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itc comment

updated thu 14 oct 99

 

Donn Buchfinck on mon 11 oct 99

Hey I just wanted to ask about this material.

there has been a lot of comments about this material as the holy grail of
materials for kilns/shelves/fiber

but there are some disturbing comments starting to float back through the
ceramics community about this material.

first I think It would be good to question putting this material on a fiber
kiln.
when a fiber kiln fires the ends of the fibers slowly burn back, eventually
releasing the coating. I called the manufacturer of my fiber kiln and he
recommended against using this material on my kiln.
there have been comments about the stuff coming off fiber Raku kilns
and after you have sprayed the stuff on your elements in your electric kiln
it has a tendency to weld the elements into place and removing the elements
can cause some damage to the bricks.

I understand that the material is a godsend for soft bricks for a salt/soda
kiln, but I am curious if other people have had these problems and if they
have had problems what are they.

Donn Buchfinck
San Francisco

Jeff Lawrence on tue 12 oct 99

Donn Buchfinck was soliciting comments on ITC coatings
>when a fiber kiln fires the ends of the fibers slowly burn back, eventually
>releasing the coating. I called the manufacturer of my fiber kiln and he
>recommended against using this material on my kiln.
>
Hi Donn,

Here's a data point for you. Just fired #170 or so in a fiber car kiln,
which I coated before the first firing with ITC 100. There is no sign of
any deterioration of the coating on the fiber except for the shelf marks
from the one speed trial to date.

I've heard others report application to old fiber is less successful.

Jeff
Jeff Lawrence Sun Dagger Design
jml@sundagger.com Rt. 3 Box 220
www.sundagger.com Espanola, NM 87532
vox 505-753-5913 fax 505-753-8074

gwalker on wed 13 oct 99

------------------
G'day Jeff and my other Claymates,

Feeling good =85 just finished spraying the re-fibred =22Gold Top=22 kiln =
with
ITC 100.

Several things we have learnt:

1. A =22Stoneguard=22 spray gun works wonderfully. It is the type used to
spray on under body protection on cars. The spray is more like a
splatter than a spray, but that's just dandy. (Panelbeaters are usually
given a few of these guns when they buy certain car protecting products,
so if you are close to a panelbeater (?), you might score one with a
smile.
2. There was virtually no settling out of the ITC this time. When we
acquired the first batch of ITC from the Australian distributor a few
months ago to spray the =22Green Frog=22, we were told that the correct
distillation ratio was 1:1 with water. I questioned this at the time,
but was told by the agent that the 1:1 ratio was correct. We used 2:1
this time, with virtually no settling at all. An occasional swilling of
the pale was all that was necessary during spraying.
3. I suspect (and suspect only=21) that our initial purchase was of ITC
that had been sitting for some time in Brisbane. This newer lot smelt
differently and arrived needing very little stirring. Maybe the age of
the product changes it's behavior? I know this lot had to be brought in
from Melbourne and was not long off the ship.
4. Belting the cr=2Ap out of stack-bonded fibre certainly presents a
great, tough surface on which to apply this ITC.
5. 50 cone 10R firings on, the ITC-sprayed fibre lining (and some of it
was =22wallpapered=22, not stack-bonded) of the =22Green Frog=22 is showing
virtually no signs of deterioration at all =85 and =85 we didn't know when
we sprayed that one that we were supposed to wet the fibre=21 Hasn't
seemed to have mattered, but that might be because the fibre was all
new.

Looking forward to firing this re-born beast =85 =22Blue Boy=22 (no longer
=22Gold Top=22 =85 the chap who did most of the work is the messiest man
working I have ever seen, but likes to leave his =22babies=22 looking
=22pretty=22. When he went to the auto shop to buy the hammertone paint,
they were out of gold, so he bought blue as a substitute. He was a
little disappointed until I opened the bonnet of the Cadillac =85 =22The
Toy=22 =85 to show him the colour of the rocker covers =85 SAME BLUE=21 =
Lol=21) =85
should fire it on Friday with some luck. I'll keep you posted =85

Best in clay as usual =85 from Geoff, on the Gold Coast where it is early
evening on the most pleasantly balmy nights one could imagine. Love it=21
http://www.cronulla-pot.com.au/
gwalker=40fan.net.au

=3E =3E
=3E Hi Donn,
=3E
=3E Here's a data point for you. Just fired =23170 or so in a fiber car
=3E kiln,
=3E which I coated before the first firing with ITC 100. There is no sign
=3E of
=3E any deterioration of the coating on the fiber except for the shelf
=3E marks
=3E from the one speed trial to date.
=3E
=3E I've heard others report application to old fiber is less successful.
=3E
=3E Jeff
=3E Jeff Lawrence Sun Dagger Design
=3E jml=40sundagger.com Rt. 3 Box 220
=3E www.sundagger.com Espanola, NM 87532
=3E vox 505-753-5913 fax 505-753-8074