Benzine

So it would seem that you have the answers to both QOTWs on the board today...

Cleaned mine also but I had to finish it up yesterday,  red clay everywhere.   Denice

I find doing handles a real pain so I only do them occasionally and even then, most of the time, they are just OK...

I also struggle to get the right look and fit to the hand when I make handles.   Once they are glazed and fired I realize that they are just what I was trying to do.  Denice

I guess the bright side is it's summer and you didn't have to deal with freezing temperatures plus a power outage plus a pandemic. 

Denice,

Little to no damage to our home or garage to speak of.  We lost half of our front tree, which is our only tree, and it kind of fell on our front porch.  However, it just managed to dent part of the gutter. 

We also lost a single shingle.

This definitely gave us confidence in the strength and durability of our Century old home!

I was a decorator for 20 years and potted on weekends and evenings.   I had one of my regular customer's new home wiped off the face of the earth,  her old home was next door and it just  got shifted off the foundation.  It was still a loss but they didn't lose everything in the home.    We bought a 100 years old house shortly after the wind damage we had.   We lived there for 13 years and had four tornadoes pass over our house.   Usually  the corners of our house would get broken off,  we had one tornado that hit a school and shopping center near us.   It dropped part of the shopping center roof in our back yard,  we were very lucky.    My husband was in the shower on the third floor when it passed over he came running down the stairs naked hollering about the tornado.   For some reason the tornado sirens didn't go off.  We had to move because of my MS,  we built our new house to be solid and of course a basement.     Denice

Standing 3feet away from a burning RR tankard for 13 hrs cured me to want to see another!!

Yikes, Alabama! That's gnarly!

The one in AZ looks good. There is a 40 cf alpine in UT also looks great

Yeah, that Alpine is out of my wheel house... And price range.

Also, I still really like the glaze combination I used, but it's a little "heavy" and the foot ring too sharp. Live and learn...

Stay young, keep learning!

''Tis the season

''Tis the season

Babs, I tried something similar a couple years ago, but scooped out the "guts" first, and dried the pumpkin a bit. Some interesting results. This time, I just cut the top off the pumpkin, and put the hot ware directly into the pumpkin guts, seeds and all. The pumpkin top seals nicely to keep the air out. Pretty interesting result. I'll post photos later.

What's the coldest you've had success at?

Well, this one was 20 F, when we started. It was in the teens, by the time we got through all three loads.

That is probably the coolest, that I've fired in. The only difference, that I've found that it makes, is how comfortable I am, while firing. It was a little chilly the other night. The students went inside, from time to time, but I was minding the kiln, so I was outside nearly the entire time.

I need to bisque and raku fire but the heat is forbidding.

Yeah, your heat is definitely worse that it is here. Walking outside yesterday, was like jumping into a pool. Instantly drenched.

Scotty would have pushed her to Warp 12 and held on for dear life.

Yep, it survived. After shutting off the kiln, I kept checking the peep for moisture. When none was detectable, I started it back up. No issues. There were no spots over 1/2" thick.

Good job on the steam check. I always use the hand at the peep hole to check for moisture during bisque, and glaze firings.

Yes...but it works great!

I am attaching shelf liner to the backs, so they don't skid, and so that the students only know to use on side. Hopefully they work as well as I plan...

I used a few stainless screws to set mine: just enough to hold it it place.

the daily grind of the potter, art teacher, parent partner, you love it!

So, what kind of cold is necessary .... : - )

The kind that drives aeay that sickening 110F poop weather we get in the summer here! Yuuuuck! I likes it in the 50s and sunny. Perrrrrfect! ♥

I believe you've one-upped Mr Leach throwing in his 3 piece suit. I haven't seen images of anyone throwing in a top hat í ½í¸

I believe you've one-upped Mr Leach throwing in his 3 piece suit. Top hat for the win!

Had the top hat, mustache, bowtie, the whole works. I did take the jacket off though.

Sorry, no photos were taken.

REad Pete Pinnells article http://www.claytimes.com/articles/glazeadjusting.html Adjusting glazes

Takes a lot of CMC, so I make my own.

Thanks for the responses all. I went with a little bit of Epsom salt and gum solution. Initial test went well. Brushed on pretty evenly. I may have to tinker a bit more, but it's a start.

did you simply place the lid over the bottom of the tumbler? Then pour?

Yes indeed. I didn't want to bother waxing them, or spend the time wiping off the excess. I saw a lid sitting there, and I gave it a shot. If I wanted the end of the glaze to be further up, I would scoot the lid further to the side I was pouring on.

Why not just dip upside down? Were you using a different liner glaze?

Nice. So exciting!

Congrats, Poppa!

Had quite a bit of time in the hospital. On the plus side, I came up with a few pages of concept sketches for wares.

Benzine you live close pick it up for a song-sell your other one.

Well, it's jumped nearly $100 in a day. We'll see what the final hours bring...

No go. I tried bidding towards the end, but it kept jumping. Someone got a nice couple thousand dollar kiln for under four hundred.

I'll just have to keep watching. I've seen others come up, in the same area before. The rich school districts seem to dump good kilns, for new fairly often.

Typical teacher . . . getting the big bucks for playing around in clay all day.

Yeah,my Dad at loss how to explain my teaching job said I played with clay until my arms got tired and then played some more on the computer I didn't teach, had two playrooms. Ben your arms will recover, just as the clay recycled has.

Honestly, wedging never really tires me out that much. Give me a few minutes, a quick drink and a snack, and I'm ready to go.