Annette Blocker on sun 30 jan 00
Hurricane George hit my home in September of 1998. I lived directly on
the beach 50 feet from the shoreline. My studio was underneath our home and
before the storm even hit, the waves were washing over the yard...I knew it
was going to be bad but had little time to move everything I owned, so as
precious as my art is too me, we worked on boarding up the house and moving
things (like our 110 gallon salt water tank & our other pets) to safety. I
was able to get my lockerbie ek off the ground, however it and many of my
chemicals, that were in sealed plastic bins, were moved by and drenched with
the salt water waves. I had a "FULL TIME" position at the George Ohr Arts &
Cultural Center in Biloxi so I did not reopen a studio until right before
Christmas of '99.
My question is this. To date, possibly because of being sealed back up
until i could move and reopen a studio, the chemicals are still wet (makes a
good case for the damp box everyone has been talking about). I know this
changes the weight of the chemicals, but what about the composition? Is
there any way I can dry them out? Also, I have fired with one of my
favorite glazes...Lana's Aqua/Bronze...and it,also infused with the salt
water, appropriately, foamed up like sea water on the surface of the pot,
sticking to the pot in some areas and lifting in pockets in others (I like
this and will save it for later experiments). However, my concerns are with
the introduction of salt to the chemicals. Do I just trash them?...damn
they were expensive and are some of my main ones. Or do I continue to use
them? If so will they damage my electric ? I am not so worried about the
makeshift, woodfired Roman style kiln I have. Any insight on this would be
of great help to me as I am afraid to make a move right now and hate to
think of the money I will have to invest again to replace a good bit of
them.
Thanks to all who respond!
Annette Blocker
Moonwater Studio
Ocean Springs, Ms. 39564
Cindy Strnad on mon 31 jan 00
Annette,
I'm sure you don't need anyone to tell you what a complex entity salt water
is. It's not only the sodium, but so many other dissolved salts that will
affect your glazes. I think you will find you can dry your chemicals out by
placing them in pillow cases or similar bags in the open air. Even in your
humid environment, this should eventually dry them out, given favorable
weather conditions and diligence.
Getting rid of the soluble salts will prove less of an easy task. If you
make your glazes with an abundance of pure water, mix well, allow the glaze
to settle, and decant off the excess water--several times--you should be
able to minimize the effects. What a hassle, but if it's worth it to you to
try, this might work. Consider the value of your time, and pay yourself a
decent hourly rate, and decide whether the uncertain benefits of this
experiment are worth the trouble to you.
It's a pity that hurricane insurance generally will pay only if the wind
gets you first (and then only if they can't find a way to weasel out), when
everyone knows it's the storm surge that's going to cause the damage if
you're anywhere near the coast. I guess it's the insurance companies way of
saying, "Live here at your own risk."
Maybe the local SBA or Chamber of Commerce will know of programs to help
small businesses recover from loss caused by the hurricane, though you've
waited perhaps a bit too long. Still, it might be worth a try. If you didn't
claim this as a business loss, it's not too late to do that.
Cindy Strnad
earthenv@gwtc.net
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
Michael Banks on mon 31 jan 00
Drying insoluble powdered materials like feldspar, silica etc, is relatively
easy if you live in a warm climate. Just spread them out on newspaper on a
big flat surface in the sunshine.
But the sea salt could be a real problem. You would need to wash it out.
This can be achieved in a big yard with a lot of old bathtubs, decanting,
siphoning, drying etc. and A LOT of time. How much is you time worth?
Sorry, chuck 'em out. What about insurance?
Michael Banks,
Nelson,
New Zealand
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hurricane George hit my home in September of 1998. I lived directly on
> the beach 50 feet from the shoreline. My studio was underneath our home
and
> before the storm even hit, the waves were washing over the yard...I knew
it
> was going to be bad but had little time to move everything I owned, so as
> precious as my art is too me, we worked on boarding up the house and
moving
> things (like our 110 gallon salt water tank & our other pets) to safety.
I
> was able to get my lockerbie ek off the ground, however it and many of my
> chemicals, that were in sealed plastic bins, were moved by and drenched
with
> the salt water waves. I had a "FULL TIME" position at the George Ohr Arts
&
> Cultural Center in Biloxi so I did not reopen a studio until right before
> Christmas of '99.
> My question is this. To date, possibly because of being sealed back
up
> until i could move and reopen a studio, the chemicals are still wet (makes
a
> good case for the damp box everyone has been talking about). I know this
> changes the weight of the chemicals, but what about the composition? Is
> there any way I can dry them out? Also, I have fired with one of my
> favorite glazes...Lana's Aqua/Bronze...and it,also infused with the salt
> water, appropriately, foamed up like sea water on the surface of the pot,
> sticking to the pot in some areas and lifting in pockets in others (I like
> this and will save it for later experiments). However, my concerns are
with
> the introduction of salt to the chemicals. Do I just trash them?...damn
> they were expensive and are some of my main ones. Or do I continue to use
> them? If so will they damage my electric ? I am not so worried about the
> makeshift, woodfired Roman style kiln I have. Any insight on this would
be
> of great help to me as I am afraid to make a move right now and hate to
> think of the money I will have to invest again to replace a good bit of
> them.
> Thanks to all who respond!
> Annette Blocker
> Moonwater Studio
> Ocean Springs, Ms. 39564
>
Earl Brunner on mon 31 jan 00
I don't know what kind of quantitites we are talking about here. If you are
concerned about the salt content, you could place the chemicals in larger
containers and top off with fresh water, you should be able to flush out the
soluable salts this way. Stable chemicals that do not have water soluable
characteristics should be ok once dried. You could have a caking problem
with some..... Things like Gerstley Borate, that are a little soluable will
have
some change possibly.
