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2008Ceramic Workshop HandbookPottery Tools and Studio Reference
Brought to you by the publishers of
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Publisher: Charles Spahr
Editors: Bill Jones, Pottery Making Illustrated
Sherman Hall, Ceramics Monthly
Assistant Editors: Brandy Agnew, Jessica Knapp
Production Editor: Cynthia Conklin
Editorial Assistant: Holly Goring
Advertising Manager: Mona Thiel
Marketing Manager: Steve Hecker
Online Editor: Jennifer Poellot Harnetty
Editorial and Advertising Offices: 600 N. Cleveland Ave., Suite 210, Westerville, OH 43082 USA
2008 Workshop Handbook is published by the American Ceramic Society, 600 N. Cleveland Ave., Suite 210, Wester-ville, OH 43082.
Opinions expressed are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors or the American Ceramic Society.
Photocopies: Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use beyond the limits of Sections 107 or 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law is granted by The American Ceramic Society, ISSN 0009-0328, provided that the appropriate fee is paid directly to Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Dr., Danvers, MA 01923, USA; (978) 750-8400; www.copyright.com. Prior to photocopying items for class-room use, please contact Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.
This consent does not extend to copying items for general distribution, or for advertising or promotional purposes, or to republishing items in whole or in part in any work in any format. Please direct republication or special copying permission requests to the Publisher, The American Ceramic Society, 600 N. Cleveland Ave., Suite 210, Westerville, Ohio 43082.
Copyright © 2008 The American Ceramic SocietyAll rights reserved
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2008Workshop Handbook
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ContentsWelcome
cover images: top: Participants at the Metchosin International Summer School of Art in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. middle (left to right): Processing native clay for handbuilding at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado; a participant at Hummingbird in Jacksonville, Oregon; Steven Hill demonstrates slip application at Springfield Museum of Art in Spring-field, Ohio; Brian Taylor throwing at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle, Maine.bottom: Ted Saupe details a piece at Santa Fe Clay in New Mexico.
2008Ceramic Workshop HandbookPottery Tools and Studio Reference
Brought to you by the publishers of
Often, in addition to heaps of inspiration and new-found motivation, what we take away from workshops are the little tips or techniques we never considered. Sometimes just one small improvement or one new idea we take away can be enough to justify the entire experience. We have handouts from instructor’s we keep around our studio sometimes for years, and we refer to them often.
There is only so much a presenter can fit into a workshop, and there is only so much information our brains can process and retain in a short period of time. Since most workshops span anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks, the extended experimentation and exploration usually happens afterward, in your own studio. It’s our hope that this publication serves not only as a reminder of your intensive workshop experi-ence, but also as a spark to ignite interest in other avenues of exploration.
The tools and reference material offered here are acces-sible enough to be applicable to all kinds of work, regardless of your current skill level or experience, and they’re refined enough so that they may promote experimentation or discus-sion at your current workshop.
Finding a new way of looking at what we do is part of why workshops can be so productive. Perhaps just a new way of looking at a familiar process is what we need to kick start our efforts in the studio. We hope that you’ll find some inspiration in these pages that opens your eyes, your mind and your hands to something new and exciting. Welcome to your workshop!
Sherman Hall Bill Jones
6 Perfect Plaster by Vince PitelkaWhether you want to slip cast, press mold or just make a drying bat, mixing plaster correctly will make the difference between success and—well something less than success.
8 Clay Tools: FormingIngenious gadgets and techniques to make studio life easier and maybe a little more interesting.
14 Dividing Web by Sylvia ShirleyA popular time saver, this handy tool is indispensable for sectioning the surface of a pot.
16 Colorant Chart by Robin HopperUnless you use no color whatsoever in your work, you’ll want to keep this one handy on glaze testing day.
22 Clay Tools: DecorationSimple items you can make that will let you spend less time preparing and more time decorating your work.
26 Kiln Firing ChartWhat happens in a kiln, and when does it happen, and why do you care? Look no further for the answers.
28 Using Cones by Tim FrederichIf you’re going to bother to spend the energy and hours making your work, you should spend the energy to learn how to fire it properly.
30 Clay Tools: FiringThere is always something we can do to improve our work at every stage of making—and firing is no exception.
32 Choosing a ClayThe most basic of our materials can sometimes be overlooked. Be sure you are using the right clay for the right job.
