Hulk
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When coated at all, the knob and tube of old I've seen had a loose sleeve of woven white fiber -asbestos - which thermally rates rather well would be my guess, else bare copper between the knobs.
Google images of wire coated with blackened/tarred material may have been ubiquitous, I just haven't seen it in person.
No doubt three wire Romex, when properly sized and protected by its breaker, is superior in every way. -
I've seen markers carved from wood and other materials, modeled in clay, and cast in metals - curious to read what other Forum contributors do...
I use a small stylus (ball point pen) to mark my Studio initials (TC) within the foot ring. The edges of the mark I leave rough, for the edges are easy to clean up after bisque fire.
Almost always I fill the mark with a colored glaze or underglaze, wiping with a damp sponge to leave just the mark highlighted.Unfilled mark, clear glaze over
Filled with blue glaze, liner glaze over
Filled with blue glaze; here the zircopax is clearly visible in my "clear" liner glaze over this red clay.
I like how this red glaze sometimes picks up blue flecks.
I like how these soap dishes came out.
Those last two, sigh, am missing the clay, took some time off to heal up after a fall, then we sold our house and moved, so enjoyed paging through images of my old works!
Looking forward to getting back into it! -
My Dad pointed out that the "knob and tube" wiring of old did have an advantage over the Romex of today - it dissipates heat better when overloaded.
That wiring shouldn't be overloaded to the point where dissipating heat is an issue, should go without saying*.The charger that came with our Volt failed earlier this week, likely a combination of several years of daily handling (wind it up, unwind, repeat) and closing the cable in the door, oops.
Any road, the cable from the transformer box to the plug definitely warmed.
Needing (packed away) tools to diagnose & repair, we ordered a replacement; its cable is heavier, it is not getting warm.*said it anyway.
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Engobe covered with a liner glaze might be another safer option.
I'd thought Hansen's reference to stains and safety had to do with safety for the potter in the process, but on that page he did line the ware with a black glaze*.
The colorants are the same thing once all melted, whether supplied via stain or raw material, is that true?
The stain is safer to handle.
The potter's safety, that's important too!Hansen typically (what I can see) liner glazes and makes an argument for it, Liner Glaze (digitalfire.com)
*black glaze, for which he makes a case, in keeping with "Liner glazes can also be colored (if they are well tested and demonstrably non-leaching)."
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Plan to jump up, aye that!
We're shopping for a new home this last several weeks; insufficient power* has been a rather significant point against some of them...
A few work lives ago we specified four pair of fiber optic for a production line upgrade**. "Four, are you ...kidding me, why?"
"We need one pair now, one to back up that one for when you guys break it."
"And?"
"And the data reqs always go up, never down. The third line is for that day when it may be needed, and the fourth line is its backup."
They put in three. One is for sure broken, which leaves one spare (...twenty years ago). Told you, din' I?,)
*Where I'm looking for a 60 amp circuit for my new kiln and whatever will be required for my Studio's heat pump, then add lighting, and 110v outlets.
A 100 amp subpanel isn't always sufficient, and as a main panel, it just isn't enough for our needs.**from the old "thinlan" which was somewhat slow and required frequent repair.
- Pres and Bill Kielb
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Good point - depends on the panel.
The upgrade we did is like the circled in blue, where the darkened in locations can be filled with the twins or single.
Some panels, not an option, some can be filled top to bottom with twins or singles...
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Congrats Gray!
Likely much better to transport fully disassembled, where the lid, bottom, and both sections are isolated from each other and resting on a cushiony flat surface.
Somewhere here in the archives is a write-up on kiln moving by Neil...There's some advice here:
Long distance moving a kiln - Equipment Use and Repair - Ceramic Arts Daily Community
No doubt you'll get more responses soon...
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Hi Sydmax,
Welcome to the Forum!
Is there a pilot thermocouple?For reference:
"What is a pilot light thermocouple?
A thermocouple is a safety device that's used to detect whether or not your furnace's pilot light is lit. It contains a metal rod that is placed very close to your pilot light's flame. This rod is connected to your furnace's gas valve."
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"Is 44.5% Petalite really that impractical?"
Oops! Perhaps not!
I did want to see some epk, per Min's suggestion.I hadn't reread the whole thread last night, my bad High Bridge!
I'm liking petalite very well; it's working, it's a bit cheaper*, and no foaming/washing to do.*well, it was, lithium carbonate is $43/lb ($32/lb if you buy ten pounds), spodumene sub $14/lb ($10/lb if you buy ten), petalite $5/lb ($4/lb if you buy ten) at the supplier that I drive by a few times a year (in Sacramento, US dollars).
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Hi Judith,
Hope you get some detailed feedback!
Welcome to the Forum.
