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raku part ii

updated thu 3 may 07

 

John Ford on mon 4 jan 99

------------------
Thanks for the great response to my burner question. I REALLY appreciate the
advice=21

Another question:Why when building a small trash can raku kiln would you =
line
the bottom and top of the can, cut a burner hole in the bottom and close the
top as opposed to lining the can, turning it over and using the ground as a
seal. Robert Pipenburg says it can be done in his book. Seems like it would
save on ceramic fiber and be just as easy to lift the can off to remove the
pots as opposed to lifting down into the can to remove the pots. If you =
are(I
am) using a small garbage can it would seem that one person could handle it
just fine and creat a seal on the ground.

Any thoughts? Thanks=21

John Ford
Ft Worth, Tx

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Karen Shapiro on tue 5 jan 99

Hi John,

One disadvantage to lifting the "whole kiln" is that it's pretty hard to get
very fast pulls because the air rushes over the piece too quickly, whereas
when the top is lifted you have more control.

Karen in Sonoma

Jeff Lawrence on tue 5 jan 99

John Ford wrote:
> Another question:Why when building a small trash can raku kiln would you
line
> the bottom and top of the can, cut a burner hole in the bottom and close
the
> top as opposed to lining the can, turning it over and using the ground as
a
> seal. Robert Pipenburg says it can be done in his book.

Hello John,

This was my question exactly, last time I did a bunch of raku. So I tried
it. My subsequent question was: why the heck can't I even get to ^06? My
conclusion was 20 gallons of propane wasn't enough to overcome that massy
spherical heat sink known as the planet earth. Previously, I got to ^5+
with my weed burner, only difference being an underlying base of soft ifb.

> Seems like it would
> save on ceramic fiber and be just as easy to lift the can off to remove
the
> pots as opposed to lifting down into the can to remove the pots. If you
are(I
> am) using a small garbage can it would seem that one person could handle
it
> just fine and creat a seal on the ground.

The kiln was easy for my long arms to place and remove alone but I'm not as
attached to my eyebrows as others.

Makes me itchy to do some raku just thinking about it...

Have fun,
Jeff

Stephen Mills on tue 5 jan 99

In message , John Ford writes
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>------------------
>Thanks for the great response to my burner question. I REALLY appreciate the
>advice=21
>
>Another question:Why when building a small trash can raku kiln would you =
>line
>the bottom and top of the can, cut a burner hole in the bottom and close the
>top as opposed to lining the can, turning it over and using the ground as a
>seal. Robert Pipenburg says it can be done in his book. Seems like it would
>save on ceramic fiber and be just as easy to lift the can off to remove the
>pots as opposed to lifting down into the can to remove the pots. If you =
>are(I
>am) using a small garbage can it would seem that one person could handle it
>just fine and creat a seal on the ground.
>
>Any thoughts? Thanks=21
>
>John Ford
>Ft Worth, Tx
>
I Raku fairly delicate stuff and find a top loader easier to use than a
top hat. Temperature shock and rapid temperature drop work against me
with the latter. Also I can take my time and not have to "rush it" with
a top loader which retains heat.

Steve
--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
home e-mail: stevemills@mudslinger.demon.co.uk
work e-mail: stevemills@bathpotters.demon.co.uk
own website: http://www.mudslinger.demon.co.uk
BPS website: http://www.bathpotters.demon.co.uk

Don Goodrich on wed 6 jan 99

John Ford asked:
>>Why when building a small trash can raku kiln would you line
the bottom and top of the can, cut a burner hole in the bottom and close the
top as opposed to lining the can, turning it over and using the ground as a
seal.<<

I tried it that way once. The ground beneath the kiln exploded. Kept on
exploding, too, as deeper and deeper moisture was brought to steam heat while
covered with semi-vitrified earth. This might be kinda fun if you're well-
protected and don't care about the pots inside the kiln (or nearby).
Piepenburg is right in that it can be done but the ground must be either
TOTALLY dry or adequately insulated. At least put down a layer of bricks
first. Better yet a layer of ceramic fiber covered by a layer of brick.