34 Primary Functions of Raw MaterialsSo you need to reformulate a glaze recipe you haven’t looked at in years. Here’s a handy guide to remind you of what does what.
36 Manufacturers and SuppliersDon’t lose this list! It has anything and everything you need to locate tools, equipment and supplies for the studio.
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Whether you need a drying bat, a simple hump mold, or you’re making a complex slip mold, you’ll
need to mix plaster. Getting the plaster right requires a bit more than just “dumping and mixing.” Here are ten ways to get the best results for your next plaster project.
Prepare Your Mold A common mistake of potters is to mix plaster only to
realize everything’s not set up for pouring. Before casting, make sure your model is set, the mold boards or cottle are secure, and all the surfaces you’re pouring onto are coated with a parting agent such as mold soap.
Prepare Your Work Area You will need a clean mixing container for the plaster,
a scale for weighing the plaster, a measuring cup for the water and a rinse bucket. Note: Plaster cannot be permitted to go down the drain, because it will form a rocklike mass. Even small amounts will accumulate over time. Line a rinse bucket with a plastic garbage bag and fill it with water for rinsing your hands and tools. Allow the plaster to settle for a day, then pour off the water and discard the bag.
Use Fresh Water The mixing water you use should be at room tempera-
ture or 70°F. If the water is too warm, the plaster will set too fast and vice versa. Use only clean, drinkable tap water or distilled water. Metallic salts, such as aluminum sulfate, can accelerate the setting time, and soluble salts can cause efflorescence on the mold surface.
Use Fresh PlasterPlaster is calcined, meaning chemically bound water
has been driven off through heating. If the plaster has been sitting around in a damp environment, it will have lumps in it, in which case it is no longer usable. Pitch it. Use plaster that has been stored dry and is lump free.
Weigh Out MaterialsDo not guess about the amounts of plaster and water
you’ll need. Once you start the mixing process, you do not want to go back and adjust quantities. To deter-mine the amount you need, estimate the volume in cubic inches then divide by 231 for gallons, or by 58 for quarts. Deduct 20% to allow for the volume of plaster, then refer to the table.
Add Plaster To WaterSlowly sift the plaster onto the surface of the water.
Do not dump the plaster or toss it in by handfuls. Adding the plaster shouldn’t take more than 3 minutes.
Soak The PlasterAllow the plaster to soak for 1–2 minutes maximum.
The soaking allows each plaster crystal to be completely
WATER TO PlASTER Mixing ChART
1 quart . . . . . 2 lbs. 14 oz. (1,293 grams)1Z\x quarts . . . 4 lbs. 4 oz. (1,937 grams)2 quarts . . . . 5 lbs. 11 oz. (2,585 grams)2Z\x quarts . . . 7 lbs. 2 oz. (3,230 grams)3 quarts . . . . . 8 lbs. 9 oz. (3,878 grams)3Z\x quarts . . . . . . . 10 lbs. (4,522 grams)1 gallon . . . . 11 lbs. 6 oz. (5,171 grams)1Z\x gallons . . 17 lbs. 2 oz. (7,756 grams)2 gallons . . . 22 lbs. 13 oz. (10,337 grams)2Z\x gallons . 28 lbs. 8 oz. (12,923 grams)3 gallons . . 34 lbs. 3 oz. (15,508 grams)This table is based on USG® No. 1 Pottery Plaster mixed to a consistency of 73 (73 parts plaster to 100 parts water) recommended for most studio appli-cations. Excessive water yields a more porous but more brittle mold, and less water means a very dense, hard mold that will not absorb water.
surrounded by water and it removes air from the mix. Small batches require less soaking than large batches. If the soaking time is too short, it may contribute to pinholes; and if it is too long, it will contribute to fast set times, early stiffening and gritty mold surfaces.
Mix The PlasterSmall batches of plaster can be mixed by hand. Use
a constant motion with your hand and you will notice a change in consistency from watery to a thick cream. Break down lumps with your fingers as you mix. Mix only for a minute or two being very careful not to agitate the mixture so much that air bubbles are incorporated into the mix. Mixing time affects absorption rates—longer mixing times produce tighter and less-absorptive molds.
