Nice plate. And after looking at your Etsy shop I must say you have a really nice eye for shoes and the way you paint them.
You mentioned that your clay is porous at ^04. What body are you using? It sounds like it isn't maturing at ^04. I am currently using Miller #20 which is very smooth and fires to a nice toasty terra cotta color. It is watertight at ^04. I make all sorts of functional ware from it. Although I don't recommend that customers do it, I use it in the microwave to reheat tea and food with no problems. (The problem is that I can microwave for years and one day the glaze will craze.)
It might help you to do a water absorption test. I forget the exact procedure, but I'm sure you could Google it and get the info.
I don't generally bother with bases for my bird baths as they are alternately used as serving platters. I have handbuilt a few posts out of clay with a flange on the bottom of the bird bath that fits tightly into the top of the post.
I bring all my clay inside for the winter. I do leave bird feeders out but I make them with drainage holes.
I hope this answers a few questions. Please feel free to contact me via email (under my complete profile) if you wish.........*s*
Hi Smartcat! Right now I am using Highwater earthen red which can go as high as cone 5, but I fire to around cone 04, so yes, it is still porous, but that is what my glazes work at. For the birdbaths I could fire to cone 5 and they would be pretty tight, but none of my glazes would work. I suppose I could get mix glaze just for birdbaths...But I want to know about your clay, what company? thanks! CAthy
Nice plate. And after looking at your Etsy shop I must say you have a really nice eye for shoes and the way you paint them.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned that your clay is porous at ^04. What body are you using? It sounds like it isn't maturing at ^04. I am currently using Miller #20 which is very smooth and fires to a nice toasty terra cotta color. It is watertight at ^04. I make all sorts of functional ware from it. Although I don't recommend that customers do it, I use it in the microwave to reheat tea and food with no problems. (The problem is that I can microwave for years and one day the glaze will craze.)
It might help you to do a water absorption test. I forget the exact procedure, but I'm sure you could Google it and get the info.
I don't generally bother with bases for my bird baths as they are alternately used as serving platters. I have handbuilt a few posts out of clay with a flange on the bottom of the bird bath that fits tightly into the top of the post.
I bring all my clay inside for the winter. I do leave bird feeders out but I make them with drainage holes.
I hope this answers a few questions. Please feel free to contact me via email (under my complete profile) if you wish.........*s*
Hi Smartcat! Right now I am using Highwater earthen red which can go as high as cone 5, but I fire to around cone 04, so yes, it is still porous, but that is what my glazes work at.
ReplyDeleteFor the birdbaths I could fire to cone 5 and they would be pretty tight, but none of my glazes would work. I suppose I could get mix glaze just for birdbaths...But I want to know about your clay, what company? thanks! CAthy