Good luck,

Don Goodrich in Zion, Illinois
goodrichdn@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/goodrichdn/

Deborah Thuman on mon 30 apr 07


If anyone has any idea how to make the smell go out of the pieces -
please share it! I've got my pieces out on the covered patio in a spot
I hope the sun won't hit. It took a day and a half, but I finally got
the smell out of my nose.

To each his own, but raku just doesn't resonate sex - great or
otherwise - for me. It was a fun experiment and I'm hoping I can do
more raku pieces next semester.

I bought one glaze that was supposed to be a turquoise burst. Imagine
my surprise when I got this metallic glaze filled with blues, purples
and greens. It's a great glaze - but not what I thought I was buying.
As it happens, I'm in Albuquerque today and I stopped into New Mexico
Clay and had a lovely chat with one of the clerks. He said that for a
while, they were getting a lot of mislabeled packages of dry glaze. I
went to the raku section to see if I could figure out what it was I
bought. There isn't a test tile anywhere in the store that remotely
resembles the mystery glaze. Don't it figure.

Deb
http://debthumansblog.blogspot.com/

Lynne and Bruce Girrell on tue 1 may 07


Deborah Thuman wrote:

>If anyone has any idea how to make the smell go out of the pieces -
>please share it! ... It took a day and a half, but I finally got the smell
>out of my nose.

Deborah,

Hmmmmm... Maybe you might want to consider a different method. The smell is
just part of the process. I kind of like it. But then, I've always liked
fire.

More seriously - You won't eliminate the smell, but you might try changing
your reduction materials. My least favorite was newspapers. Pine shavings
produce a much more agreeable smoke smell. Oak sawdust gave me nice dark
crackle lines, but it has its own distinctive odor. Some people use rosin. I
have never used it, but I would think that you might get a more agreeable
smell from that as well.

Anyway, try different stuff in the can. Not only will the smell change, but
your firing results will as well. Go with what works.

Regarding your Turquoise Burst glaze: Given the name, I would expect the
glaze to contain a good amount of copper. For you to achieve metallic
effects would be no surprise to me and that may also explain the "Burst"
part of the glaze name.

Raku is not cone 6 electric. You're expecting way too much consistency here.
Raku is wildly variable. As for the smoke - you may not like it now, but it
becomes like a junkie's needle. Association. Eventually you smell that smell
and you think "Ooooh, let's fire some more".

Bruce "firing cone 10, but still a raku junkie" Girrell

_________________________________________________________________
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sacredclay on tue 1 may 07


Deb, We are more alike than you realize. I get great sex from raku
and you make great big penises from yours. LOL but on the serious
side,if I actually do possess one, raku is something that doesn't
always come out the way we expect. We hope for some glorious colors
and get something shiney and metallic instead, which is sometime a
sign of overfiring. I want my pieces to have the glorious colors of
Havrvey Sadow, and the lustrous copper reds all over instead of the
copper blues. The raku kiln is finicky, sometimes the piece will be
too close to the burner and the other side too cool to have much
effect.The glazes themselves are unstable. So why the hell do I keep
doing it. Because, simply because my emotional reaction is on the
level of having had great emotional sex. It was satisfying, it was
mystfying, it was expectantcy, it was hymn to the clay and the mother
earth. Sorry, it sounded like I was about to enter a religous escatsy
and speak in tongues. But that is what raku do for me. I can't
explain it any better than that. Off to play with clay. No mini
penises for me! Kathryn in NC


> To each his own, but raku just doesn't resonate sex - great or
> otherwise - for me. It was a fun experiment and I'm hoping I can do
> more raku pieces next semester.
>
> I bought one glaze that was supposed to be a turquoise burst.
Imagine
> my surprise when I got this metallic glaze filled with blues,
purples
> and greens. It's a great glaze - but not what I thought I was
buying.
> As it happens, I'm in Albuquerque today and I stopped into New
Mexico
> Clay and had a lovely chat with one of the clerks. He said that for
a
> while, they were getting a lot of mislabeled packages of dry glaze.
I
> went to the raku section to see if I could figure out what it was I
> bought. There isn't a test tile anywhere in the store that remotely
> resembles the mystery glaze. Don't it figure.
>
> Deb
> http://debthumansblog.blogspot.com/
>
>
______________________________________________________________________
________
> Send postings to clayart@...
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your
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> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@...
>

Frank Colson on tue 1 may 07


Deborah- Then, of course, there is SMOKLESS RAKU! This is one of 5 eBooks
I offer on different ways to fire raku. You might like to look into this as
an alternative approach
at www.R2D2u.com You will still get great color effects without smoke!