We've just sold our house and moved, looking forward to setting up a new Studio, getting back to it, and checking out the local pottery happenings... -
Is palladium typically used for non-functional work?
Only?
I don't see it listed on digitalfire.com -
Good question bees.
There are a few archived threads here with details on matte glazes ...I'm not finding the one I had in mind just now.This page has some detailed discussion and a recipe for a matt glaze that "...supports wild colors..."
Matte Glaze (digitalfire.com) -
I'm using petalite for lithium, 18.9 petalite by weight ( 0.133 unity).
To get .23 unity would take a lot of petalite; no doubt spodumene a good call there.Petalite was a bit cheaper per unit lithium when I was shopping, but I did pick it up at the supplier, eliminating shipping as a factor.
...where petalite was less than half the cost, has more than half the lithium and no foaming.
Greenberg's price difference is much bigger, but petalite probably not practical.
I use it for my liner glaze. I'm guessing the tiny black flecks here and there come from something in the petalite, but I don't mind them, and they don't seem to weaken the glaze, whatever it is. -
Hi Py,
Hope you are progressing to a happy place with clay.
I'd seen your post earlier today, wanted to share some thoughts, however, we were very busy with the moving vans and such, finally settled for the day with kind family members who are putting us up for a few days whilst we finish cleaning the (now empty) house before driving the cars to our new town*...I didn't mind working with bmix**, but went away from it on account of glaze fit issues, severe crazing.
I was having some good results with buff and red clays.
Later on I found two white stonewares that my glazes fit.Thought I
I prefer having the clay be a bit damp, then by the time I've weighed out my clay balls and wedged them up, if it's not dried to the consistency I want, I'll just wedge it a bit more - going to the plaster slab if necessary. Yeah, I prefer that over cutting slices, misting them, wedging them together, etc. until a too dry clay is wet/soft enough for me.
The plaster slab pulls moisture fast.
So, maybe give the too wet stoneware another chance?
Seems like there's a tradeoff, where dryer clay gives a longer working window until it is too wet, however, it takes longer to move it around, and it shears more easily.
With damper clay, it moves easier, but one has to work faster, for it gets too wet more quickly.Thought II
The clay right next to the wheel head doesn't move much - doesn't move at all.
Coning gets the clay swirled ok, but if there's a blob, bit, bubble, too dry or too wet bit right on the wheel head - trouble.
I don't have much luck with coning removing bubbles. Getting the bubbles forced into the middle does help, but better if no bubbles.
All that to say, I've a much better time with really well-prepared clay - even consistency, no bubbles.On preparing clay, several points:
I prefer to stand, so I can lean into it, but sometimes I've some pains and twinges, so I wedge sitting down.
Not sure if that could work for you?
Having the surface at the right height is for sure important, either way.Prepping is nice when there's no hurry - back to the too damp clay, eh? - nice and easy, work it until it is ready, small lumps are easier.
When the lumps are ready, I stack them up in a lidded container, for I don't want the surface to dry, because then it's no longer consistent!
There are those who take the clay right out of the bag and work it with no prep!
I do believe it's possible, yep, with a freshly opened bag that's consistent and bubble free.
My guess is there are limited or even no options for clay sources where you are.
I hope there are, so you can just sit down and throw.I'd prep you up a stack of clay lumps and smile doing it!
During my two semesters of Wheel class at the local JC, I prepared clay balls for several of my classmates.
I liked being helpful, and I was also curious to see if well prepared clay made any difference; my observation, it makes a difference!
Perhaps you'll find someone who can help.
*We're moving back to an area we lived in afore.
**It's different! ...not my favorite, but it's ok. The kind with a fine particle, sand or somewhat, I like better.
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My opinion, grouping is the way to go*. Set those with some experience on "guided practice" tasks - things they can do mostly right without direct supervision - whilst you work with the beginners. My opinion, about twenty minutes is a good interval; set your beginners on guided practice and move to the next group. Repeat, repeat, where you are actively teaching most of the time, but not all the time, for there has to be some casual mixed in.
I've found twenty minutes is about right for everyone, kindergarten through graduate school. Change instructor led or assigned activity every twenty minutes or so.
Independant practice being the exception, of course, when the student is driving, they decide.Some class sessions (assuming 120 minutes), you might have four groups you work with, leaving forty minutes for everyone activities.
You might have three, four, or more different activities happening at the same time.Interesting that there's nineteen wheels and twenty-five students!
Several weeks into the semester, perhaps there's no one having to wait for a turn on a wheel?Naturally, the beginners would require more guidance, still, nice to give each student some attention.
Mixed groups can be wonderful!
The experienced students can see where they once were, the beginners see where they might go...Any road, I'd think the first session begins with clearly defined expectations of safety and clean-up, how work is evaluated and grades are assigned, and getting along stuff, like store your stuff responsibly, don't handle others' work, etc.
