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laguna cone 5 b-mix and throwing

updated wed 20 nov 02

 

Steven D. Lee on mon 18 nov 02


I just pruchased a box of Laguna's COne 5 B-mix and have attempted to
throw with it the last couple of days. I have found that when I use
water the clay seems to dissolve in the water in small white specks
and does not create the thick slip that I like when I am throwing.
It seems about as plastic as porcelain, even after hydrating it
overnight by poking holes in the clay slab and filling each one with
water and wrapping the whole thing in a wet towel and plastic.

I was wondering if indeed this clay is behaving like is should. I
have had friends that swear by it and claim that it is the best
throwing clay since wonder bread!

My questions boil down to:

How plastic is this clay?

Why does it not form a slip as easy as other clays?

Any information would be appreciated.

*******************************************************
Steven D. Lee
SD Pottery - The Little Texas Pottery
http://www.sdpottery.com
millenial_age@yahoo.com
14341 FM 112
Thrall, TX 76578
512-898-5195
*******************************************************

Snail Scott on mon 18 nov 02


At 01:05 PM 11/18/02 -0000, you wrote:
>I just pruchased...B-mix...
>It seems about as plastic as porcelain...
>I was wondering if indeed this clay is behaving like is should...
>How plastic is this clay?
>Why does it not form a slip as easy as other clays?



It is often referred to as a 'porcelainous stoneware',
and is similar to porcelain in many ways. Like
porcelain, it doesn't dissolve readily from the
wet state. To make slip, just pinch out a bunch of
'potato chips' (crisps, for our Brits), let them
dry in a warm spot, then crumble them into the water.
Or save your trimming curls for future throwing slip.

-Snail

Jon Pacini on mon 18 nov 02


Hi Steven---- B-mix is easily the most plastic commercially prepared body
that I have seen the formula to. If you'd like to send me in a sample of the
material I'll check it out for you and make sure it's got all the proper
ingredients in the proper amounts. From your description your clay is
behaving oddly. Whenever I have thrown B-mix I get a thick slurry much like
any other clay.
Could you also send me the "batch #". It's a five digit number that is
hand stamped on the box which represents the 2000lb lot of clay your box is
from. I can track it back to when and by whom it was made and check the QA
tests that where done at the time of manufacture. If the clay came in a
Laguna/Miller box contact Laguna Ohio with that info, Adam is the Tech
there.
Jon Pacini
Clay Manager
Laguna Clay Co

Mary White on mon 18 nov 02


I haven't used it before either and I'm expecting a box to arrive
today. Does your box have a number on it?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mary
on the wet west coast of British Columbia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



>I just pruchased a box of Laguna's COne 5 B-mix and have attempted to
>throw with it the last couple of days. I have found that when I use
>water the clay seems to dissolve in the water in small white specks
>and does not create the thick slip that I like when I am throwing.
>It seems about as plastic as porcelain, even after hydrating it
>overnight by poking holes in the clay slab and filling each one with
>water and wrapping the whole thing in a wet towel and plastic.
>
>I was wondering if indeed this clay is behaving like is should. I
>have had friends that swear by it and claim that it is the best
>throwing clay since wonder bread!
>
>My questions boil down to:
>
>How plastic is this clay?
>
>Why does it not form a slip as easy as other clays?
>
>Any information would be appreciated.
>
>*******************************************************
>Steven D. Lee
>SD Pottery - The Little Texas Pottery
>http://www.sdpottery.com
>millenial_age@yahoo.com
>14341 FM 112
>Thrall, TX 76578
>512-898-5195
>*******************************************************
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
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>
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>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
>melpots@pclink.com.


--

Jon Pacini on tue 19 nov 02


Hi Jeanne----Yes, it's an amazing clay to throw with. If you've followed the
threads on B-mix you'll note that it does have it's down side.
With the plasticity comes shrinkage, approx.13%, and because of that, care
must be taken when drying. Especially with handles and attachments. The pots
should be dried evenly top to bottom, side to side. Take your time,
otherwise you will set up stress cracks.
Lumps also seem to be a continual struggle with this body. During hot dry
spells we get here in So. Cal. the clay is particularly susceptible to this
type of problem. I've tried everything I can think of to alleviate this
difficulty, but some still manages to get by my QA system.

Best regards,
Jon Pacini
Clay Manager
Laguna Clay Co


-----Original Message-----
From: Wood Jeanne [mailto:clayjinn@yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, November 18, 2002 7:11 PM
To: Jon Pacini
Subject: Re: Laguna Cone 5 B-Mix and Throwing


Hi Jon,
I recently purchased Laguna B Mix cone 10 for the
first time.
I am simply amazed by it's ability to throw. I've
never worked with such an excellent clay before.
Wish I had discovered it long ago.
thanks,
Jeanne Wood


--- Jon Pacini wrote:
> Hi Steven---- B-mix is easily the most plastic
> commercially prepared body
> that I have seen the formula to. If you'd like to
> send me in a sample of the
> material I'll check it out for you and make sure
> it's got all the proper
> ingredients in the proper amounts. From your
> description your clay is
> behaving oddly. Whenever I have thrown B-mix I get a
> thick slurry much like
> any other clay.
> Could you also send me the "batch #". It's a
> five digit number that is
> hand stamped on the box which represents the 2000lb
> lot of clay your box is
> from. I can track it back to when and by whom it
> was made and check the QA
> tests that where done at the time of manufacture. If
> the clay came in a
> Laguna/Miller box contact Laguna Ohio with that
> info, Adam is the Tech
> there.
> Jon Pacini
> Clay Manager
> Laguna Clay Co
>
>

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