally always fire greenware to ^06 even if using a high firing clay? Only after the glazed has been applied to the bisque is it fired at ^10? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayaldridge Posted April 28, 2015 Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 Potters fire stoneware and porcelain to a low bisque because the clay has to remain pretty absorbent in order to be glazed easily. If you were to fire the clay to its maturation temp, the body would be so non-absorbent that it would be very difficult to get glaze to stick to it. Cone 05 or 06 is a good bisque temp. You can also single-fire stoneware and porcelain, glazing the raw ware, but this is a far more technically demanding way to go, and not for beginners. Bisque to 06, glaze, then fire to 10. I'll echo the advice already given to get some instruction, or at least do some serious reading up on firing. I have to admit that I never took a class or went to a workshop, but I'm an antisocial weirdo, so don't be like me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerdry Posted April 28, 2015 Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 Actually, Fruch, Marcia thought she had answered the question, and I thought so too. But I can see how it would be confusing going from years of low fire. Welcome to the world of mid and high fire. If you are using your own electric kiln, you might consider doing mid fire cone 5/6 work. Electric kilns can go to cone 10 but it's more expensive due to higher electircity and hard on the kiln. These days there are a lot of choices in cone 5/6 clays and glazes and you can pretty much get close to the same effects as cone 10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted April 28, 2015 Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 There is no reason to fire to cone 10 in an electric kiln. You'll just be using more electricity and putting unnecessary wear on the kiln. The elements will last 1/2 as long at best compared to firing cone 6. You can get vitrified clay bodies and durable glazes at cone 6, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerdry Posted April 28, 2015 Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 Sorry, I just looked at your profile (could you tell us at least if you are male or female, and maybe a part of the country?). I see that you were already doing cone 6. I was confused because you said low fire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruch Posted April 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 Alright, thanks for the additional information. That was helpful. I do not plan on firing cone ten often but i received a bunch of cone ten clay from a grant so I want to use it. Does anyone have any glaze brand they would recommend, remember this will be in an electric kiln. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Campbell Posted April 28, 2015 Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 You asked one of those simple questions that opens up to a huge range of answers ... The simplest answer being ... Yes, bisque first then fire higher. But realize that within that simple answer there are a ton of exceptions and many instances when it does not apply. Your glaze question opens up a huger chasm! What clay body? What glaze characteristics? What color? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruch Posted April 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 I know, I guess I am just going for the simplest answer possible really. We are using stoneware and want a blue glaze...does that help. I know the higher firing glazes are tricky so I am just wanting a reliable brand to start with that people have had consistent results with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtRoads Posted April 28, 2015 Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 I am just starting to get into firing at cone ten and I am a bit confused. I have white stoneware cone8-10. I want to purchase some cone ten glazes. My confusion comes when I read the directions. It says to apply the glaze to cone 06 bisque. I thought I should be firing the greenware to cone ten. IS this not true? Should I actually be firing the greenware to cone 06 and then after the glaze is applied to the bisque I fire to cone 10? I copied and pasted an example of some directions. Thanks for the help. On a second note what is the best cone ten glaze for an electric kiln. I do not have access to gas. Spectrum 1263 Blue Lava Glaze (1 pint) Manufacturer: Spectrum Glazes Axner Number: A521188 Weight: 2 lbs., 8.00000 oz. Axner Price: $16.00 Ready to buy? Quantity: Add to a new shopping list Share on twitterShare on google_plusone_shareShare on pinterest_shareShare on emailMore Sharing Services Email this page to a friend!Product Details Glaze in the Spectrum Cone 9/10 Hi Fire Glaze Series. SHAKE AND STIR WELL: This glaze is designed to fit cone 9/10 clay bodies. Apply three brush coats to cone 06 bisque or greenware. Let dry and fire glaze to cone 9/10 to fully mature the glaze. Thin with water if necessary. I thought I should be firing the greenware to cone ten. IS this not true? No. If you fired greenware to cone 10 it would not absorb glaze ... from my experience. I have been firing greenware to cone 05. I've seen potters firing 04, 05, 06. Should I actually be firing the greenware to cone 06 and then after the glaze is applied to the bisque I fire to cone 10? As stated above, firing to cone 10 is expensive and if possible in an electric kiln, you would have to have a very very good kiln to do it on a consistent basis. Just because a kiln says it will fire to cone 10 doesn't mean it would do it on a regular basis. I tried firing Cone 6 in a such a kiln and was changing elements every 3 months .... On a second note what is the best cone ten glaze for an electric kiln. I don't think anyone can recommend cone 10 glaze for an electric kiln because no one fires cone 10 wares in an electric kiln. Consider dropping back to a cone 6 white stoneware? Example B mix from Laguna is very popular. I use Laguna, Coyote and Spectrum glazes ... in the midfire range... Cone 6 glazes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted April 28, 2015 Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 It's true that 99.999% of people who fire to cone 10 do it in a fuel burning kiln- gas, wood, etc, which means they fire in a reduction atmosphere. So it'll be tough to find recommendations for cone 10 oxidation. Plus the vast majority of people who fire cone 10 mix their own glazes. If no one here has an answer for you, you'll have to start testing. Is there any way you