Caroline and Hedley Saunders on wed 24 mar 99
The book by Ruthanne Tudball is called Soda Glazing and is published in the
UK as part of the Ceramics Handbooks series by A and C Black (ISBN 0713639032). In the US it is published by University of Pennsylvania Press,
Philadelphia (ISBN 0 8122 1571 0). It was published in 1995 so should still
be easy to find.
Caroline
Devon, England
delphin@eclipse.co.ukX
Remove the X from the address (there to keep spam spiders at bay)
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Are you familiar with Ruthann Tudball's soda firing? She recently
did some
very interesting workshops on the West Coast. She claims the soda firing is
not toxic as is salt firing, as there is no chlorine to be released. She
lines her kiln with something that may be similar to ITC and the soda does
not impregnate it. She says one can soda fire in a regular kiln and switch
back and forth with an appropriate lining. You might want to read her book
titled "Soda Firing" or some such. Maybe someone else in Clayart has been
to one of her seminars and can add information. Lesley in So. Calif.
Steve Hum on thu 25 mar 99
As I recall, Ruthanne describe her technique as spraying the soda dissolved
in water, as directly as possible, onto the pots a little at a time over a
few hours. Her thought/experience was that if she got the soda onto the
pots rather than the kiln she would have little residual soda in the kiln
(or up the chimney). She is a class act, if you get the chance to she her
in a work shop do it! Great pots too.
Hum
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>The book by Ruthanne Tudball is called Soda Glazing and is published in the
>UK as part of the Ceramics Handbooks series by A and C Black (ISBN 0713639032). In the US it is published by University of Pennsylvania Press,
>Philadelphia (ISBN 0 8122 1571 0). It was published in 1995 so should still
>be easy to find.
>
>Caroline
>Devon, England
>delphin@eclipse.co.ukX
>Remove the X from the address (there to keep spam spiders at bay)
>
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Are you familiar with Ruthann Tudball's soda firing? She recently
>did some
>very interesting workshops on the West Coast. She claims the soda firing is
>not toxic as is salt firing, as there is no chlorine to be released. She
>lines her kiln with something that may be similar to ITC and the soda does
>not impregnate it. She says one can soda fire in a regular kiln and switch
>back and forth with an appropriate lining. You might want to read her book
>titled "Soda Firing" or some such. Maybe someone else in Clayart has been
>to one of her seminars and can add information. Lesley in So. Calif.
Caroline and Hedley Saunders on fri 26 mar 99
I will start by stating that I have never tried soda glazing though I have
witnessed a firing (by another potter). I also have a copy of Ruthanne's
book! I just want to make two points here:
In her introduction Ruthanne says that the vapour forms a non-reacting
coating or crust on the surface of the kiln bricks rather than eating into
them as rock salt does. It is also less corrosive to metal.
In the chapter on kilns and firing she says that soda compounds other than
salt break down in the kiln much more slowly than salt. To compensate for
this slower reaction, soda can be introduced in small amounts over a fairly
long period. Actually she sprays into the fireboxes over the top of the
burners.
I agree with Steve, she is well worth watching if you get the opportunity.
Caroline
Devon, England
delphin@eclipse.co.ukX
Remove the X from the address (there to keep spam spiders at bay)
From: Steve Hum
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
As I recall, Ruthanne describe her technique as spraying the soda dissolved
in water, as directly as possible, onto the pots a little at a time over a
few hours. Her thought/experience was that if she got the soda onto the
pots rather than the kiln she would have little residual soda in the kiln
(or up the chimney). She is a class act, if you get the chance to she her
in a work shop do it! Great pots too.
Hum
Vince Pitelka on sat 27 mar 99
In fact, Ruthanne Tudball paints a rather rosy picture of soda glazing. As
has been stated in recent articles in CM, the flue gasses from soda firing
appear to be at least as corrosive as salt firing. It seems that there is
minimal clorine gas emmision from salt firing. Most of what comes out of
the stack is actually salt fumes, which are corrosive but otherwise
relatively benign. All considered, it appears that soda firing is no more
environmentally friendly than salt firing. Personally, I think that if one
makes good work, either firing process is worth it, as they both give
results unatainable by any other means.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
Home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801, fax 615/597-6803
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Gail Nichols on sun 28 mar 99
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Personally, I think that if one
>makes good work, either firing process is worth it, as they both give
>results unatainable by any other means.
>- Vince
>
Bravo for a voice of sanity in the soda-salt debate. If you want to produce
salt glaze effects, then salt fire. But I've found soda can produce some
wonderful results I have never seen achieved with salt. It's these effects
which make soda glaze worth pursuing.
We could also debate whether raku is more environmentally friendly than pit
firing, but the bottom line is they produce different results. So we choose
our firing style for the aesthetic qualities it gives to our work. A bit of
common sense is required in choosing the appropriate location for ANY kiln.
The occasional effluent from a studio potter's kiln is fairly minimal
compared with other exhausts which we accept as part of daily life.
.............................................................
Gail Nichols
Sydney, Australia
email: gail@matra.com.au OR sodaglaze@artoz.com
http://www.artoz.com/sodaglaze/
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