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fixed my pinholes

updated wed 21 may 03

 

Ron Collins on sun 18 may 03


I had trouble with pinholes, even after washing my pieces. However, =
those of you who still have pinholes, might consider doing what I did. =
After eliminating problems like poorly fired bisque, and other solutions =
discussed, I realized that, like many do these days, I sand my pieces a =
lot of the time....wheel thrown, not really much, but I do a lot of =
handbuilding, extruding, and have a shop that requires a lot of =
production. This is what I have to do to eliminate pinholes, and now I =
don't worry about them. =20
Lots use a groggy stoneware, but others of us use porcelain, or a =
porcelaneous type b-mix body and sand the pieces, especially handbuilt.. =
Just rinsing under water or running water on the piece won't take off =
the dust. I was just rinsing...I thought, rinsing very well. Now, =
under running water, I use a sponge or toothbrush, and anal and =
obsessively overscrub and overwash the piece, always under running =
water...toothbrushing every little nook and cranny.... no dust particle =
stands a chance....It takes longer to dry back out, and certainly longer =
to empty out the bisque kiln, but I don't have pinholes any more. If =
you sand, and use a finely particled clay body, if you just are rinsing =
off the piece after bisquing, after it is completely dry, run your =
fingers over it, and see if there is still not some dust. That just =
could be the whole problem, and an easy solution.... Just thought I'd =
throw that in. It's worked great for me........I bisque fire and glaze =
fire as fast as possible, I can do a 2 hour bisque and a 3-4 hour cone 6 =
neutral, and that wasn't the problem.....dust just doesn't automatically =
wash off...it clings.........so there..........Melinda Collins, Antigua, =
Guatemala

claybair on mon 19 may 03


Melinda,

Here in the Pacific Northwest such a vigorous scrubbing and dousing
might add a lot of time to the process. With high humidity it would take
too long to wait for the pieces to dry plus they would gather dust while
drying!
I generally use a just damp sponge. Quick dips for pieces that are high
relief
has worked well for me.

Like you I eliminated much pinholing by raising the bisque firings
temperature.
I was bisque firing at ^06 but now at ^05. I might go up to ^04 but like the
porosity
of ^05.

I also try to "finish" my green pieces before they are bisqued. Using a
dense sponge which makes few marks, produces no dust, is faster and easier
and eliminates nearly all sanding.
I try not to sand bisque or finished pieces... why increase the risk of
breathing the dust.

Gayle Bair
Bainbridge Island, WA
http://claybair.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Melinda Collins

I had trouble with pinholes, even after washing my pieces. However, those
of you who still have pinholes, might consider doing what I did. After
eliminating problems like poorly fired bisque, and other solutions
discussed, I realized that, like many do these days, I sand my pieces a lot
of the time....wheel thrown, not really much, but I do a lot of
handbuilding, extruding, and have a shop that requires a lot of production.
This is what I have to do to eliminate pinholes, and now I don't worry about
them.
Lots use a groggy stoneware, but others of us use porcelain, or a
porcelaneous type b-mix body and sand the pieces, especially handbuilt..
Just rinsing under water or running water on the piece won't take off the
dust. I was just rinsing...I thought, rinsing very well. Now, under
running water, I use a sponge or toothbrush, and anal and obsessively
overscrub and overwash the piece, always under running water...toothbrushing
every little nook and cranny.... no dust particle stands a chance....It
takes longer to dry back out, and certainly longer to empty out the bisque
kiln, but I don't have pinholes any more. If you sand, and use a finely
particled clay body, if you just are rinsing off the piece after bisquing,
after it is completely dry, run your fingers over it, and see if there is
still not some dust. That just could be the whole problem, and an easy
solution.... Just thought I'd throw that in. It's worked great for
me........I bisque fire and glaze fire as fast as possible, I can do a 2
hour bisque and a 3-4 hour cone 6 neutral, and that wasn't the
problem.....dust just doesn't automatically wash off...it clings.........so
there..........Melinda Collins, Antigua, Guatemala

____________________________________________________________________________
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Rick Hamelin on mon 19 may 03


