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white fuzzy stuff at cone 10

updated tue 19 mar 02

 

John Weber on mon 18 mar 02


OK, this has to be a first for us. We fired last weekend in our 70 cu ft gas
car kiln. We were smart this time because we loaded that baby up early on
Monday knowing we wouldn't fire until Saturday. Got ahead of the game, so to
speak. The firing went great, nice soaking rain the day of firing, every
thing I love for great color. Sunday we opened up and the pieces were
probably 180F so we just looked at them, without being able to really get in
there and unload. THEN I SAW IT! Right in the middle of one of my large 18"
platters is the huge mound of white fuzzy stuff. What kind of fungus could
it be? What could cause such anomaly? Was it permanent? The questions flew
through my mind without answers. Then curtain raised and we knew what had
caused this phenomenon. A mouse! Yikkes, is he toast? I hope so! He had
taken kaowool and built a nest right in the middle of one of my best (use to
be) platters. We got it out after the kiln cooled and I tried to sand it
off. It doesn't sand off. The kaowool had melted into the glaze and ruined
the platter. So what is the learning poem:
Pots packed early
Can't be surly
Think of the mouse
That built his house
In the middle of a platter
That made me sadder
Don't be a host
To a mouse of toast
Check it again
Check it again !!!!:)

JODO Pottery
Manakin-Sabot, VA
e-mail: jodopottery@attbi.com
WEB PAGE: http://home.attbi.com/~jodo96/index.htm