I thought a provocative title might attract a few more readers this morning. (if your reading this perhaps it worked!?)
Here are shots of the pots and birds in situ...I barely got them out of the kiln before dark so I've only had a brief look. I plan on spending the next few days getting to know them better!
A couple of interesting observations:
I use a series of wood-ash based glazes over the crackle slip and most, but not all, have a crystally(sp?) matt surface that is quite beautiful but very unusual. It looks like you could just wipe it off, but of course, you can't. I'm still trying to work out the whys and wherefores...is it the ash from the firing making a change?...or is it a slower cooling cycle? (it was slower, but not radically so) or my overstrong reduction? Inquiring minds want to know!
I use a simple wadding mix:equal parts alumina and EPK. I added about 25% fine sawdust and the wads just fell away. I've been meaning to try that trick for a long time.
The wood from the source that I mentioned last month worked just fine and I will be arranging a convoy to get much, much more. There is many years' worth of firings free for the taking! A big problem solved! (I hope you find your fuel, Brandon, I sympathize, everything around here is chipped for industry).
Lots more to learn today. The birds are outrageous, the pots rich and I'm still worn out. I'll take better photos.
And stay tuned late next week for my first ever on-line pottery sale! I'm thinking of calling it my "ITCHY" shop, as I'm not a fan of ETSY.
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| First Chamber/front stack (8 lbs. salt) |
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| First Chamber/back stackFull frontal |
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| Second Chamber/front stack (18 lbs. salt) |
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| Second Chamber/back stack |
9 comments:
Yum, yum--- yum those birds are just delicious.
I had to go look twice to see past them.
There are many tasty looking pots in there!
Those birds look fully roasted. Just in time for Thanksgiving.I've used sawdust and like it a lot.The wads come off so well that you can re-use them if the thickness is consistent. Have a nice holiday.
Looks pretty good, Daniel. Nice to see results like that after the long investment of time.
What a fine kiln and stunning pots!
looks good- just opened ours and it didn't reduce as much as usual. Pots still look ok but.....different!
What don't you like about Etsy?
Those birds look better in profile. Happy Thanksgiving.
What a stack of goodies in a beautiful kiln, though the birds still look a bit in shock. Such a lot of work well.
I have to keep going back over the pictures... I find something else to see every time. VERY nice firing!
Lovely! where's my picture?
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