search  current discussion  categories  materials - clay 

terracotta cookware

updated mon 21 jan 08

 

Mike Paluska on sat 19 jan 08


I've been asked by a local restaurant (in Oklahoma City, OK) to make
them some tagines. A sample of one theirs that they bought from Morocco
is clear glazed, and was made from highly grogged terracotta. If you
don't already know what these are, you can Google search "tagines" to
see what these look like.

I use Laguna's terracotta claybody R-2 with grog for some of the things
I make. The oxidation firing cycle is to bisque to cone 04, and glaze to
cone 06. The grog in this claybody seems much smaller in size and lower
in quantity than the sample tagine mentioned above.

My questions:

Does anyone know how well cookware made from R-2 with grog would be
going from room temp into a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees?

Has anyone ever modified this claybody to be more heat-resistant? If
yes, how?

Is there a commercial terracotta claybody available that is more
suitable for oven use?

I'm currently making them some samples with my R-2 to see how they fair
in their cooking environment. If this does not work out, I plan to try
adding some additional grog (any suggestions about size or amount?) or,
as suggested in the archives adding some mullite or kyanite(any
suggestions about size or amount?).

One tagine manufacturer claimed their claybody contains 45% Alumina. Jim
Chappell's book has a claybody that is 40% fire clay and various size
grogs for low fire oven ware.

Any information from anyone who has been down this path before, and can
offer suggestions on what worked for them would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

Lee on sun 20 jan 08


On Jan 20, 2008 2:36 PM, Lee wrote:

> in Chappel you can see:
>
> 2 cone 06 bodies
> 1 cone 04
> 1 cone 02
> 1 cone 2
> 1 cone 4
> 1 cone 6
> 1 cone 9
>
> Which would you like to see?

Only the cone 9 is flameware. He in Japan they have donabe pots that
go right on the burner. I can buy donabe clay at the clay store.



--
Lee in Mashiko, Tochigi Japan
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/

"Tea is nought but this: first you heat the water, then you make the
tea. Then you drink it properly. That is all you need to know."
--Sen No Rikyu
"Let the beauty we love be what we do." - Rumi

Lee on sun 20 jan 08


On Jan 20, 2008 6:44 AM, Mike Paluska wrote:
> I've been asked by a local restaurant (in Oklahoma City, OK) to make
> them some tagines. A sample of one theirs that they bought from Morocco
> is clear glazed, and was made from highly grogged terracotta. If you
> don't already know what these are, you can Google search "tagines" to
> see what these look like.

Mike,

Chappel has 6 different ovenware body recipes and one flameware.
The Flameware is cone 9. Many have some type of lithium in them and
some have talc. The talc makes me think you might have better luck
starting with a raku body than a terracotta.

All but the high fire body have 10% 80-100 mesh grog.

in Chappel you can see:

2 cone 06 bodies
1 cone 04
1 cone 02
1 cone 2
1 cone 4
1 cone 6
1 cone 9

Which would you like to see?
--
Lee in Mashiko, Tochigi Japan
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/

"Tea is nought but this: first you heat the water, then you make the
tea. Then you drink it properly. That is all you need to know."
--Sen No Rikyu
"Let the beauty we love be what we do." - Rumi