Ceramic Homemade Buttons-Everything You May Or May Not Want To Know

[Mark C.]

I have made 100's of these over my ceramic life.

I have improved them ever time I can.

For me since I fire to cone 11 so my buttons need to be able to withstand extreme temps.

If you are doing raku or low fire or lower temps than 2400 in a reduction atmosphere you can use other clays and lesser (thinner) wires

 

For me stoneware clays will bloat sooner than white porcelain bodies in reduction. Not that bloating is a killjoy but it will shorten the life, as they will fall apart sooner.B mix bloats sooner than say porcelain.

I choose porcelains that are not going to glassify soon that is they are to tight i have found-I avoid say translucent ones such as southern ice or frost.

I have learned to use ceramic fiber as gasket material to keep them tighter so the heat does not get behind button and cause the wire to fail which it will if its exposed to the heat and reduction sooner.

I have taken some photos of buttons in service that are in my car kiln and have many many hundreds of cone 11 fires on them-they show signs of bloating but have yet to fail

I have used them in brick kilns, fiber kilns, expansion wire wall kilns.

I used a clay box I was testing paint spraying on for a photo backdrop today for the button photo

 

A is a commercial button-I have used them -they failed to soon for me- Mullite

B One of my new ready to go wired buttons-porcelain

B one old used homemade button-porcelain

C homemade button for my salt kiln with stem-these work well in soda and salt(yes fiber can work in some areas in these environments )_I have used many long stemmed buttons in salt kiln

D old style homemade porcelain a few hundred fires on it

E fiber gasket-You can delaminate your fiber into these  ¾ inch layers and trim with scissors to a round button shape-these are a key step to long lasting wires

F-bloated button with failed wire

 

Wire photo is thick #15 thru #18 gauge wire I keep on hand

Use thinner wire for lesser temps. I use the thicker wire Nicrome or kanathnal

I have learned that thicker wire works better-its harder to work with but as you can see in my termination photo its just a matter of putting a washer on and rolling a pigtail.

One last note-my main use is in a 10-11 inch wall starting on the hot face there is a 1 or 2 inch layer of 2600 fiber then a 4.5 layer of K26 soft brick then a layer of 4. 5 inch hard brick.Most will use buttons in a trash can kiln or a expanded metal kiln-whatever you choose use the gaskets and pigtails and washers no matter what wall thickness.

The hard brick has a 1/8 deep groove cut into it with a brick saw so wire lays in the slot-Wire is put thru a washer then wire is pulled tight to compress gasket and pigtail is made with needle nosed pliers. You can see a unused slot to the right of metal washer. 

These buttons can last for decades if you spend the time making them well-a slab roller and cookie cutter die is fastest(I have a tin can with bottom cut off as well as top). I high fire them and keep them in stock some pre wired for easy replacement along with a box of button gaskets

[Chilly]

Mark, you are so generous with your time and knowledge.  Thank you.

[Marcia Selsor]

Mark,

This is really a great resource. You should send it in to Holly Goring at Pottery Making Illustrated. Really well done.

Marcia