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cone 6 throwing bodies available on the west coast

updated sat 11 oct 08

 

John Hesselberth on fri 10 oct 08


Hi Everyone,

I got an inquiry from a person who lives in Oregon that I need help in
responding to. He is starting to throw again after a 25 year hiatus.
25 years ago he was mixing his own body which included 2 clays which
are now no longer available (AP Green fire clay and Jordan). He still
has a little of that body and says he can still throw the thin-walled
tall cylinders he used to be able to throw so his throwing skills have
come back quickly.

He would now prefer to buy a commercial body--and, of course, can no
longer reproduce the body he used before--, but has been disappointed
with the ones he has tried so far. He just hasn't been able to throw
the forms he wants. So his question is "What, in your experience, is
the best cone 6 commercial body available on the west coast for
throwing tall thin-wall forms?" He is interested in both a white and a
tan body.

Any ideas?

You can reply on list and I will forward the responses to him or you
can communicate with him directly at art4bob@verizon.net His name
is Bob Courtright.

Regards,

John


John Hesselberth
www.frogpondpottery.com

"Man is a tool-using animal....without tools he is nothing, with tools
he is all" .... Thomas Carlyle

The Fuzzy Chef on fri 10 oct 08


John,

> He would now prefer to buy a commercial body--and, of course, can no
> longer reproduce the body he used before--, but has been disappointed
> with the ones he has tried so far. He just hasn't been able to throw
> the forms he wants. So his question is "What, in your experience, is
> the best cone 6 commercial body available on the west coast for
> throwing tall thin-wall forms?" He is interested in both a white and a
> tan body.

For a white grogless body I use Cone 10 B-Mix. I tried the Cone 5 B-Mix
but it was a very poor throwing body (soft & airy), and some testing
showed that the Cone 10 vitrifies satisfactorily at cone 6. You can
also get B-Mix with sand, which might work for him.

For tan bodies, the most popular Laguna throwing bodies are Soldate with
grog (good for very thin forms, stays rigid) and Sandstone with sand.
However, I've found that Soldate doesn't melt well at Cone6, and tends
to chip if not fired to Cone 10. Sandstone seems to do ok at lower
temperatures, though.

--Josh Berkus

Angela Davis on fri 10 oct 08


Inspiring story John. I guess clay is like riding a bicycle,
once learned you never really forget.

I have a wonderful DVD of Randy Brodnax throwing huge very thin
forms with what he calls "magic" clay. Soldate 60 from Laguna.
I don't have a source here in FL so have never tried it myself but have
always wished to after seeing those wonderful light pots being thrown and
manipulated.

Since you potter friend is on the west coast it should be available. Randy
B. uses it for raku
and it is listed as a cone 10.

SOLDATE 60: Soldate 60 is a gray clay with a high sand content and is pugged
firm which makes it an ideal choice for large thrown
pieces and sculptural forms. Fires to a yellow brown under medium reduction,
it has a coarse texture.


Good luck in your search,
Angela Davis
In Homosassa





----- Original Message -----
From: "John Hesselberth"
To:
Sent: Friday, October 10, 2008 6:50 AM
Subject: Cone 6 Throwing Bodies Available on the West Coast


> Hi Everyone,
>
> I got an inquiry from a person who lives in Oregon that I need help in
> responding to. He is starting to throw again after a 25 year hiatus.
> 25 years ago he was mixing his own body which included 2 clays which
> are now no longer available (AP Green fire clay and Jordan). He still
> has a little of that body and says he can still throw the thin-walled
> tall cylinders he used to be able to throw so his throwing skills have
> come back quickly.
>
> He would now prefer to buy a commercial body--and, of course, can no
> longer reproduce the body he used before--, but has been disappointed
> with the ones he has tried so far. He just hasn't been able to throw
> the forms he wants. So his question is "What, in your experience, is
> the best cone 6 commercial body available on the west coast for
> throwing tall thin-wall forms?" He is interested in both a white and a
> tan body.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> You can reply on list and I will forward the responses to him or you
> can communicate with him directly at art4bob@verizon.net His name
> is Bob Courtright.
>
> Regards,
>
> John
>
>
> John Hesselberth
> www.frogpondpottery.com
>
> "Man is a tool-using animal....without tools he is nothing, with tools
> he is all" .... Thomas Carlyle
>