PeterH

Maybe of interest ...
Temper (pottery) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temper_(pottery)
A temper is a non-plastic material added to clay to prevent shrinkage and cracking during drying and firing of vessels made from the clay.
... and goes on to list 12 types
I don't know how useful this definition is, or how widely it would be accepted.
Note that the definition doesn't cover the use of  "combustibles" such as coffee grounds or expanded perlite to add texture to the fired surface.
Are there any additions to a flameware body purely to modify the fired thermal properties, rather than the shrinkage/cracking of the body during drying and firing? [Mica might be one?]
 
PS It doesn't pass modern  health & safety requirements -- and it has nothing to do with your questions -- but have you heard of  Obvara Raku? Which I believe has it's origins in sealing porous cooking vessels.

Marcia Selsor's Tips on Obvara Firing
https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/daily/article/Marcia-Selsors-Tips-on-Obvara-Firing
The obvara firing technique is a technique originally used to seal low fire pottery. It is believed to have originated in Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages.
 


 
 
 
 

Maybe of interest ...
Temper (pottery) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temper_(pottery)
A temper is a non-plastic material added to clay to prevent shrinkage and cracking during drying and firing of vessels made from the clay.
... and goes on to list 12 types
I don't know how useful this definition is, or how widely it would be accepted.
Note that the definition doesn't cover the use of  "combustibles" such as coffee grounds or expanded perlite to add texture to the fired surface.
Are there any additions to a flameware body purely to modify the fired thermal properties, rather than the shrinkage/cracking of the body during drying and firing? [Mica might be one?]
 
PS It doesn't pass modern  health & safety requirements -- and it has nothing to do with your questions -- but have you heard of  Obvara Raku? Which I believe has it's origins in sealing porous cooking vessels.

Marcia Selsor's Tips on Obvara Firing
https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/daily/article/Marcia-Selsors-Tips-on-Obvara-Firing
The obvara firing technique is a technique originally used to seal low fire pottery. It is believed to have originated in Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages.
 


 
 
 
 

Maybe of interest ...
Temper (pottery) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temper_(pottery)
A temper is a non-plastic material added to clay to prevent shrinkage and cracking during drying and firing of vessels made from the clay.
... and goes on to list 12 types
I don't know how useful this definition is, or how widely it would be accepted.
Note that the definition doesn't cover the use of  "combustibles" such as coffee grounds or expanded perlite to add texture to the fired surface.
Are there any additions to a flameware body purely to modify the fired thermal properties, rather than the shrinkage/cracking of the body during drying and firing? [Mica might be one?]
 
PS It doesn't pass modern  health & safety requirements -- and it has nothing to do with your questions -- but have you heard of  Obvara Raku? Which I believe has it's origins in sealing porous cooking vessels.

Marcia Selsor's Tips on Obvara Firing
https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/daily/article/Marcia-Selsors-Tips-on-Obvara-Firing
The obvara firing technique is a technique originally used to seal low fire pottery. It is believed to have originated in Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages.
 


 
 
 
 

I'd spent most of an afternoon reading about China Painting a few years ago, having found PPIO and Marci Blattenberger's webpages
Porcelain Painters International Online-Home Page
www.marciblattenberger.com/links.html
A Beginners Lesson in China Painting - Page 2 (porcelainpainters.com)

There is clay suitable for pottery probably not too far from where you live (“a small town in the southern part of the country”). Do not be dissuaded, do not be discouraged. It is clear through your posts you have made great efforts to understand the process of making pots. It is also clear you have learned a great deal, you are ahead of where you were. From what I see Georgia has a ceramic tradition. I want to encourage you to explore it any way you can. 
https://georgiatoday.ge/the-history-of-georgian-ceramics-one-of-georgias-oldest-traditions-still-very-much-alive-today/
https://wander-lush.org/georgian-pottery-ceramics/

Hi Tina:
Been following, going through the information you posted. Sand additions are called "temper" in our clay world: first used in native pottery, and later by the brick industry to make clay more suitable for pressing. While sand added to the problem; it is not the problem. You soaked your clay for several days and still had lumps: this indicates the real problem- it is called "cementing." Cementing is a severe form of flocculation; caused by high iron/alumina levels that create a strong positive charge in the clay which makes it resistant to uniform dispersion of particles: which in turn results in delamination, sheering, and cracking. It requires more than adding plasticizers to the clay: you have to break the strong positive charge that creates this problem. Acidity creates flocculation and alkalinity creates deflocculation.
Now lets put that theorem to the test: 1. Find two 1" hard clumps of clay. 2. Fill 2 glasses, bowls, dishes with a 1/2 cup of tap water. 3. Add 1/8 teaspoon of sodum or potassium feldspar to just one  glass (leave the other plain tap water). If you do not have feldpsar; then add 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda.  Stir it well to disperse the powder. 4. Drop one chunk of clay into each glass/bowl. (Do not stir or agitate.) Let it stand for 30 minutes. 5. Use your finger or spoon to see if the clay chunk has dissolved on its own.
If my theorem is correct: then the chunk of clay in the glass with the feldspar/baking soda will have dissolved on its own.  Feldspars/ baking soda create alkalinity; which in turn creates a negative charge in the water; which in turn neutralizes the positive charge that created the "cementing" property.
Tom

