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March 2004 - Issue #18 |
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- Newsletter - |
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March 2004 - Issue #18 |
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Published by Gary R. Ferguson – Raku Artist ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Hello to all you new and old Just Raku Subscribers and hope you enjoy this issue. First off, I have been very happy with the results on my Raku Glaze eBook that I released last month. The interest has been steady and the feedback very positive. You can see the details at: http://www.rakuglazes.com The following is a special request from a Just Raku subscriber: --- Usually, a catalog is paid for by part of the sales of a gallery show, but no
pots will be sold at this one. This makes it necessary to raise money from
non-traditional sources, like Gary's fine newsletter. Please consider making a
donation, big or small, to help honor Hal's long and industrious career. Hal is
a dear, sweet man, and any contribution will be gratefully appreciated.
Donations can be sent by April 30, 2004 to: Gregg Lindsley, Earth and Fire
Pottery, PO Box 402, Cobb, Ca. 95426. This month we have another guest article, this time from Logan Hamilton on converting an electric kiln to a Raku kiln. Thanks Logan! Remember I always look forward to your feedback, suggestions, questions, article, and article ideas at: mailto:editor@garyrferguson.com. Gary R. Ferguson PS. I'm behind on one of my resolutions of doubling the number of subscribers this year. Please help me out by forwarding a copy of this newsletter to your friends and ask them to subscribe. - Thanks! ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ * From the Studio * Studio work has been a little slow this month. I have fired several bisque loads - getting ready to glaze fire when the weather starts getting a little better. I'm going to be scrambling to get pieces ready and photographed in time to apply for a new Lark book. I've also been contacted on a possible commission piece. I'm very excited about this work. It looks like it may involve a wall piece composed of 16 large tiles that when hung will create one group piece. Still working on the design and agreement, but I really looking forward to create a piece like this. Might make a good topic for future newsletter. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ * Article * Converting an Electric Kiln Then go through and plug up the old spy holes with shaved down soft brick plugs or wadded up fiber fax. You may want to leave one of the spy holes unplugged or possibly make one bigger so you can watch the cones or the glaze gloss over. But make sure you make a removable plug for your spy hole. Next you should order a burner. Some people use weed burners that you can get from your local farm store however, regulating these can be trying because you can't adjust the air flow as easily to control your flame. You can purchase a decent Venturi burner from various pottery supply companies for about $40. A couple other things you will need are a flexible hose to deliver the
propane to the burner, around $22 at your local After you get your burner measure the diameter and cut a hole in the bottom side of your kiln that is a little more than .25 inches lager than the diameter of the burner. Cutting the hole at an angle almost parallel to the inside wall of the kiln will help. If you aim the burner in at the same angle you can create a circular current in the kiln that will make your kiln fire more efficiently. It is the same principle as a convection oven. Also when you are ready to place your burner on the kiln let the front end of the burner hover right outside the casing of your kiln. Next you need to cut a hole in the center of your lid for your flue. This hole should be the same exact size as the hole you cut for your burner port. This is just a hole you do not need to try to make a damper. One thing I would suggest is if you have access to a welder make a armature with a pulley system attached to the front handle of the kiln lid. That way some one can pull the metal cord and open the kiln from the back. That's it you should be ready to go! ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ * Tips and Techniques * Getting Copper How do you get copper? Usually if you are firing a glaze that contains copper carbonate and you are getting only green there is not enough reduction taking place, either during the firing or the post firing reduction or both. If you want to increase the chance of getting copper you need to: 1) Fire the kiln in reduction for the last 10 minutes of the firing You should get copper using these steps. ~~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- * Q & A * Q: A: You can make a small kiln, but you need to either buy firebrick or ceramic fiber, as the temperatures needed for Raku reach about 1800F, which would melt most other materials. It is perfectly fine to use clay with mold. In fact, I have heard from some potters that the mold - once wedged into the clay - improves the clay for most construction techniques. It should not affect the firing process or results. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ * Glazing * Rick's Turquoise Gerstley Borate 33 This is a very interesting glaze. It needs to be fired a little hotter than
some. In oxidation you may get Turquoise. In reduction, you may get reds and
copper. If you place in a nest of newspapers and then spray with water you may
get a rainbow of turquoise, red, copper, yellow, and green. You can see a couple
examples of this glaze at: ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ * Reader Feedback * Hi Debbie: Hi, I just came across your recipe page. Looks good and love the recipes.
However, I am in Singapore and it is very difficult to do Raku here. I was
planning to use the glazes on buff Raku clay, but fire them in a conventional
gas fiber kiln with reduction. Do you think this would work as well or
reasonably well, to usual results? I am actually looking for strong sculptural
and textural glazes for use on sculptures and abstract pieces. Looking forward
to you response, Hi Dom: Janet: Hi Gina: * * * Susan: * * * -Unsigned: I read that you want to Raku multi-sectional pots. BRAVE MAN. I have thrown
sooooooo many pots away it's not even funny. Lot's of grog, coffee grounds,
sawdust, etc. will help. I have found that allowing the kiln to cool and the
pots not as hot will help in the transfer and then the reduction process to be
much more pot friendly. Most glazes are not affected. Avoid having sharp angle
changes. The heat cannot transfer evenly and will result in cracks. -Unsigned: Hi Marty: I appreciate the suggestion. In many cases, the glaze name will give you a
good idea of what will result - clear, white, blue, green, turquoise, purple,
matte, crackle, etc. but I have not included pictures of the glazes for a few
reasons. As you may know, the Raku process is VERY dynamic and the results can
depend on variables such as the clay used, form shape and thickness, firing
speed and temperature, glaze application method and thickness, kiln reduction,
post-firing reduction materials and methods, just to name a few. This being the
case I felt it would be very difficult to accurately portray the glaze results
that could be easily reproduced. I have often fired the same glaze on two
different pieces and gotten very different results, so I wouldn't know what was
"typical" to include as any example. I do have some thoughts of taking
just a few dozen glazes and trying to document reproducible results, but that
will involve a LOT of test firings. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ * Calendar * My show calendar for 2004 will probably be smaller than in the past. I only plan on doing two or three shows, but spending more time focusing on eBay sales. This way I can spend more time with the family and less time sitting in a booth. June - Art & Roses (Tentative) On going eBay Listings ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ * Click Away * Rick Mace Nina Kellogg Got Raku? It does a Clay Body Good! 300+ Raku Glaze Recipes Just Raku Newsletter Archive ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ This newsletter is send to opt-in members only. If this issue was forwarded to you and you would like your own copy each month send an email to subscribe@garyrferguson.com with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. If you wish to no longer receive this newsletter send an email to unsubscribe@garyrferguson.com with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. Disclaimer: Just Raku, the owner(s) and representative(s) of this website and
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