Mark C. Posted November 10, 2023 Report Share Posted November 10, 2023 (edited) As a Laguna distributor and with lots of full timer Potter friends I hear things. Right now custard feldspar due to supply issues is now at 200#s per customer (including me) with Laguna clay I'm in the ordering mode this week so I found out about the 200# limit per customer on Custar .There are rumors Custar may be going aways but they are just rumors at this point.So thats a heads up. If I where able to by a lifetime supply right now I would .Just saying The other news is Kemper tools may not be around for long as the owners are selling the property they have been on for many decades in fact at least since 1947 Now someone could set up and buy the equipment and supplies and move the business but I would not hold my breath on this. The tool business has been defuzed in the past 20 years with so many other tool makes as well. So I ordered what kemper tools i like and there are only a few like the pro needle tool thinking its my last kemper order. So if you use kemper tools just beaware they may go away soon or not if its bought up. Well sorry to have such bad news but thats what I have heard all in the past few days after being away on a long trip and just returned. Edited November 10, 2023 by Mark C. GEP, Pyewackette, Rae Reich and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Posted November 17, 2023 Report Share Posted November 17, 2023 I’m more worried about the price of lithium (and anything with li in it, spod petalite etc). Custer is easily changed. Yes, lithium is too but it’s just not the same imo. I luckily bought 50lbs of it and looking at what I paid makes me laugh…which should last awhile but curious to those out there what they plan on doing regarding it. I think it’s safe to say the price is never coming down…so just not use it anymore? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyewackette Posted November 18, 2023 Report Share Posted November 18, 2023 yup. Just don't use it anymore. The Ceramic Arts Network folks really need to update their glaze recipes in their freebie glaze pdfs to reflect what is affordably available, or available at all. ALL our materials are non renewable resources. Reclaiming clay is responsible, not a waste of time. its a waste of something that took millions of years to develop not to. Take a leaf from history. How many things relied on in the past have we already lost? Its only going to keep happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyK Posted November 18, 2023 Report Share Posted November 18, 2023 On 11/10/2023 at 8:56 AM, Mark C. said: As a Laguna distributor and with lots of full timer Potter friends I hear things. Right now custard feldspar due to supply issues is now at 200#s per customer (including me) with Laguna clay I'm in the ordering mode this week so I found out about the 200# limit per customer on Custar .There are rumors Custar may be going aways but they are just rumors at this point.So thats a heads up. If I where able to by a lifetime supply right now I would .Just saying The other news is Kemper tools may not be around for long as the owners are selling the property they have been on for many decades in fact at least since 1947 Now someone could set up and buy the equipment and supplies and move the business but I would not hold my breath on this. The tool business has been defuzed in the past 20 years with so many other tool makes as well. So I ordered what kemper tools i like and there are only a few like the pro needle tool thinking its my last kemper order. So if you use kemper tools just beaware they may go away soon or not if its bought up. Well sorry to have such bad news but thats what I have heard all in the past few days after being away on a long trip and just returned. So, Mark, if you really need it, how about others ordering it and having it drop-shipped to your studio? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted November 18, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2023 Good idea but Its taken care of. I bought in 1983 3,000 pounds of Kingman feldspar in Kingman Az when it was going off market for for $300. in 100# bags. That lasted me until two months ago so potash feldspar has never been an issue for me . I still used some custar over that time as well. (I think I have a 50 # bag somewhere as well of Kingman with the az state map on it) I had 4 bags of custar last week and bought out my local suppliers 5 bags so now have 450# of it and this next week I'm heading south for a family gathering and will pick up at least 200#s from another supplier on way south to Santa Barbara and My fall clay order of 3 tons of Pocrelain has another #200s of custar on the truck from Laguna and shows up Tuesday so I'll have #850 enough for my remaining days as a potter. Thanks for the idea but I covered my self on this one. Heck I may start selling grestly borate as I have a lifetime supply as well JohnnyK 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidh4976 Posted November 19, 2023 Report Share Posted November 19, 2023 My local vendor (New Mexico Clay) is out of Custer Feldspar, but has plenty of Mahavir and G200 potash feldspars. I've used the Mahavir interchangeably with Custer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted November 19, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2023 Yes there are potash spars but they all cost more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidh4976 Posted November 20, 2023 Report Share Posted November 20, 2023 The cost difference at my supplier is 10% more for Mahavir than Custer. Not a huge difference when the choice is no Custer Feldspar versus paying 10% more for Mahavir which is in stock. Or, you could use the G200 which is a little bit cheaper than Custer Feldspar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyewackette Posted November 24, 2023 Report Share Posted November 24, 2023 per Standard Clay Quote Due to the suspension of operations at the Pacer mine and plant, we will no longer carry custer feldspar for the foreseeable future. By the end of this year we hope to carry G200 EU as a replacement mineral made available for resale in limited quanities. For technical assistance and consultation regarding the absence of custer feldspar, we ask that you contact Jeff Zamek. Babs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Min Posted November 24, 2023 Report Share Posted November 24, 2023 I'll post this in the pinned Custer thread also. Magnolia Mud Research 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick White Posted November 26, 2023 Report Share Posted November 26, 2023 (edited) Huh? Whut? hmmm, reading through that message, a few words jump off the page: suspending all operations... administrative agencies... violate regulatory requirements... As Pacer retools... Counsel for Pacer... Sounds like some serious patootie went down there... Does anybody have any insight from scuttlebutt or rumor? Edit: I just read a comment elsewhere that linked to a contemporaneous local news article that nearly all the operations employees were laid off with no notice or severance while management contemplates the future direction of the company. A few employees were retained (at the time) to winterize the equipment. No reasons were given for the shutdown. Edited November 26, 2023 by Dick White spelling, added new information Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted November 28, 2023 Report Share Posted November 28, 2023 could it be impending bankruptcy? Magnolia Mud Research and neilestrick 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.