can exchange the cone 10 clay for for 6 clay, and work at a temperature that will be better suited for electric firings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Campbell Posted April 28, 2015 Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 > I don't think anyone can recommend cone 10 glaze for an electric kiln because no one fires cone 10 wares in an electric kiln. I ... and many of my fellow porcelain potters fire to Cone 10 electric. It's what we need to do to achieve the results we want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolieo Posted April 28, 2015 Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 Hi fruck, I, too asked what I saw as a simple glaze question/recommendation. I am a beginner, so I know nothing of low fire. I am slowly setting myself up to do midfire. I have money set aside , and I was making a shopping list. Since I am new, I need everything. So I asked for a good Matt clear recipe for mid fire. Someone kindly recommended John Britt's midfire glaze book. Well I bought it , and I realized why they didn't recommend a glaze( besides a clear Matt possibly being a pretty unstable glaze). Glazes at least at mid and high fire are chemistry. And as chemistry, everything matters, down to how the kiln heats and cools down. So for glazes, there are no guarantees, just lots of testing to get what one wants. I am reading books and letting it sink in. I feel like I have gotten the basics in theory. What I don't is to be too scattered, with too many directions at once. I also deeply want to get many different results. So I am not doing anything until I have a couple of loads for my kiln made to bisque, then I will send off for glaze stuff. John Britt does have a high fire glaze book. I don't know if the recipes are for electric oxidation. I would get a book if you end up making your own glazes- just reading through all the recipes gave me a good deal of insight as to what is going on- but only if there are pictures too. If you go the route of pre made glazes, most online stores do sample packs, some even your choice, so it doesn't have to be a huge commitment. But , if you are like me , and all the glazes start looking delicious, and intriguing, it can be too expensive to go the premade route. Sometimes the glaze comes w a recommendation of what to bisque to.if you look at either books or the websites will show what the glaze looks like on at least one clay body if not several. Have fun playing w clay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted April 28, 2015 Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 > I don't think anyone can recommend cone 10 glaze for an electric kiln because no one fires cone 10 wares in an electric kiln. I ... and many of my fellow porcelain potters fire to Cone 10 electric. It's what we need to do to achieve the results we want. Chris, can you tell me what it is you do that requires cone 10? Just curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Campbell Posted April 29, 2015 Report Share Posted April 29, 2015 I use Southern Ice porcelain and it achieves its best translucency and feel at 10. I usually fire to 9 with a hold and controlled cooling that registers at 10 though out the kiln. Fire any lower and you lose the feel. Under 8 the translucency suffers. I am however switching over to Frost which is Cone 6 as soon as my last couple hundred pounds are gone since I am not so dependent on translucency with my work right now. It's more about color and Frost can handle that. Another friend of mine who uses Southern Ice this way is Antoinette Badenhorst and here is her site ... We are both big Southern Ice fans! http://www.porcelainbyantoinette.com/gallery.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted April 29, 2015 Report Share Posted April 29, 2015 Thanks for the explanation, Chris. This is a good example of how we sometimes we have to work with what we have. Translucent bodies can be made at any temperature, but it's a whole lot easier to find a commercial body that satisfies your needs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Campbell Posted April 29, 2015 Report Share Posted April 29, 2015 Yes, I saw a translucent body that was achieved at bisque temps ... Amazing stuff though not commercially available yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted April 29, 2015 Report Share Posted April 29, 2015 Yes, I saw a translucent body that was achieved at bisque temps ... Amazing stuff though not commercially available yet. I think we're in an exciting time in ceramics. Now that mid-range oxidation firing has gained some respect, I have to think that we'll start to see more vitrified wares being done at even lower temps. I began work on a cone 2 'porcelain' a couple of months ago. It's not so difficult to formulate one that's vitrified, but the color and cost are a challenge. My whole reason for doing it is to reduce my firings costs, and increase the longevity of my elements. I estimate they will last at least 50% longer, if not twice as long, as firing to cone 6. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chantay Posted April 29, 2015 Report Share Posted April 29, 2015 Neil, Could you post some pics of you cone 2 work? Are you mixing this clay yourself? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted April 29, 2015 Report Share Posted April 29, 2015 Fruch, I thought my answer was clear "But the general bisque temperature is ^06." So to answer more simply, Yes. For a cone 10 clay, bisque first to ^06. Apply the glaze. Fire to ^10. Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted April 29, 2015 Report Share Posted April 29, 2015 Neil, Could you post some pics of you cone 2 work? Are you mixing this clay yourself? Nothing to show yet. Still testing clay bodies. It's a slow process for me because I don't have time to do it very often. I expect it will be many months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted April 29, 2015 Report Share Posted April 29, 2015 Yes, I saw a translucent body that was achieved at bisque temps ... Amazing stuff though not commercially available yet. Ohhh, eyes open wide. Want want want. (Everytime I think the word "want" I can hear my mum saying "I would like". Even as a growed-up. I still find it hard to say want.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cone6ten Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 If you decide to try cone 5/6 electric firing, Coyote glazes are wonderful! Great colors, easy to use and consistent results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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