Try a tack rag from the hardware store for the dust removal. Works for us.
Cheap and if you look up tack rag in the woodworker's google, you could find a
recipe that is easy to make.
> Melinda,
>
> Here in the Pacific Northwest such a vigorous scrubbing and dousing
> might add a lot of time to the process. With high humidity it would take
> too long to wait for the pieces to dry plus they would gather dust while
> drying!
> I generally use a just damp sponge. Quick dips for pieces that are high
> relief
> has worked well for me.
>
> Like you I eliminated much pinholing by raising the bisque firings
> temperature.
> I was bisque firing at ^06 but now at ^05. I might go up to ^04 but like the
> porosity
> of ^05.
>
> I also try to "finish" my green pieces before they are bisqued. Using a
> dense sponge which makes few marks, produces no dust, is faster and easier
> and eliminates nearly all sanding.
> I try not to sand bisque or finished pieces... why increase the risk of
> breathing the dust.
>
> Gayle Bair
> Bainbridge Island, WA
> http://claybair.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Melinda Collins
>
> I had trouble with pinholes, even after washing my pieces. However, those
> of you who still have pinholes, might consider doing what I did. After
> eliminating problems like poorly fired bisque, and other solutions
> discussed, I realized that, like many do these days, I sand my pieces a lot
> of the time....wheel thrown, not really much, but I do a lot of
> handbuilding, extruding, and have a shop that requires a lot of production.
> This is what I have to do to eliminate pinholes, and now I don't worry about
> them.
> Lots use a groggy stoneware, but others of us use porcelain, or a
> porcelaneous type b-mix body and sand the pieces, especially handbuilt..
> Just rinsing under water or running water on the piece won't take off the
> dust. I was just rinsing...I thought, rinsing very well. Now, under
> running water, I use a sponge or toothbrush, and anal and obsessively
> overscrub and overwash the piece, always under running water...toothbrushing
> every little nook and cranny.... no dust particle stands a chance....It
> takes longer to dry back out, and certainly longer to empty out the bisque
> kiln, but I don't have pinholes any more. If you sand, and use a finely
> particled clay body, if you just are rinsing off the piece after bisquing,
> after it is completely dry, run your fingers over it, and see if there is
> still not some dust. That just could be the whole problem, and an easy
> solution.... Just thought I'd throw that in. It's worked great for
> me........I bisque fire and glaze fire as fast as possible, I can do a 2
> hour bisque and a 3-4 hour cone 6 neutral, and that wasn't the
> problem.....dust just doesn't automatically wash off...it clings.........so
> there..........Melinda Collins, Antigua, Guatemala
>
> ____________________________________________________________________________
> __
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.

claybair on tue 20 may 03


Hi Rick,
Interesting.... I have tack rags for wood projects but
from the feel of them I would never have suspected they would
work for bisque. I assumed there was some waxy or oily substance on them.
Verrrrry interestink!!!!
I'll give it a try!
Gayle Bair
Bainbridge Island, WA
http://claybair.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Hamelin

Try a tack rag from the hardware store for the dust removal. Works for us.
Cheap and if you look up tack rag in the woodworker's google, you could find
a
recipe that is easy to make.
> Melinda,
>
> Here in the Pacific Northwest such a vigorous scrubbing and dousing
> might add a lot of time to the process. With high humidity it would take
> too long to wait for the pieces to dry plus they would gather dust while
> drying!
> I generally use a just damp sponge. Quick dips for pieces that are high
> relief
> has worked well for me.
>
> Like you I eliminated much pinholing by raising the bisque firings
> temperature.
> I was bisque firing at ^06 but now at ^05. I might go up to ^04 but like
the
> porosity
> of ^05.
>
> I also try to "finish" my green pieces before they are bisqued. Using a
> dense sponge which makes few marks, produces no dust, is faster and easier
> and eliminates nearly all sanding.
> I try not to sand bisque or finished pieces... why increase the risk of
> breathing the dust.
>
> Gayle Bair
> Bainbridge Island, WA
> http://claybair.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Melinda Collins
>
> I had trouble with pinholes, even after washing my pieces. However, those
> of you who still have pinholes, might consider doing what I did. After
> eliminating problems like poorly fired bisque, and other solutions
> discussed, I realized that, like many do these days, I sand my pieces a
lot
> of the time....wheel thrown, not really much, but I do a lot of
> handbuilding, extruding, and have a shop that requires a lot of
production.
> This is what I have to do to eliminate pinholes, and now I don't worry
about
> them.
> Lots use a groggy stoneware, but others of us use porcelain, or a
> porcelaneous type b-mix body and sand the pieces, especially handbuilt..
> Just rinsing under water or running water on the piece won't take off the
> dust. I was just rinsing...I thought, rinsing very well. Now, under
> running water, I use a sponge or toothbrush, and anal and obsessively
> overscrub and overwash the piece, always under running
water...toothbrushing
> every little nook and cranny.... no dust particle stands a chance....It
> takes longer to dry back out, and certainly longer to empty out the bisque
> kiln, but I don't have pinholes any more. If you sand, and use a finely
> particled clay body, if you just are rinsing off the piece after bisquing,
> after it is completely dry, run your fingers over it, and see if there is
> still not some dust. That just could be the whole problem, and an easy
> solution.... Just thought I'd throw that in. It's worked great for
> me........I bisque fire and glaze fire as fast as possible, I can do a 2
> hour bisque and a 3-4 hour cone 6 neutral, and that wasn't the
> problem.....dust just doesn't automatically wash off...it
clings.........so
> there..........Melinda Collins, Antigua, Guatemala
>