Pouring The PlasterAfter mixing, tap the bucket on a hard surface to
release trapped air. Pour the plaster carefully. Wherever possible, pour plaster carefuly into the deepest area so the slurry flows evenly across the surface of the mold. Once the mold is poured, tap the table with a rubber mallet to vibrate the mold and release more air bubbles.
Drying PlasterWhen plaster sets, it heats up because of a chemical
reaction. When it has cooled, it is safe to remove the cottles or forms—about 45 minutes to an hour after pouring. Molds must be dry before use. Drying molds properly promotes good strength development, uni-form absorption and reduced efflorescence. Dry molds evenly. Don’t set them near a kiln where one side is exposed to excessive heat or the relative humidity is near zero. Place them on racks in a relatively dry loca-tion away from drafts.
Sources: United States Gypsum (USG) Company and Clay: A Studio Handbook, by Vince Pitelka, published by The American Ceramic Society, 2001.
Perfect Plaster by Vince Pitelka
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Clay Tools: FormingSqueeze and Score
With a little squeeze, this tool automatically supplies water to the clay you are scoring to make attachments. To make it, you will need an empty glue bottle and a piece of coat hanger or heavy wire that is 1 inch longer than the height of the bottle and slightly larger in diameter than the hole in the cap. Sharpen one end of the wire with a file or grinder and insert it through the hole in the cap. You will need to cut off the stopper inside the cap first. Bend the blunt end of the wire at a 90° angle so it rests against the bottom of the bottle (this will provide stability when scoring). Fill the bottle with water and squeeze. Drops of water will run down to the tip of the wire wetting the clay that you are scoring. If water does not squeeze out, just move the wire left and right to make the hole bigger and try again. —Paveen Chunhaswasdikul, Gadsden, Alabama
household Clay DryingDuring my first year of pottery classes, I found myself trying a num-
ber of the available clays to learn of their traits and qualities. I saved my scraps and kept them in separate buckets of water at home. I don’t have a plaster surface to dry out the recycled clays, so I improvised.
Pictured is a plastic sweater storage box with wood shavings in the bottom. To keep the shavings in place I use an old retired dish towel, or pieces of old sheets. On top of that I have a piece of canvas to contain the wet clay. That makes it very simple to lift the clay and roll it up when it’s ready to be bagged for future use. If the clay is getting ready to bag and I do not have time to deal with it just then, I simply put the lid on the box for a day or two.
After the clay is removed, the shavings underneath dry out and are ready for the next batch. I use a clean canvas for each clay type, espe-cially the white ones, to avoid contamination of color or texture. A note indicating clay type is taped to each bucket, then moved with the clay as it dries so I always know what clay I’m working with.
I hose off the canvas outside over a bush or under a thirsty tree. That keeps our plumbing free of clay. The wood shavings go on the compost pile. —Heather Bartmann, Fort Collins, Colorado
Don’t Sweat the DryingI am a part-time teacher and ceramics artist, and part-time home-
maker (or as I like to think, “domestic goddess”). Sometimes when I have the time to work and need to trim, but
my pots aren’t dry enough, I will set them on the sweater shelf of my
clothes dryer and allow the warm air to circulate around the pots until they are leather hard. This usually only takes 10–15 minutes and works perfectly! It results in nice, even drying, and the only limitation is the size of your dryer.