Annette Blocker wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hurricane George hit my home in September of 1998. I lived directly on
> the beach 50 feet from the shoreline. My studio was underneath our home and
> before the storm even hit, the waves were washing over the yard...I knew it
> was going to be bad but had little time to move everything I owned, so as
> precious as my art is too me, we worked on boarding up the house and moving
> things (like our 110 gallon salt water tank & our other pets) to safety. I
> was able to get my lockerbie ek off the ground, however it and many of my
> chemicals, that were in sealed plastic bins, were moved by and drenched with
> the salt water waves. I had a "FULL TIME" position at the George Ohr Arts &
> Cultural Center in Biloxi so I did not reopen a studio until right before
> Christmas of '99.
> My question is this. To date, possibly because of being sealed back up
> until i could move and reopen a studio, the chemicals are still wet (makes a
> good case for the damp box everyone has been talking about). I know this
> changes the weight of the chemicals, but what about the composition? Is
> there any way I can dry them out? Also, I have fired with one of my
> favorite glazes...Lana's Aqua/Bronze...and it,also infused with the salt
> water, appropriately, foamed up like sea water on the surface of the pot,
> sticking to the pot in some areas and lifting in pockets in others (I like
> this and will save it for later experiments). However, my concerns are with
> the introduction of salt to the chemicals. Do I just trash them?...damn
> they were expensive and are some of my main ones. Or do I continue to use
> them? If so will they damage my electric ? I am not so worried about the
> makeshift, woodfired Roman style kiln I have. Any insight on this would be
> of great help to me as I am afraid to make a move right now and hate to
> think of the money I will have to invest again to replace a good bit of
> them.
> Thanks to all who respond!
> Annette Blocker
> Moonwater Studio
> Ocean Springs, Ms. 39564
--
Earl Brunner
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
mailto:bruec@anv.net
ferenc jakab on mon 31 jan 00
Ann,
I've never experienced anything like that except a rogue snow storm that
started off as a late cyclone near Southern Queensland. You have my
sympathies. My guess is that your concerns about salt in the chemicals and
your electric kiln are correct. It would be a hard decision but you probably
have to turf most of your sea soaked chemicals, clays etc. I hope someone
knows more and is able to give more positive advice!
Feri.
Ray Aldridge on tue 1 feb 00
I think if I were you, I'd dry the materials thouroughly, then measure out
my glazes as usual into an excess of water. By allowing the glaze to
settle and then decanting newly added water several times, you'd probably
get rid of most of the salt. This would take patience, but not much work.
Might not end up with usable glazes, but I'd be willing to give it a try,
in your position.
Ray
Aldridge Porcelain and Stoneware
http://www.goodpots.com
Norman van der Sluys on tue 1 feb 00
Can any of you glaze gurus hazzard a guess as to which of her materials might be
the most fruitful in experiments to come up with a useable "Hurricane Glaze?"
It seems to me to be one of those situations that could be exploited
creatively. Talk about pottery reflecting locality!
Norman van der Sluys
Jackpottery!
> > ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> > Hurricane George hit my home in September of 1998. I lived directly on
> > the beach 50 feet from the shoreline. My studio was underneath our home
> and
> > before the storm even hit, the waves were washing over the yard...I knew
> it
> > was going to be bad but had little time to move everything I owned, so as
> > precious as my art is too me, we worked on boarding up the house and
> moving
> > things (like our 110 gallon salt water tank & our other pets) to safety.
> I
> > was able to get my lockerbie ek off the ground, however it and many of my
> > chemicals, that were in sealed plastic bins, were moved by and drenched
> with
> > the salt water waves. I had a "FULL TIME" position at the George Ohr Arts
> &
> > Cultural Center in Biloxi so I did not reopen a studio until right before
> > Christmas of '99.
> > My question is this. To date, possibly because of being sealed back
> up
> > until i could move and reopen a studio, the chemicals are still wet (makes
> a
> > good case for the damp box everyone has been talking about). I know this
> > changes the weight of the chemicals, but what about the composition? Is
> > there any way I can dry them out? Also, I have fired with one of my
> > favorite glazes...Lana's Aqua/Bronze...and it,also infused with the salt
> > water, appropriately, foamed up like sea water on the surface of the pot,
> > sticking to the pot in some areas and lifting in pockets in others (I like
> > this and will save it for later experiments). However, my concerns are
> with
> > the introduction of salt to the chemicals. Do I just trash them?...damn
> > they were expensive and are some of my main ones. Or do I continue to use
> > them? If so will they damage my electric ? I am not so worried about the
> > makeshift, woodfired Roman style kiln I have. Any insight on this would
> be
> > of great help to me as I am afraid to make a move right now and hate to
> > think of the money I will have to invest again to replace a good bit of
> > them.
> > Thanks to all who respond!
> > Annette Blocker
> > Moonwater Studio
> > Ocean Springs, Ms. 39564
> >
Liz Gowen on wed 2 feb 00
I'd agree with Ray but I would also perhaps make a saggar to test fire in,
to protect the kiln from the salt, if it is still present. Perhaps if the
inside of the saggar appears not to have any glaze like build up after
several test fires with glazed pieces, it might be safe for the kiln.
Liz Gowen
-----Original Message-----
From: Ray Aldridge
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Tuesday, February 01, 2000 11:23 AM
Subject: Re: NEED OPINION ON GLAZES HIT BY HURRICANE!!!
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
I think if I were you, I'd dry the materials thouroughly, then measure out
my glazes as usual into an excess of water. By allowing the glaze to
settle and then decanting newly added water several times, you'd probably
get rid of most of the salt. This would take patience, but not much work.
Might not end up with usable glazes, but I'd be willing to give it a try,
in your position.
Ray
Aldridge Porcelain and Stoneware
http://www.goodpots.com
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