alabama

If you're interested in Black on black pottery...you need the book "The Living Tradition of Maria Martinez ". Last month I got mine off Amazon for about 10 bucks including postage...used! It's a huge coffee table type book! Check out the Facebook "the wild clay club"... they deal with natural clays and are based out Australia. Primitive Pottery by Hal Riegger is a good book you might should ought to read! Firing greenware will give the best results for Black on black pottery.... The reducing material used for the black should be DRY, not "it looks dry", or "it should be dry"....even a smidgen of moisture will cause a mottled exterior. What less videos and read more, if you're serious about learning about southwest USA black pottery . and make lots of notes.

I have a Pacifica 400 and when my belts broke, I tried ordering some, but that fell thru...so I tried fixing them and that didn't work...so I went to the local auto parts store and bought a 520k4 serpentine belt ... The ridges from the pulleys fit inside the grooves of the belt...not perfectly, but good enough! about $13.00

On the Facebook there is a pottery instructor based in Pennsylvania that has taken a broken electric kiln and turned it into a cone 10 woodfired kiln! It is raised off the ground, I guess for convenience! In the bottom of the kiln are 2 nine inch intakes above the fire box and in the back is a 12 inch exhaust for the downdraft! His results are great, plus it only takes about 8 hours to fire a load! I plan to do this with an old electric kiln we have in storage at the art center...it has two sections, so the plan is to add height to it by adding fire bricks between the sections...so I can still use the lid! I suppose this plan could be switched to propane gas...and if i happen to do this with the same kiln or build another, i already have a 250 gallon and a 500 gallon propane tank! And if by chance you interested in making a refractory fiber kiln..you need to look on the YouTube...for "Salt Glazing at Clay Art 2007"...!!!

You might want to check out the annual book series..." Ceramics in America ", By Hunter (I have about 7 issues) and On the Facebook "Research of Ceramics" - with Justin Thomas... there is a featured vessel and the archives on the inside page!

18th c. Reference books: 1. German Stoneware...by D. Gaimster 2. French Colonial Pottery: an International Conference ...edited by George Avery 3. If These Pots Could Talk...by Ivor Humes 4. Pre-industrial utensils... Indian pottery book... "Sun Circles and Human Hands " by Funderburk Pit fired pottery book ..."Primitive Pottery" by Hal Riegger

You may need to read and research more, and avoid modern books that require bisque firing. Primitive Pottery is a good book, articles or books about traditional pottery of the potters on the Ivory Coast, the book Traditional pottery of Papua New guinea is good, Sun Circles and Human Hands has examples of pottery. Most of the unglazed ancient pottery were used for dry storage, like beans, corn, smoked jerky, etc. The large ceramic cauldron used for cooking stayed hot pretty much 24/7 like a crock pot so food was safe to eat from it. Pit fired is a term that is a misnomer, kind of like "home cooked meals in a tv diner" , Pits for the purpose of firing pottery are a modern invention that you'll see and understand after reading those books. Good luck!

I wouldn't buy anything written by McPherson, not sure about Gibbys book, but have doubts...I have Simpson's book,(It won't help) ... I like Hal Rieggers book "Primitive Pottery ". Alabama

The day before this new format came to be was a really good day. I'm surprised I remembered my double secret password!

I knew a girl who used to fire pipes in her campfire. She used a grey earthenware clay and hand formed pipes during the day as a demonstration, Then as she cooked her supper the pipes were preheating until they sintered then they were laid on the coals and sticks were piled over them heating them to about 1000-1100 degrees or so. She was the girl who when I saw her pile of green pine needles, offered to get some dried pine needles and leaves, but she was quick to Tell me that it was the green leaves that turned her pipes purple and red like she wanted. When I fire pipes I push a stick in the ground and suspend the pipes off the ground on the sticks while they heat up. That way there is seldom any losses.

Is there an example of what you're trying to accomplish, on this cuerda seca du jour? Alabama

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Add water, sieve, add more water if needed...then start making test tiles and recording results! Alabama

Take a wooden ruler or stick and push a brad (small nail) at the height you want, then slide the bottom of the fuller around the bottom and the nail cuts off the top! If you want to make sure the top is level, after its bone dry spread some water on a flat surface and touch the rim to the water for a sec or two... The highest point of the rim will be wet. Alabama

If all the elements are the same length they should have the same resistance if you ohmed each one. If its a relay, try finding a part number on it to cross reference. Should be able to find one at an electrical supply store near Auburn. Good luck! Alabama