I’ve shared this tip with several potters and they all love it. Most dryers now come with these shelves (mine is fifteen years old!). Hope it helps others with home studios. —Peggy Breidenbach, Indianapolis, Indiana
Quick-Change ArtistFor throwing mugs and small bowls, I use a quick-change bat
system. To make one, you need one square plastic bat that attaches to your wheel head with bat pins, PVC molding from the hardware store, PVC cement, and some commercial 6-inch-square terra-cotta tiles. Cut the PVC molding into two 5-inch lengths and two 4¼-inch lengths. Place one of the terra-cotta tiles in the center of the plastic bat and dry-fit the PVC molding around it, leaving two corners open to make it easy to remove the tiles. Glue down the molding with the cement and let it dry. Remove the tile from the assembly while it dries or you won’t get it out later. Once it’s dry, mount the plastic bat on your bat pins, insert a terra-cotta tile and throw your pot. You can quickly remove the tile and insert a fresh
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The splash pan that came with my wonderful new wheel was a little short for the thick bats I use for large platters. This created a lot of problems with slip and trimmings splash-ing everywhere. Out of frustration came this an-swer to my problems:
I cut a piece of I-inch foam pipe insulation (the kind with a slit all the way down the length) and a piece of H-inch clear vinyl tub-ing to fit the circumfer-ence of the splash pan. I inserted the tubing into the insulation foam and placed it on top of the splash pan rim, working it down gently onto the rim, making sure the vinyl tubing stayed on top of the rim. I taped the two ends of the foam insulation tightly together with duct tape. This ring can be removed and replaced when extra height is needed, and it also provides a good deal of cushion for your arms when throwing.—Ann Krestensen, Bozman, Maryland
one for your next pot. A terra-cotta tile costs about 30 cents, so it makes a really cheap bat. —Sylvia Shirley, Pittsburg, Kansas
height and Comfort
pipe
insulation
vinyl
tubing
splash pan
Sponge BrushFor making a sponge-
on-a-stick, I use one of those 3-inch-diameter round yellow sponges. I cut off about 1 inch on opposite edges and glue an old paint brush into the center of the remaining sponge using Superglue. This gives the sponge long, sharp edges that reach all the way into the corner of a pot. The two pieces that are cut away are excellent for fettling excess glaze from the bottoms of pots and smoothing rims. Since they are triangular at their ends, they can easily get into tight corners.—Eugene Prial, Westfield, New Jersey
Make a name for Yourself
Having not yet come up with a good, clean way to sign my pots, I decided to try to make a signature stamp. Using a broad-tipped marker, I signed my name on plastic wrap, flipped the plastic wrap over to the reverse side and traced the outside lines of my signature onto a pad of clay with a needle tool. After letting the clay dry until just before leather hard, I carved away the excess clay with small tools and, voila, the signature ap-pears in relief. Create an embossed signature using the same plastic wrap but this time use a dull pencil to impress and don’t carve. —Gini James, Silver Spring, Maryland
leftover sections
center section of sponge
Clay Tools: Forming
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Extrude Anywhere
In order to make an extruder portable (those of us who have limited studio space need to make all sorts of things portable), purchase an adjustable roller stand and a piece of steel tubing
the same size in cross-section as the adjustable tube. Mine is 5 feet long, and that seems to be plenty tall enough. Drill holes in this piece of steel tube to correspond to your extruder’s mounting holes and attach it. That’s really all there is to it!
The adjustable roller stand is designed to be used with woodworking equipment like a tablesaw or planer, so it can be found at most places that sell woodworking power tools. —Fujie Robesky, Fresno, California
Temporary TemplateI have found that rigid foam-core board, used by artists and fram-
ers, is a handy material for creating templates for repeated shapes to be thrown on the wheel. It can be easily cut with a single-edge blade or a mat knife, and it can be sanded smooth. Since it is paper on both sides, it must be made waterproof, and emulsion wax resist works great. Do not use an acrylic spray, because it will melt the foam in the core. I have used these templates for as many as 25 duplicate forms. They can be used for interior as well as exterior shapes. —Robert Brown, Miami, Florida
Serious PlayA tool that has become an indispensable part of my studio, and
that of several friends, is a simple, economical childs toy. My wife was watching me work in my studio while I was handbuilding a small piece, attempting to roll out a small coil to caulk a clay joint. She mentioned that I should use my daughter’s Play-Doh Fun Factory to form the coil. How simple.
Clay Tools: Forming
Remove
this part.
Add this part and
attach your extruder
at the proper height.
Since then, I use the Fun Factory for making various shapes, small handles as well as coils. I purchased a flat plastic fluorescent light cover from a local hardware store and make my own dies to fit into the Fun Factory for additional shapes and designs.
