search  current discussion  categories  materials - clay 

clay body for primitive fire

updated mon 30 jun 97

 

Sherry mcDonald Stewart on fri 20 jun 97

I need a clay body that will be good in a primitive fire, something that
will fire high without exploding.. anyone??? Sherry

Bob Hanlin on fri 20 jun 97

At 03:23 PM 6/20/97 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I need a clay body that will be good in a primitive fire, something that
>will fire high without exploding.. anyone??? Sherry
>
>
Sherry:
Add 50% Volcanic Ash (Pumice) to any clay body and you can put flame right
up to it when it's green and it won't explode. New Mexico native american
potters use a native clay and volcanic ash for the pots they fire. The
downside to this is that the clay is very mealy and hard to work.
But...the Tafoya's and the Nampeo's have done it for a long time and so can
we.


Bob Hanlin
bhanlin@ionet.net
Oklahoma City, OK

Roeder on sat 21 jun 97

>>I need a clay body that will be good in a primitive fire, something
that
>>will fire high without exploding.. anyone??? Sherry

Sherry,

I don't know which "primative" method you are using, but, I do both
bonfiring and sawdust firing (pit firing) and use white stoneware (Standard
182 w/grog), porcelain, raku clay, earthenware, brown cone 6
stoneware.....all work fine, each one reacting differently.

I wheel throw my work. Use terra sig or burnish....All my work is bisqued
first, however...especially helpful considering I put hundreds of pounds of
wood on top of the pots!

Experiment. If you plan to fire green, the method of firing is more
important than the clay body.

Good luck,

Candice

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Candice Roeder
Livin' in the sticks.....in Michigan
CRoeder@worldnet.att.net