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assessing once fired glazes.

updated wed 16 jun 04

 

Lili Krakowski on tue 15 jun 04


Dennis Parks' book has a lot about once firing. He fires with oil, but =
that makes no never mind; the info on once firing still is excellent.

Problems with o/f are sort of obvious. =20

1.You are committed to the greater expense of glaze firing without =
knowing whether you adore the end product or not. That iffy fitting =
lid, that maybe-too-thin bottom (If only there were such a thing in real =
life!) will have cost you extra $ to reveal themselves. =20

2. Certain techniques of decoration are closed to you--or nearly.

3. Because the pot is remoistened kinda when you glaze extra care in =
glazing is needed. Practice makes perfect of course, but...

4. You need to fire your glaze kiln s-l-o-w-l-y. It actually is fired =
like a bisque kiln. How that affects your glazes when you are firing =
these newer glazes that demand specific "ramped" heat and cooling =
patterns, I cannot tell you. No idea.

5. IMO there is more dramatic interaction between body and glaze =
because they release gases at the same time. The gases FROM the body go =
THROUGH the glaze, blah, blah, blah. You will have to test whether on =
your body and with your glazes the effects of once-firing work well or =
not.

As to how to assess results. Mmmmmm. Line up a kiln full of twice =
fired pots. Take your temperature, check your pulse, take your bp. =
Check pupil dilation. (Your eyes, you nut!) Line up a kiln full of =
once fired pots. Take your temperature, check your pulse, take your =
b.p., check pupil dilation. Which firing method made your heart race =
faster, your eyes open wider, your temp. rise?

That is how you decide...

Lili Krakowski