I use it with stoneware and porcelain, and it handles each with ease. The tool has only two parts, which snap apart for easy cleaning—much easier than using and cleaning an extruder for a small task. You could donate the Play-Doh that comes with the item to your favorite tot and everyone wins! —Rick Erickson, Green Bay, Virginia
Sphere PerfectionTo make a hollow clay ball perfectly smooth and spherical, it must be
closed so the air can’t escape, but it does not have to look good at first. After you pinch or throw the ball, rotate it on a table until it is reasonably round. Now you need a rigid plastic hemisphere. I bought a clear plastic sphere made of two halves that come apart (used to hold ornaments) at a crafts-supply store. You can also use a bowl, but it must be perfectly round and smooth inside—no bottom. The diameter of the bowl should be at least twice as much as the desired ball. Put your clay ball in the bowl and swirl it around. In a few seconds, you will have a very smooth ball, perfect for creating all kinds of fruits and vegetables. — Talli Barr, Nahalal, Israel
Rolling AwayUse discarded casters or bed-frame
rollers as clay rollers. Even new ones will work, and they are not that expen-sive. Drill a hole the same diameter as the caster stem into a piece of wooden dowel to create a handle. Caster posts can be glued into this hole if they are loose. The surface of some of the softer wheels can be carved with designs. — Charley Farrero, Meacham, Saskatchewan, Canada
The rolling surface of the wheels can be carved.
Drill a hole in the handle that is the same diameter as the caster post.
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Dividing Web by Sylvia Shirley
Making the WebUse a photocopier to enlarge this wheel to the desired size. Attach it to a wheel head-sized circle of cardboard.
Cover with plastic wrap or have it laminated at an office supply store.
This handy guide makes it easy to divide the surface of any round pot into as many as twelve equal sections. Whether your decorating, darting, paddling or attaching handles and spouts, you’ll want to keep a few of these around the studio.
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ideas to get Started
Accurately marking off divisions on your form opens up a world of potential design work. Once the desired number of marks are made, decorate as desired, using sgrafitto, trailed slip, brushed oxides, etc.
Using the Dividing Web
Center a pot on the wheel. Draw circles on the pot using a red felt-tip pen. Align the pointer with the selected line and posi-tion the Popsicle sticks to to pot. Tighten the wing nuts. Make a tic mark at the end of the Popsicle stick using the red felt pen. Move the pointer to the next position and repeat.
The PointerThe pointer helps
you transfer marks from the dividing web to the pot. Make sure the bottom of the pointer is square and the front side is perpendicular.
Dividing Web
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The potter’s palette can be just as broad as the painter’s. Different techniques can be closely equated
to working in any of the two-dimensional media, such as pencil, pen and ink, pastel, watercolor, oils, encaustics or acrylics. We also have an advantage in that the fired clay object is permanent, unless disposed of with a blunt instrument! Our works may live for thousands of years-a sobering thought.
Because a number of colors can only be achieved at low temperatures, you need a series of layering tech-niques in order to have the fired strength of stoneware or porcelain and the full palette range of the painter. To accomplish this, low-temperature glazes or overglazes are made to adhere to a higher-fired glazed surface, and can be superimposed over already existing decoration. To gain the full measure of color, one has to fire progres-sively down the temperature range so as not to burn out heat-sensitive colors that can’t be achieved any other way. Usually the lowest and last firing is for precious met-als: platinum, palladium and gold.
Ceramists looking for difficult-to-achieve colors might want to consider prepared stains, particularly in the yellow, violet and purple ranges. These colors are often quite a problem with standard minerals, be they in the form of oxides, carbonates, nitrates, sulfates, chlorides or even the basic metal itself.
The chart should help pinpoint mineral choices for de-sired colors (note that the color bars are for guidance only and not representative of the actual colors —Ed.). Colors are listed with the minerals needed to obtain them, ap-proximate temperatures, atmosphere, saturation percent-age needed, and comments on enhancing/inhibiting factors. Because of the widely variable nature of ceramic color, there are many generalities here. Where the word “vary” occurs in the column under Cone, it signifies that the intended results could be expected most of the time at various points up to Cone 10.
Red to OrangeFor the hot side of the spectrum—red, orange, and
yellow—there are many commercial body and glaze stains, in addition to the usual mineral colorants.
Minerals that give reds, oranges and yellows are cop-per, iron, nickel, chromium, uranium, cadmium-selenium, rutile, antimony, vanadium, and praseodymium. Varia-tions in glaze makeup, temperature and atmosphere profoundly affect this particular color range. The only materials which produce red at high temperature are copper, iron and nickel —usually muted. Reds in the scarlet to vermilion range can only be achieved at low temperatures.
Colorant Chartby Robin Hopper
COLORANT CONE ATMOS. % COMMENTS
Dark Red
Copper Vary Red. 0.5%-5% Best in glazes containing less than 10% clay content, and a high alkaline content. Needs good reduction. In low temperatures it can be reduced during cool-ing. Good reds as low as Cone 018.
