search  current discussion  categories  techniques - cracking 

cracks during drying

updated thu 6 apr 00

 

matthew zehr on mon 3 apr 00

Hello All
I am a self tought stoneware potter. (That does not spell well)
I am having a hard time with a lot of my stuff cracking as it dries out. I have
Matthew A Zehr
-----------------------------------------------
FREE! The World's Best Email Address @email.com
Reserve your name now at http://www.email.com

Cindy Strnad on tue 4 apr 00

Matthew,

Make sure your pottery walls and bases are of even thickness (cut a few in
half after throwing). Dry slowly. (Cover with plastic if necessary.) If all
else fails, change your clay. Some clays are more crack resistant than
others.

Cindy Strnad
earthenv@gwtc.net
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730

Deborah B. on tue 4 apr 00

Hi Matthew,

Try keeping things under plastic and out of drafts for a longer period of
time to dry things very slowly. If the cracks are at the bottom of a wheel
thrown bowl and in the shape of an s it is called an s crack and is due to
not compressing the clay good enough when throwing. Handbuilding cracks at
the seams come from not making the joins strong enghough.

Where are the cracks?

Deborah Blackwell
Bailey Road Art Studio
Delavan, Wisconsin
vangoughlover@hotmail.com


>From: matthew zehr
>Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
>To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
>Subject: cracks during drying
>Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2000 18:02:07 EDT
>
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Hello All
>I am a self tought stoneware potter. (That does not spell well)
>I am having a hard time with a lot of my stuff cracking as it dries out. I
>have
> Matthew A Zehr
>-----------------------------------------------
>FREE! The World's Best Email Address @email.com
>Reserve your name now at http://www.email.com

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

WHew536674@cs.com on tue 4 apr 00

Matthew,
Cracking occurs most of the time due to rapid drying. Don't know what you
are making, but if one part of the piece is thicker than another, the thinner
area will dry faster and shrink at a faster rate causing a crack. Rule of
thumb: dry the piece up side down, dry slowly and pray over it.
Joyce A

Sharon31 on wed 5 apr 00

Hello Matthew Zehr!
Where I live, one day can be cold and the other very hot, especially in this
season.works, that dry too fast suffer from the problem you write about.
To avoid it: 1)When your dry your work on a plywood, or anything like it,
put in between a piece of paper-This way the bottom is separated from the
wood and dries evenly.
2)Plastic bag cover slightly, gives it air but delays
drying.
Ababi
sharon@shoval.org.il
http://www.israelceramics.org/main.asp?what=gallery.htm
http://clay.justnet.com/cgallery/asharon.htm

----- Original Message -----
From: matthew zehr
To:
Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2000 01:02
Subject: cracks during drying


> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hello All
> I am a self tought stoneware potter. (That does not spell well)
> I am having a hard time with a lot of my stuff cracking as it dries out. I
have
> Matthew A Zehr
> -----------------------------------------------
> FREE! The World's Best Email Address @email.com
> Reserve your name now at http://www.email.com

Ron Roy on wed 5 apr 00

Hi Mathhew,

I recommend the Potters Dictionary of Materials & Techniques by Frank and
Janet Hamer. A little pricey but - find the crack that looks like yours and
the explanation about how it happened will help a lot. The crack section is
8 pages long.

RR

>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Hello All
>I am a self tought stoneware potter. (That does not spell well)
>I am having a hard time with a lot of my stuff cracking as it dries out. I have
> Matthew A Zehr
>-----------------------------------------------
>FREE! The World's Best Email Address @email.com
>Reserve your name now at http://www.email.com

Ron Roy
93 Pegasus Trail
Scarborough
Ontario, Canada
M1G 3N8
Evenings 416-439-2621
Fax 416-438-7849