akilspots

i've never really liked bisque chucks now i will just throw a quick chuck then torch it with one of those handheld bernzomatic torches till it's stiff enough to hold whatever bottle i'm trimming.

working on plates....

a good respirator for sure. i like a toilet brush for stirring buckets of glaze and a handheld immersion blender for mixing test batches. you'll want a scale that can measure 0.01 grams. definitely some sieves i have a small 80 mesh test sieve and some large 80, 100, 120 mesh ones whatever plastic containers/buckets make sense for the amount of glaze and work you make. I've stored glazes in all kinds of things take out containers, buckets, old plastic bottles. depends on how much glaze and how im using it. if you are going the completely self taught route some good bo

have you tried the trick where you lay a piece of paper on the rim of the pot then cut and lift it off the bat? the paper creates a seal that helps it not warp

how many pots before you move from casual potter?

http://www.archiebrayclay.com/ceramic-materials-workshop-starter-kit/ this looks like a nice little starter kit if you just want to start exploring making your own glazes.

I've been doing some wood ash + clay + feldspar + frit biaxials lately. they have neen helpful when trying to discover new glazes.

i've experimented with some crater glazes. i've never had to do any kind of special firing for them. just the like medium speed cone 6 electric firing has always worked for me. this is pinnell crater with some amount of light rutile as a colorant. 60 neph sye 20 strontium carb 1 lithium carb 10 ball clay 9 silica 2.5 silicone carbide (600 mesh) (this is the magic ingredient to getting a crater glaze)

i take a lot of pictures greenware, bisque, glazed, fired. but i also keep a notebook that details how i've glazed things. i'll make a small drawing of the pot and then list what glaze is on the inside and whats on the outside. i'll note if it's over a slip or a wash. if there are layered glazes and in what order. if it's been dipped or sprayed or brushed on. what the thickness was like. etc. i do this as im glazing.

he says they are pyromax elements in the comments.... has some other reduction in electric kiln videos also...this one use a saggar with charcoal

really interesting...but i don't think any us kil manufacturers make a kiln like this? is it less wear on the elements to be in reduction only for a part of the firing?

for a first round of testing you could make grids like this for each clay body and glaze then fire them. they wont give you an idea of how they move on a vertical surface you'll have to do another round of testing on vertical tiles once you identify some glazes that you like from the grid.

maybe a kiln? i have the money but not the space!

any tips on reusing old clay bags. i've run out of ideas but still have dozens of old ones.