The more specific the objectives, the better, my opinion**.
However, as an Art class, there's un-measurables, which have to be ok.Back to safety, I don't get how these things are assumed:
Always take your foot off and away from the pedal before standing up.
Shut the wheel off before stepping away, every time.
Never, ever, reach down past the wheel's edge into the pan whilst the wheel is moving, not ever.
Always set tools down such that the sharp bits aren't facing up.
How to (and how not to) work with sharp tools (including that metal rib!) such that they aren't driven into one's self or someone else.
Don't eat glaze.
Don't make dust inside.
etc.*Planning the groupings, their activities, and the transitions can take time and effort.
It does take time and effort.
I coached swimming for over twenty years. My opinion, there should be something different happening in each lane, most of the time, where I'm working directly with a lane or two, most of the time, whilst the other lanes are doing "guided practice" - stuff they know how to do, mostly right, and don't need my direct supervision/teaching to do.
I needed detailed notes to plan: what each swimmer could repeat for each stroke and distance; what specific skills needed work for each swimmer, each stroke; what skills were fully mastered; what each swimmer liked best, et cetera.
Orchestration.
Coordination.
The kids see that they are getting individualized programming, that there's something for Them every session; sometimes working on their favorite thing, sometimes working on their weakest skill. They can make the interval in their lane, and if not, they're moved to a better fit.
One doesn't get more attention because they are gifted. One gets attention because they show up and participate. The more you show up, the more attention you get.
I see most programs have the coach/coaches standing around on the deck while all their swimmers are doing the same thing! They aren't teaching, they're not engaged. The sets are typically designed for the star, and the rest hang on the best they can. There are "bad" habits repeated, over and over without intervention.How I do go on!
**Specific! Wedge two pounds of clay such that the bubbles are squeezed out and the clay is homogenous enough to easily center in less than a minute (where the clay starts with bubbles in it and a bit dry on one side), for example.
Throw a uniform (top edge is uniform height within a millimeter, wall is uniform thickness within a millimeter) cylinder 200mm tall, 75mm wide, where the walls are five mm thick, for example... -
My reclaim slabs are ~2" thick, about same as yours.
It does take several days for them to dry out! I load them up with as much reclaim as I can heap on top without it oozing over the edges.
I've found it helps to prop up the slabs so air can circulate underneath, for the plaster will absorb water up to the point where they are saturated, then they can take more as moisture evaporates off the exposed edges and underneath. The reclaim dries quickly at first, then slower as the plaster becomes saturated. If I had extra plaster slabs, I'd rotate the reclaim to dry slabs!My slabs have been in service for over four years now, seems they work just as well as when new.
They're much lighter once fully dried out - they don't feel as cool when fully dry, and there's the mineral fuzz - efflorescence.
Eventually, the plaster may get crumbly and it will be time to make new ones? That's what I've read here somewhere... -
Hi Kit,
Welcome to the Forum.
Good Question!The very little work I've done with two clay colours, I've thrown as usual, then trimmed away the surface to reveal the un-smeared clays underneath, and then go light on burnishing.
From there, as I typically touch every piece with sandpaper after bisque*, I'll give the two-colour a light scuff to remove any burnishing smear.Hopefully, someone who does a lot of agateware/nerikomi work will chime in here...
*I sit outside with my P100 mask on, shop vac and two buckets of water handy.
The shop vac is for me, my clothing, and the chair.
Each ware gets a wash and a rinse, then enough time to fully dry afore glazing.
It's a habit - any rough spots get a quick swipe with 220 grit.
I chatter most of my work; it's worth it to me to sand smooth the chattered portions, then rinse away the dust. I like the crisp chatter mark edges, and any (any!) dust in the marks make glazing difficult; the rinses takes take of that. -
Looks to be in excellent condition, good find!
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Hi Linda,
Welcome to the Forum.
Good question!
I'm sure it's proper for major appliances like heat pumps and ceramic kilns to run on their own dedicated circuits.We were able to free up some space on both our subpanels by taking out some full width circuit breakers and replacing them with half width/duplex breakers (aka slimline, twin, half, wafer, double - lots of names for the same thing). We didn't add enough to worry about exceeding the overall capacity...
Would that work for your panel?Is it a main or subpanel in question?
What's the rating on the panel, is it a 200 or 100 amp panel?
What's the load on the panel before the heat pump - the existing load (current load, heh, err, current current load)? -
Interesting, thanks for sharing!
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The Studio space here in Los Osos (Central California coast) sometimes gets into the 40s F during the wet season (aka "Winter"), which is workable with adequate clothing, protecting the feet from cold concrete and heavy alloy castings (the foot pedal sucks the heat right out ya foot, I'm telling you!), warm water in the bucket, and clay brought inside the night afore.
