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terra sig, glazed over.

updated tue 30 nov 99

 

Martin Howard on mon 29 nov 99

A cautionary tale.
I threw a good fruit bowl and put terra sig (made from 180 mesh cat litter)
with some silicon carbide, then burnished. It came out of the biscuit firing
OK. A pleasant piece that I want to use as a pattern for others. I had put
some heart decoration and 1999 so that it would be suitable for wedding
gifts.
I then glazed it and put it in the glaze fire. It came out all frizzled
where the terra sig/silicon carbide had been. The silicon carbide had worked
overtime, sending bubbles upwards.
Even the one hour soak had not given time for the gasses to escape.
We all learn, but I should have considered that the silicon carbide would
react through the glaze surface. So now there will be notice on that tub of
terra sig with Silicon Carbide:-
USE ONLY FOR ONCE FIRED.

Martin Howard
Webbs Cottage Pottery
Woolpits Road
Great Saling
BRAINTREE
Essex CM7 5DZ
martin@webbscottage.co.uk