Frank Colson
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lynne and Bruce Girrell"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 4:41 AM
Subject: Re: Raku Part II


> Deborah Thuman wrote:
>
>>If anyone has any idea how to make the smell go out of the pieces -
>>please share it! ... It took a day and a half, but I finally got the smell
>>out of my nose.
>
> Deborah,
>
> Hmmmmm... Maybe you might want to consider a different method. The smell
> is
> just part of the process. I kind of like it. But then, I've always liked
> fire.
>
> More seriously - You won't eliminate the smell, but you might try changing
> your reduction materials. My least favorite was newspapers. Pine shavings
> produce a much more agreeable smoke smell. Oak sawdust gave me nice dark
> crackle lines, but it has its own distinctive odor. Some people use rosin.
> I
> have never used it, but I would think that you might get a more agreeable
> smell from that as well.
>
> Anyway, try different stuff in the can. Not only will the smell change,
> but
> your firing results will as well. Go with what works.
>
> Regarding your Turquoise Burst glaze: Given the name, I would expect the
> glaze to contain a good amount of copper. For you to achieve metallic
> effects would be no surprise to me and that may also explain the "Burst"
> part of the glaze name.
>
> Raku is not cone 6 electric. You're expecting way too much consistency
> here.
> Raku is wildly variable. As for the smoke - you may not like it now, but
> it
> becomes like a junkie's needle. Association. Eventually you smell that
> smell
> and you think "Ooooh, let's fire some more".
>
> Bruce "firing cone 10, but still a raku junkie" Girrell
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> The average US Credit Score is 675. The cost to see yours: $0 by Experian.
> http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=660600&bcd=EMAILFOOTERAVERAGE
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.

Tracey Duivestein on wed 2 may 07


> Bruce "firing cone 10, but still a raku junkie" Girrell wrote

> Raku is wildly variable. As for the smoke - you may not like it now, but
> it becomes like a junkie's needle. Association. Eventually you smell that
> smell and you think "Ooooh, let's fire some more".>


Hi Bruce & other raku junkies

Was just sitting here reading clayart & contemplating yesterdays raku, when
I had an overwhelming urge to carry on this morning. Must be the smell of
smoke that permeates the kitchen today. Off to pack the 1st load & start
firing. (didn't even read Bruce's message until I had made up my mind)

Tracey
A beautiful autumn day in Durban (South Africa), hope the wind hold off for
a couple of hours

dewitt on wed 2 may 07


On 5/1/07, Frank Colson wrote:
> Deborah- Then, of course, there is SMOKLESS RAKU!

FYI, the term "smokeless raku" is defined in Steven Branfman's raku
FAQ on http://www.ceramicstoday.com/articles/branfman_raku.htm

deg

dewitt on wed 2 may 07


>
> I bought one glaze that was supposed to be a turquoise burst. Imagine
> my surprise when I got this metallic glaze filled with blues, purples
> and greens. It's a great glaze - but not what I thought I was buying.

This really isn't so surprising. How hot the glaze is fired, how
quickly it is moved into the reduction chamber, how heavy the
reduction is, whether the reduction chamber is "burped" at some point,
the phase of the moon, and whether or not you paid proper homage to
the raku kiln gods can all affect your result. I wouldn't be
surprised to see a "turquoise burst" raku glaze give a metallic result
if it was reduced heavily.

deg

dewitt on wed 2 may 07


On 5/2/07, dewitt wrote:
> On 5/1/07, Frank Colson wrote:
> > Deborah- Then, of course, there is SMOKLESS RAKU!
>
> FYI, the term "smokeless raku" is defined in Steven Branfman's raku
> FAQ on http://www.ceramicstoday.com/articles/branfman_raku.htm
>
> deg
>

Frank let me know off group that his technique is not the same as the
one described by Branfman.

Frank, why don't provide at least a summary of your process. I can't
imagine anyone buying your book without any idea of what is involved

deg.

deg