Suggestions On Pit Firing

[Darcy Kane]

I have a friend with a pit and a couple of bags of Laguna 250.  She asked me if she needed to, or if it was advisable to, bisque fire her work before putting them in the pit and if yes, to what temp?  Any ideas that I can share with her?  Thanks upfront for helping!

[Marcia Selsor]

It is nice to put terra sigilatta on pieces for pit firing and bisque them first to about 1650 or 900 C or cone 09. If you burnish the pieces the sheen will stay at that temperature.

Terra sig is simple to make in a plastic bottle.

 

marcia

[Darcy Kane]

It is nice to put terra sigilatta on pieces for pit firing and bisque them first to about 1650 or 900 C or cone 09. If you burnish the pieces the sheen will stay at that temperature.

Terra sig is simple to make in a plastic bottle.

 

marcia

Thanks Marcia, That's the info I needed

[Marcia Selsor]

 

It is nice to put terra sigilatta on pieces for pit firing and bisque them first to about 1650 or 900 C or cone 09. If you burnish the pieces the sheen will stay at that temperature.

Terra sig is simple to make in a plastic bottle.

 

marcia

Thanks Marcia, That's the info I needed

 

If you need a detailed explanation on how to make terr sig:

SIMPLE Terra Sigillatta recipe.

Fill a plastic liter bottle with 3/4 full of water. Add 250 grams of ball clay and 1-2 drops of darvon 7 or sodium silicate. Shake and let the mix set for an hour or so..until you see three separate areas of the mix. Clear, light and dark. Keep adding drops maybe up to 7 drops after several settlings until the water on the top level retains a little color after an hour of settling.

Next, punch another hole in the bottle at the bottom of the lighter color mix ..the top 2 layers. This is the terra sig. Let it squirt out of the hole and catch in a container.

Wait until your piece is bone dry and apply to the piece with a soft brush. Burnish with a soft foam sponge after each application. Do as many as you like until it is as shiny as you like.