Marko

Nice and overcast in the morning, afternoon will be sunny with a lovely breeze, around 80. Just gorgeous weather.

Looks like we all had some good and bad times with the weather. But one thing that makes it all better is what we do with clay and glazes. Having a better day today everyone.

Oh, and Giselle, please send everyone some of that lovely weather. You can send me the bill.

Okay I'll do my best! :)

My son bought a broken one at the DAV and fixed it. Wore it out and fixed it again. Then it was broken in a move and he had to fix it again. They took it to the remote island they live on so they can print our anything they need.

Smart kid.

3d printers are so awesome. My son wants one so bad. Hope it goes well for your mark.

Yup. I just wonder if the weather had anything to do with it. We had some very heavy downpours Saturday when I was firing. No lighting. the barometric pressure was at 30.30. The humidity at 84%. Guess it could be that my kiln was, a bit under the weather, LOL.

I fired the small kiln today @^6 and it went well. Nice day. I am going to fire another load in the big kiln tomorrow ^6. small load. If it doesn't go well I am going to check all my wiring.

I will only fire bisque ware in my dad's big kiln. It has too many hot and cold spots. Sometimes there has been a four-cone variation between the top and bottom shelf. Too unpredictable. So I fire many small glaze loads.

pics brother- pics!

Gonna put them up later this evening.

glazenerd, there in the gallery.

I have been teaching myself to use less water. I set out one cup of water to throw 3-5lbs of porcelain. It forces you to use less water.

Going with the original question .. which Laguna clay are you trying to get translucent?? Not all Cone 5/6 porcelain will be no matter how you fire them.

Chris, TBH, I don't remember. I had thrown the box away and without thinking about what clay it was. I know it was porcelain because I maked it on the bag that I had soaked in a 5 gal bucket. Mystery Porcelain:P. I like working with it. I get my clay from either, http://www.roadrunnerceramics.com/ in San Antonio or http://www.armadilloclay.com/ in Austin, Tx. This clay has some translucency in some parts. I would love a recommendation.

Happy prospecting!

Nice!!

mark, have always had them but when my cataract surgery was done in 02 they mostly disappeared. until an accident when i hit the tree going over the edge of the road. i think the surgeon stirred up the stuff inside the eye.

Are you recovering from the surgery? Yep the floaters are a pain, but you can still see the clay, right??

Yup, visions fine. And I think the floaters went on vacation, or that lump of clay is a mighty big floater, LOL. But, I'm fine tha k you Roberta.

Yes you can. You will see some color shifts, pending the amount of iron in your stoneware clay. Colors will be brighter, different hues perhaps.

again, I concur with the venerable Nerd. I go back and forth from porcelain to a white stoneware.

Thank you, good people.

Here a little, there a little.

Actually no, Joel, it was me. I switched my email and had not made the verification, after I saved my new email. Somehow, it made me outcast. But being somewhat tech savvy, I did fix it. So never going to forget this experience.

Very glad that you recovered from the switch in emails...and welcome back!

Thanks Paul. It was scary. I felt so alone, it was cold. And dark. But I'm better. lol. Always good to be here.

Mark, yes it is ceramic fiber blanket.

Wood stove shop-must have some in your town?

Going with Glazenerd's recommendation. Thank you all for the positive feedback. Just don't send me a bill...ok? LOL (marko, yes, good people, my Precious, yes, good)

I call that seats of your pants firing and I love it. Its the way I fire most gas kilns

glazenerd, you're right about looking at other artist. And I did see a post here that led me to learn about Rick Hintze. I love his work. But I am always afraid of doing work like someone else. I feel guilty. And have you been to Joseph's website. He has such a gift. I love how he has come along and made great progress in glaze and pottery style of his own. He must have some Japanese potter blood. Inspired.

alabama, yup, I'm going this way then that way. My noodles have been fried and MIA. But I hear you and Giselle. I do need to make notes and settle on one thing at a time. I guess it would be better to do a lot of one thing, than a whole lot of nothing. Thanks.

But one thing is for sure. I'm happy to have friends like you all. Thanks everyone for the support. A kick in my potty pants might help.