Mostly it's more like 50s F in the mornings though, and quite often we'll see 60s before noon, in which case I'll roll up the door to let some heat in.Where we're going is a different story, as it's cooler in Winter, and much hotter in Summer four hundred miles North of here, and inland.
A heat pump is very likely in my future!Meanwhile, our Son's house is more comfortable.
We've remodeled three bedrooms, both bathrooms. The exterior walls are cement block, which doesn't insulate well. We added R13 foam insulation and sheetrock on the inside.
R13 isn't a lot, but it's a big improvement from R2 or whatever cement block provides. It's much quieter as well.
Framing the wall, pulling new electrical, fitting the foam board, then sheet rocking, finishing, and painting are a bit of trouble, but it's not overwhelming.
The windows slowed us down some.
The foam board has gone up, it was about forty-five dollars a sheet.
Lumber went down some, was up to fourteen dollars each, then back down to about eight; we used 2"x4"x8' pressure treated for framing, which we ripped down to 2.75". -
Hi electramom!
Downdraft or updraft?
My guess would be that a chimney would be necessary if you're planning a downdraft design, for the flue would provide the pull required to move air down through the kiln.
An updraft would just vent at the top of the kiln?
If your chimney is for directing the effluent out of an indoor setting, hence, perhaps a long run, then you might consider insulated flue pipe.
...or setting up the kiln away from the Studio.Mainly I just wanted to say "Hi!" and ask if you're doing up or down draft, so the kiln experts may be able to provide helpful information for you.
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Have been thinking about this one for several days - no regrets.
I'm only five years in.I keep cycling back to wish I'd started sooner, but then I like where I am now, so.
Having seen a live throwing demonstration (a very long time ago), I wanted to try that, and finally got around to it Spring 2018, as retirement was coming up (and happened much sooner than I'd anticipated) and I for sure wanted to stay busy - not just "busy" - err, vitally engaged.Clay has provided vital engagement!
I love it. -
In my (limited) experience, calculated COE values are helpful to compare a glaze against a reformulation of the same glaze - where the ingredients are adjusted, and/or where a new ingredient is substituted in part.
Calculated COE values may be less helpful when comparing glazes of very different formulation.
My glaze lineup supports this, where the results don't line up with the numbers, exactly. There are a few outliers in my lineup!Hope someone using the clay in question (WC-609) can offer some specific glaze suggestions.
As for other white stoneware (Pat B's question), I don't have any East Coast suggestions, however, here in California I'd found Clay Planet's Venus White a viable solution to my liner glaze crazing problems**, then IMCO's DC 3-5 white stoneware. IMCO is a short detour off an annual route, so I've bought more of that and am planning to continue with it (also their Red Velvet Classic and the WC-403).
Last material load, I bought one bag of WC-403 (Cone 5 Speckled Buff).
I'm very pleased with the results - my liner glaze and colors fit it well, it's a pleasure to work with, and other "problem" rate* is very low.
*where random pinholes and crawling are likely related to inconsistency in the clay.
**I was getting closer to fitting some another white stonewares - the craze lines getting further apart - then found Venus White, voila! Fit!
Just shout if you'd like to see my in production low COE clear (clear-ish, it has enough zircopax to make it milky white).
Wet clay, wheel wedging, and other miscellanea
in Studio Operations and Making Work
Posted
I'm mostly right handed*.
I throw clockwise, period**.
I'd tried centering and coning with main pressure on the "away" side (left hand), am sticking with the "toward" side, right hand.
The clay is moving into the force hand, seems easier to control, more effective - for me.
Looks like the more popular approach, from what I've seen.
...am not recalling seeing a thrower work on the toward side for pulling.
I work with the right hand inside, left hand outside, on the away side, seven to nine o'clock or so.
Have learned much watching this one over the last few years (a clockwise example):
Tokoname Master Craftsman - Hokujo (Genji Shimizu) 伝統工芸士 清水源二 - YouTube
Most often, my opening move is both thumbs, where the right thumb tip covers the bottom half of the left thumbnail.
The right thumb does touch and spread the opening, but the left thumb is at the point.
Both thumbnails are protected - the nails wear away too fast and don't grow back fast enough to be of much use, hence, each throwing move/grip involves protecting the nails...
*right eyed, throw right, kick right, bow/slingshot/pistol/rifle all right, bowl right, bat right.
However, I skateboard/surfboard right foot forward, pull wrenches for torque left (and most other "power" things left), and breathe left (swimming).
**no contest, it's correct for me.
Perhaps due to minor nerve damage, both hands; the way my eyes work; the slight twist of my torso due to years of breathing left (swimming); idk, I really don't.
I've tried counterclockwise, it's ok, but I prefer clockwise, by a long chalk.