wjskw@BELLSOUTH.NET on wed 9 mar 05
I moved my studio to VT this summer,
in preparation for our eventual move out of south Florida later this
year. That left me without access to my wheel, clay, kiln, tools,
all the things that make life bearable. For NCECA this year, I did
so want to be a part of the Mug Exchange. What to do, what to do?
A friend from the list sent me a chunk of clay at the last minute,
told me to stop whining, get off my lazy A** and make something
and send it, she would glaze and fire it.
Ship greenware half way across the country, I told my partner?
Surely you jest. No matter how you package it, it's not going to
survive. Can't raku, can't pit fire either in this city. No other
kiln that I know of, last "studio" just went out of business last
month. What to do, what to do?
Partner says: "How hot is the self-cleaning cycle on the oven?"
The man is a genius! =20
Place the piece on the bottom of the oven, set it to 300 for an hour
(to make sure it's dry), then to 550 for an hour (to get it close to
quartz inversion), then into the self clean cycle. 872F for four
hours (about cone 022 half over).
Partner gets a clean oven (that I had to wipe out...grumble, grumble
:>) and I get a somewhat bisqued piece, with a slight ring to it
when flicked with a finger. Wrapped in bubble wrap, surrounded by
peanuts, it made the trip across the country to previously mentioned
friend (Thank you Gail!) to be glazed and fired to cone 10.
Even if it isn't worthy of entry into the Mug exchange (depending on
how it comes out) I'm bringing it to NCECA for folk to have a look.
Wayne Seidl
Key West FL
"When the need arises, the Devil will eat flies"- Old German saying.
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