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raku firing small pieces

updated sun 22 jul 12

 

Gerholdclay on sat 21 jul 12


If you are making a long term commitment to Raku you may want to consider b=
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ilding a stainless steel cradle for firing. Use a piece of quarter inch pl=
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te as the base and then bolt on two stainless handles with loops on the top=
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Build a handle with a hook or hooks to lift the cradle in and out of the =
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iln.

Using this system will allow pieces to be fired to maturity and then put in=
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o reducing chamber while glaze is still molten if lusters are desired. The=
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radle will ignite the reduction material almost instantly giving great redu=
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tion. My reduction material of choice ended up being cedar bedding from Tr=
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ctor supply. Ignited fast and had no dust.

Using stainless cradles I was able to fire above 2000 degrees and do pieces=
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hirty inches and above in height.

Paul

Sent from my iPad

On Jul 20, 2012, at 9:13 AM, Steven Branfman wrote:

> Hi Drake,
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> You always want to use the smallest reduction container possible. Cookie =
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ines are great. Have an assistant take care of placing the lids. The smalle=
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the container the more control you have over the atmosphere. You can cert=
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inly place several of your pieces in one container. Speed is the key.
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> Steven
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> Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2012 07:22:49 -0400
> From: Drake Ash
> Subject: miniatures in raku
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> hi all-- i am about to participate in my first raku firing. since a speci=
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l
> area of interest for me is miniatures, i made some tiny vases and bowls f=
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r
> most of the wares (average 1-2 inches in size) obviously i was not
> thinking clearly enough about what is involved in the process! anyone hav=
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> suggestions about how to get these little things into the reduction
> chamber? the friend that is helping me do this suggested that i use cook=
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e
> tins for flaming the pots. i am worried, though, about putting the lids o=
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> them with those heavy gloves on, etc. would it be ok to just throw a bunc=
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> of them into a moderate sized galvanized bucket with a lid? thanks in
> advance for the expert advice :)
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> drake
> cincinnati, ohio
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> Steven Branfman
> 43 Chinian Path
> Newton, MA 02459
> ph: 617/964 0442
> cell: 617/447 3500
> studio: 781/449 7687
> fax: 781/449 9098
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> Will you join me in helping to rid the world of childhood cancer? Please =
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upport my efforts in the Pan Mass Challenge http://www.pmc.org/profile/SB01=
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9
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> **************************************************************
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