Iron Vary Both 5%-10% Good in many glaze bases at all temperatures. Can be improved with the addition of 2%-5% tin oxide.
Nickel 4-10 Ox. 5%-8% Use in barium-saturated glazes.
Burgundy
Iron See Dark Red, Iron.
Copper See Dark Red, Copper. Owing to the unstable nature of copper, this colorant can produce a wide range of results. Very controlled reduction firing and cooling are important.
Maroon
Chrome-Tin Stains Vary Ox. 1%-5% Use in glazes with calcium. There should be no zinc in the glaze.
Copper Vary Red. 0.5%-5% Best in high alkaline glazes.
Crimson
Copper + Titanium 8-10 Red. 1%-5% Try various blends of copper (1%-5%) and titanium (2%-5%).
Calcium- 010-05 Ox. 0.5-5% Best with special frits.
Indian Red
Iron Vary Both 5%-10% Best in high calcium glazes; small amount of bone ash helps. Tin addition up to 5% also helps. Also works well in ash glazes.
Brick Red
Iron Vary Both 5%-10% Similar to Indian Red. Tin to 2% helps.
Orange-Brown
Iron + Rutile Vary Both 1%-10% Various mixtures (up to 8% iron and 2% rutile) in most glaze bases.
Iron + Tin Vary Both 1%-5% Various mixtures (up to 4% iron and 1% tin) in most glaze bases. Creamier than iron with rutile.
Orange-Red
Cadmium- 012-05 Ox. 1%-4% Best with special frits such as Ferro 3548 or 3278 or both. Helps to opacify with zirconium.
Orange
Iron Vary Both 1%-5% Use in tin or titanium opacified glazes.
Rutile Vary Both 5%-15% Many glaze types, particularly alkaline. More suc-cessful in oxidation.
Copper 8-10 Both 1%-3% Use in high alumina or magnesia glazes. Addition of up to 5% rutile sometimes helps.
Orange-Yellow
Iron Vary Both 2%-5% With tin or titanium opacified glazes.
Rutile Vary Ox. 1%-10% Best with alkaline glazes.
Yellow Ocher
Iron Vary Both 1%-10% Use in high barium, strontium or zinc glazes.
Iron + Tin Vary Ox. 1%-5% Various mixtures (up to 3.5% iron and 1.5% tin) in many glaze bases.
Iron + Rutile Vary Both 1%-5% Various mixtures (up to 2.5% iron and 2.5% rutile) in many glaze bases.
Vanadium- Vary Ox. 5%-10%Various mixtures in many Zirconium Stain glaze bases.
Lemon Yellow
Praseodymium Stains Vary Both 1%-10% Good in most glazes. Best in oxidation.
Pale/Cream Yellow
Iron + Tin Vary Both 2%-5% Various mixtures (up to 3.5% iron and 1.5% tin) in high barium, strontium or zinc glazes. Titanium opacification helps.
Vanadium Vary Both 2%-5% Use in tin-opacified glazes.
Rutile + Tin Vary Ox. 2%-5% Various mixtures (up to 2.5% iron and 2% tin) in variety of glaze bases. Titanium opacification helps.
Selenium Stains
Zirconian Stains
Selenium Stains
Note: Colors bars are for visual reference only, and do not represent actual colors.
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The cool side of the glaze spectrum (from yellow-green to navy blue) is considerably easier, both to produce and work with, than the warm. In the main, colorants that control this range create far fewer prob-lems than almost any of the red, orange and yellow range. Some are temperature and atmosphere sensi-tive, but that’s nothing compared to the idiosyncrasies possible with warm colors.
The colorants known for creating cool hues are copper, chromium, nickel, cobalt, iron and sometimes molybdenum. For variations, some are modified by titanium, rutile, manganese or black stains. The usual three variables of glaze makeup, temperature and atmosphere still control the outcome, though it is less obvious in this range.
Yellow-green to navy Blue
Yellow Green
Copper + Rutile Vary Both 2%-10% Various mixtures in a wide variety of glazes, particularly those high in alkaline materials. Almost any yellow glaze to which copper is added will produce yellow green.
Chromium Vary Both 0.5%-3% In yellow glazes without tin or zinc.
Chromium 4-8 Ox. 0.25%-1% In saturated barium glazes.
