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fire bricks part 2

updated fri 12 nov 99

 

clennell on thu 11 nov 99

My Uncle Jimmie is rolling over in his grave, Dave Hendley is kicking the
dog, Vernon Owen is having 2 fingers of moonshine, and I'm pulling the last
hair outta my head. Uncle Jimmie made ear rings and pendents, David makes
$3 kids cups, Vernon makes little critters and we make $8 dollar bourbon
cups. Why do we do this???????? To increase the payload from our kilns. And
then there is Mel after a long distiguished career as a academic saying if
there is a bad spot in the kiln -fire bricks!
There are many glazes that will work in oxidation/reduction with a long
firing range that can be used in these sour spots. Learn a little about
glazes, learn about your kiln and don't be wasteful by firing bricks. Turn
sour into sweet.
Put cones in the sour spots. If it is cold use a lower melting glaze. Our
wood kiln as an example- the throat arch get too much ash. would I stack it
with bricks???? Not on your life. The back wall oxidizes. I use a iron
bearing clay that turns a beautiful pumpkin orange. These spots are problem
spots that Sheila and I arm wrestle for.
Let the refractory companies fire your bricks for you. You make pots and
fire them.
Cheers,
Tony

Tony and Sheila Clennell
Sour Cherry Pottery
4545 King St.
Beamsville, On. L0R 1B1

WWW.SOURCHERRYPOTTERY.COM
e-mail: clennell@bestnet.org
905-563-9362
fax 905-563-9383