Cut the fresh stuff off the cob and make salsa! Yum.

mmmmm salsa. Doh! Thanks Diesel.

I grow some in the garden. I boil it in water with a stick of butter and some milk. Adds to the flavor.

I'm a fluke fan myself-model 5200 on e-bay used -cheap and work well-you will need a thermocouple and cork with special plug as well.

I got Fluke k-types also.But for Raku i still use my old analog type.

Thanks guys. I ended up getting: MS6514 Dual-Input Digital Logging Handheld Pyrometer Package

The MS6514 Dual-Input Handheld Pyrometer Package comes with (2) Low temp thermocouples (Max Temp: 752 F), and (1) Heavy Duty thermocouple (Max Temp: 2500 F).

This model includes a large LCD display, built in ambient temperature compensation, auto power off and USB interface with included software. The software allows you to export to Microsoft Excel as well as printing....

Happy sales. I have a northstar tile press I have used one time.. Probably should do the same.

Marko My husband and son hung the sheetrock in my studio and the garage. I taped and mudded it, then paint and wallpapered the studio. The garage just got a rough coat of mud. We didn't have to mess with the ceilings. They had to be finished when the house was built.

Oh oh oh, Marko, you are a handyman! Go quick to the newest QOTW and tell us what else you can do with your hands, besides making beautiful pottery!

Impressive in that heat. You'll be happy working in the walled space. Its worth it!

Changing elements tests just how much patience one has.

I now have a better understanding of just that, glazenerd. But, I actually enjoyed putting it all back together. I should mention that I also changed 2 timers, 2 power relays, 5 12 gauge wires and a power controller. I enjoyed it so much that I forgot how long it took to get parts and how hot the day was.

But, it took a toll on my back and hamstrings. So I slept in, but then went and did an empty fire, as Marcia and Richard suggested. Then I made a 5 gal of my favorite base glaze and 5...

How many words do I get? I keep forgetting and get cut off. Can I get a word counter? LOL

Got that covered Mark C.

glazenerd, it happens, even to the best of them, but this is mine and I am a sensitively expressive.

Paragon sent me the wrong bottom elements. Hey, 2 out of 3 ain't bad, just happens, right. Go glazing.

Bowls>guns. Good decision. í ½í¸

Thank you my friends. I'm glad someone took the time to listen when I felt bad.

That's what we're here for.

Hope everyone feels better. I hadn't had the flu in many years and then my wife got sick. So glad we're on the end of it. Gosh Mea, you're a trooper. I think I would not have gone. You're a tough one. Get some rest everyone.

Glad your getting over yours. I am about over mine as well. My son was out from school all week with me, took him to the doctor 2 times, fever 103. Finally got in the garage today and got some elements ordered. So much to do. So little time!

Wow, 103 is bad. Hope he's and you are doing better. I went to 102. And my head felt like someone took a blender to it. My wife also got sick. But she's getting better. I wish I could say the same for my Orton AutoFire 3000. But I'm working with Jim, the head engineer, to find a fix for it. The controller is a stand alone wall mount that I plug my Duncan kiln into. It makes a manual kiln an electric, in theory. But just before christmas it started acting up and cutting my kiln off...

Take care, Mark. Be a good patient

eat some soup and rest. This too will pass. I had it right after I got my flu shot.

Thanks everyone. Still not well enough to enjoy making things, but I know I will be soon enough.

Awww, that's so cool Denice. Our kids can do some awesomely nice things. Happy for you.

And painkillers. And naps.

I hope your hubby makes all your pain go away. I will pray in meditation for you to feel better.

Whooo! Nothing like a clean, bright, fresh work environment.

Painting is done. Now I can get back to the business of pottery.

Nothing we can't drive through. Just a constant on and off rain. I live in a no flood zone, but lots of other folks got some flooding. Not the worst I've ever seen.

How did you fair?

We got 3 " yesterday afternoon. then just constant gentle rain. Today is windy. Some flooding in town but not too close to us. McAllen and Weslaco got more direct hits.

Glad you're okay. I thought you were going to get the largest US flooding and wind damage.