Chromium 018-015 Ox. 0-2% In high alkaline glazes with no tin.
Cobalt Vary Both 0-1% In any yellow glazes.
Light Green
Copper Vary Ox. 0-2.5% In various glazes except those high in barium or mag-nesium. Best in glazes opacified with tin or titanium.
Cobalt Vary Both 0-2% In glazes opacified with titanium, or containing rutile.
Apple Green
Chromium Vary Both 0-2% In various glazes without zinc or tin. Good in alkaline glazes with zirconium opacifiers. Also use potassium di-chromate.
Copper 1%-2% See Light Green; use in non-opacified glazes.
Celadon Green
Iron Vary Red 0.5%-2% Best with high sodium, calcium or potassium glazes. Do not use with zinc glazes.
Copper Vary Ox. 0.5%-2% Good in a wide range of glazes.
Grass Green
Copper 010-2 Ox. 1%-5% In high lead glazes; sometimes with boron.
Chromium 018-04 Ox. 1%-2% In high alkaline glazes.
Olive Green
Nickel Vary Both 1%-5% In high magnesia glazes; matt to shiny olive green.
Iron Vary Red. 3%-5% In high calcium and alkalines, usually clear glazes.
Hooker’s Green
Copper + Cobalt Vary Ox. 2%-5% In a wide variety of glaze bases.
Cobalt + Vary Both 2%-5% In a wide variety of glaze Chromiumbases: no zinc or tin. Good opacified with zirconium or titanium.
Chrome Green
Chromium 06-12 Both 2%-5% In most glazes; no zinc or tin.
Dark Green
Copper Vary Ox. 5%-10% Many glaze bases, particularly high barium, stron-tium, zinc or alkaline with a minimum of 10% ka-olin.
Cobalt + Chromium Vary Both 5%-10% Blends of these colorants will give a wide range of dark greens.
Cobalt + Rutile Vary Both 5%-10% Dark greens with blue overtones.
Teal Blue
Cobalt + Rutile Vary Both 1%-5% In a wide variety of glazes.
Cobalt + Chromium Vary Both 1%-5% In most glazes without tin or zinc.
Turquoise
Copper Vary Ox. 1%-10% In high alkaline and barium glazes. Bluish with no clay content; tends toward greenish tint with added clay.
Copper + Rutile Vary Both 1%-5% In high alkaline and barium glazes.
Copper + Tin Vary Ox. 1%-10% In high alkaline and barium glazes; usually opaque.
Light Blue
Nickel Vary Ox. 1%-2% In high zinc or barium glazes.
Rutile Vary Red. 1%-5% In a wide range of glazes; best with low (10% or less) clay content.
Cobalt Vary Both 0.25%-1% Use in most glazes, particularly those opacified with tin. Also use mixed with small amounts of iron.
Celadon Blue
Iron 6-10 Red. 0.25%-1% In high alkaline or calcium clear glazes. Black iron is generally preferable to red iron.
Wedgewood Blue
Cobalt + Iron Vary Both 0.5%-2% In most glazes; small amounts of cobalt with iron, manganese or nickel yield soft blues. Added tin gives pastel blue.
Cobalt + Manganese Vary Both 0.5%-2%
Cobalt + Nickel Vary Both 0.5%-2%
Cobalt 4-10 Both 0.5%-3% In high zinc glazes.
Nickel 4-10 Ox. 1%-3% In high barium/zinc glazes; likely to be crystalline.
Blue Gray
Nickel Vary Ox. 0.5%-5% In high barium/zinc glazes.
Rutile Vary Red. 2%-5% In a wide variety of glazes, particularly high alumina or magnesia recipes.
Cobalt + Manganese Vary Both 0.5%-2% In most opaque glazes.
Cobalt Vary Ox. 0.5%-5% In high zinc glazes.
Ultramarine
Cobalt Vary Both 0.5%-5% In high barium, colemanite and calcium glazes; no zinc, magnesium or opacification.
Cerulean Blue
Cobalt Vary Both 0.5%-5% In glazes containing cryolite of fluorspar.
Cobalt + Chromium Vary Both 2%-5% In most glazes except those containing zinc or tin.
Prussian Blue
Nickel 6-10 Ox. 5%-10% In high barium/zinc glazes.
Cobalt + Manganese Vary Both 5%-10% In most glaze bases.