Just in case you haven't seen them already, Paul Lewing article here, (link should work, let me know if it doesn't). Another Lewing article on brushes here. He has also done a CLAYfliks video, that is behind a paywall but snippet below. Video covers basic concepts, surfaces to paint, tools and mediums, some examples of working etc.

New Directions in China Painting with Paul Lewing
Welcome to the forum!

In case it's of any help: Clays of Georgia for Ceramic Applications
http://gspltd.ge/admin/editor/uploads/files/InterCeramics.pdf

No experience in looking for clay myself, but perhaps these are of interest:
Where is Clay Found? https://ancientpottery.how/where-is-clay-found/
How to Find Clay, the Definitive Guide  https://ancientpottery.how/how-to-find-clay/
But if you do have a commercial source of real pottery clay, that seems the easiest option. Even if you have to re-hydrate it.

Isn't Georgia known for white clay?
Perhaps pottery shops in Georgia could direct you to suppliers.

Some may carry supplies! For example, the MODI Ceramic Project in Tbilisi, who feature Seramiksir products
MODI ceramic shop
This shop's website mentions Georgian white clay, " The business prides itself on being the first studio to develop and produce the acclaimed Georgian porcelain..."
About us – White Studio
 
Here's a listing of global suppliers, interesting!
Ceramic Materials Suppliers — pottery to the people

In case it's of any help: Clays of Georgia for Ceramic Applications
http://gspltd.ge/admin/editor/uploads/files/InterCeramics.pdf

No experience in looking for clay myself, but perhaps these are of interest:
Where is Clay Found? https://ancientpottery.how/where-is-clay-found/
How to Find Clay, the Definitive Guide  https://ancientpottery.how/how-to-find-clay/
But if you do have a commercial source of real pottery clay, that seems the easiest option. Even if you have to re-hydrate it.

This article* might be "the latest" on the subject:
Physicists say they’ve finally solved the teapot effect—for real this time | Ars Technica
where a case is made for the "teapot effect" being related to the flow rate.

To me, it says when the liquid is flowing fast enough to "detach" from that lower edge, there's no dribbling; when the flow rate isn't fast enough to cause detachment, there is dribble.
Hence, design such that
  a) the flow rate required for detachment is lower,
  b) and the transitions between no flow and high flow (and high to none) are very quick.
Seems to me there's still work to be done to share the findings in everyday terms for practical application, heh.
*Actually, the article refers to the latest (link below), which I'd rate as a challenging read:
Developed liquid film passing a smoothed and wedge-shaped trailing edge: small-scale analysis and the ‘teapot effect’ at large Reynolds numbers | Journal of Fluid Mechanics | Cambridge Core

Sounds like a very rational analysis. It might be worth starting a new thread asking for recommendations of body/glaze combinations likely to meet those criteria.
PS Have you seen these discussions on glaze chemistry at Digitalfire. (Not recommendations, just low-hanging google fruit.)

G1916Q - Low Fire Highly-Expansion-Adjustable Transparent
https://digitalfire.com/recipe/g1916q
G1916M Cone 06-04 Base Glaze
https://digitalfire.com/article/g1916m+cone+06-04+base+glaze
G3879 - Cone 04+ UltraClear Glossy Base
https://digitalfire.com/recipe/g3879
 

I was wondering about the consistency of the frothed glaze and how it might change the application. 

Hi everyone, thank you for your feedback! I contacted orton and they sent me this response. So it sounds like I'll just need to wait and see what happens in future firings to see what's going on. Thanks for your input!

It looks like the PLOG errors are all circuit board/software issues, not anything that is a problem with the actual kiln system. Call Orton.

Hi Taylor,
An older manual* indicates "Special Error codes, consult Orton" for 0128 through 0225

0128 through 0255 corresponds to set bits
1000 0000
through
1111 1111
...which doesn't appear to help, at all, except, perhaps, that there are (or were) more than eighteen error conditions defined...
*Orton-Autofire-Manual.pdf (nidec-shimpo.com)

Looking at the manual on Orton site (via https://www.ortonceramic.com/autofire-controllers-resources)
I don't see a PLOG  0134 message mentioned, if you can't find one either it might be worth contacting Orton to find out what it means.



However, with the exception of PLOG 0011, they all seem to imply a pretty significant problem has occurred. Hopefully simply as a consequence of a transient such as a power glitch.
PS Pedantically the manual says that the error can be cleared. As you seem to have confirmed this doesn't mean that you can [always] just continue with the firing [well spotted].

No, not for all of them. 
China painting/decal firings, maybe. I’ve used china paint decals and lustres in a partially loaded, well ventillated manual kiln, and they seem to turn out fine. But not for anything glass related. Annealing rates need a lot more control than we use for ceramic things. Annealing programs involve controlling the cool down at specific points more than they do ramping up.  With ceramics, mostly we just do a shutoff, and while you can do a rudimentary drop and soak if you have a suitable pyrometer, but it’s less accurate than a computer controlled thing. Enamelling, I can’t speak about. 

Sounds like a very rational analysis. It might be worth starting a new thread asking for recommendations of body/glaze combinations likely to meet those criteria.
PS Have you seen these discussions on glaze chemistry at Digitalfire. (Not recommendations, just low-hanging google fruit.)

G1916Q - Low Fire Highly-Expansion-Adjustable Transparent
https://digitalfire.com/recipe/g1916q
G1916M Cone 06-04 Base Glaze
https://digitalfire.com/article/g1916m+cone+06-04+base+glaze
G3879 - Cone 04+ UltraClear Glossy Base
https://digitalfire.com/recipe/g3879
 

I found this page instructive: https://digitalfire.com/picture/huctibegac
This chart compares the decompositional gassing behavior of six materials as they are heated through the range 500-1700F. These materials are common in ceramic glazes, it is amazing that some can lose 40%, or even 50%, of their weight on firing. For example, 100 grams of calcium carbonate will generate 45 grams of CO2! This chart is a reminder that some late gassers overlap early melters. That is a problem. The LOI (% weight loss) of these materials can affect your glazes (causing bubbles, blisters, pinholes, crawling). Notice talc: It is not finished gassing until 1650F, yet many glazes have already begun melting by then (especially fritted ones). Even Gerstley Borate, a raw material, is beginning to melt while talc is barely finished gassing. And, there are lots of others that also create gases as they decompose during glaze melting (e.g. clays, carbonates, dioxides).

Um. I feel this frustration deep in my soul. The truly maddening thing is that because of all the possible variables, if you’re learning about it on the free or cheap, it’s a long process. Glaze chemistry is not only the interactions between the individual atoms like it’s written on paper, its the working properties of the minerals they all come from, particle size and how it affects melt, and the physics that happen in the kiln accordingly. There’s a ridiculous number of variables involved, so a scientific method of breaking down each and every one of them is a vast undertaking. 
Most glaze chemistry for clay artists/potters can be encapsulated in the words of Inigo Montoya. “Let me explain. No, wait. There is to much. Let me sum up.” A bunch of stuff gets oversimplified, because not everyone needs the deep understanding of the science to make what they want to. Sometimes that oversimplification leaves room for expanded understanding later, sometimes not.
For the free/cheap approach, reading Digitalfire and following the outbound links at the bottom of  the page for expanded info is about the best we got. After that, paying $$$ for courses and books is definitely faster. Definitely don’t look for older chemistry books on websites that have free college textbooks*. It would be wrong, because it’s (sometimes) borderline piracy. College profs don’t recommend this. Nope. 
*cough* *cough* Library Genesis* cough* cough*

You might also find the second half of Ian Currie's book Stoneware Glazes of interest.
https://wiki.glazy.org/t/ian-curries-stoneware-glazes/367.html
It discusses the constitution of a variety of "classical" glazes. Which might be considered to occupy some "sweet spots" in interaction space.

I found this page instructive: https://digitalfire.com/picture/huctibegac
This chart compares the decompositional gassing behavior of six materials as they are heated through the range 500-1700F. These materials are common in ceramic glazes, it is amazing that some can lose 40%, or even 50%, of their weight on firing. For example, 100 grams of calcium carbonate will generate 45 grams of CO2! This chart is a reminder that some late gassers overlap early melters. That is a problem. The LOI (% weight loss) of these materials can affect your glazes (causing bubbles, blisters, pinholes, crawling). Notice talc: It is not finished gassing until 1650F, yet many glazes have already begun melting by then (especially fritted ones). Even Gerstley Borate, a raw material, is beginning to melt while talc is barely finished gassing. And, there are lots of others that also create gases as they decompose during glaze melting (e.g. clays, carbonates, dioxides).

Robin Hoppers The Ceramic Spectrum is quite good. You should probably be able to look for some preview pages or your local library to get an idea if this is what you are looking for. The colourant charts he has in the book are available online if colour development is something you are interested in. Similar to what Bloomfield book has but more in depth. Starts on page 3 of this link. 
 
 
 

Oops, in that case Babs is right.