Cobalt + Manganese Vary Both 5%-10% In most glazes; for example, cobalt 2%, chromium 2% and manganese 2%.
Navy Blue
Cobalt Vary Both 5%-10% In most glazes except those high in zinc, barium or magnesium.
COLORANT CONE ATMOS. % COMMENTS COLORANT CONE ATMOS. % COMMENTS
Note: Colors bars are for visual reference only, and do not represent actual colors.
Colorant Chart
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indigo to Purple The indigo-to-purple part of the color wheel is small
but significant. The colorants that produce this range are nickel, cobalt, manganese, umber, iron, chromium, rutile ilmenite, copper, iron chromate, and black stains. In short, one could say that the colorants needed include just about the whole group that are used for all the other colors in the spectrum. The only ones I haven’t talked about previously in this articles series are umber, ilmenite, iron chromate and black stains.
Black stains Formulated from a variable mixture of other colorants, black stains are usually rather expen-sive due to their being saturations of colorant materials. Various companies produce black stains usually from a combination of iron, cobalt, chromium, manganese, iron chromate and sometimes nickel mixed with fillers and fluxes such as clay, feldspar and silica. I use the following recipe:
This mixture is best ball-milled for a minimum of four hours to limit its tendency toward cobalt specking, and to make sure that the colorants are thoroughly mixed. Because any black stain is a very concentrated mixture, only small amounts are normally needed to cause a strong effect. In a clear glaze, a maximum of 5% should produce an intense black. In opaque glazes, more stain than that may be needed. Black stains and white opaci-fiers mixed together will produce a range of opaque grays. Stains, like other ceramic materials, are subject to the three variables of glaze makeup, temperature and atmosphere.
Outside the color wheel one finds tones of brown, gray and black. These moderate other colors. A color wheel could, I suppose, include the range of opacifiers since they also have a strong role in affecting color. The toning influence of brown, gray and black is just as much opacifying in result as are the white opacifiers such as tin, titanium and zirconium compounds such as Zircopax, Opax, Superpax, and Ultrox. Slight additional increments of any of these colors will render most glazes, colored or not, progressively darker as they are added.
Excerpted from Glazes: Materials, Recipes and Techniques. For the full text and complete explanation of these colorant charts, refer to Robin Hopper’s book, The Ceramic Spectrum: A Simplified Approach to Glaze and Color Development, Krause Publications, 2001.
Note: Colors bars are for visual reference only, and do not represent actual colors.
BlACK STAinChromium Oxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 %Cobalt Carbonate or Oxide . . . . . . . . 20Manganese Dioxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Red Iron Oxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Feldspar (any) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Kaolin (any) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Flint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 100 %
Indigo
Nickel Vary Ox. 8%-15% Use in high barium/zinc glazes. Also likely to crystal-lize.
Cobalt + Manganese Vary Both 5%-10% Various mixtures in most glazes.
Cobalt + Black Stain Vary Both 5%-8% Various mixtures in most glazes.
Violet
Cobalt Vary Both 5%-10% In high magnesium glazes.
Nickel Vary Ox. 1%-10% In some saturated-barium glazes.
Manganese Vary Both 5%-10% In high alkaline glazes.
Copper Vary Ox. 8%-10% In some saturated-barium glazes.
Purple
Copper 6-10 Both 8%-10% In high barium and barium/zinc glazes.
Copper 8-10 Red. 1%-5% In copper red glazes opacified with titanium.
Nickel Vary Ox. 5%-10% In some high barium glazes.
Cobalt Vary Both 5%-10% In high magnesium glazes.
Manganese 04-10 Ox. 5%-10% In high alkaline and barium glazes.
Iron 8-10 Red. 8%-10% In high calcium glazes; likely to crystallize.
Copper + Cobalt Vary Red. 2%-8% Various mixtures in many glazes.
Chrome + Tin + Cobalt Vary Ox. 2%-8% Various mixtures in many glazes.
Mauve or Lilac
Cobalt Vary Both 1%-5% In high magnesium glazes.
Nickel Vary Ox. 1%-5% In some saturated-barium glazes.
Pink
Cobalt Vary Ox. 1%-3% In high magnesium glazes opacified with tin. Also in very low alumina content glazes.
Copper Vary Red. 0.2%-2% In copper red glazes with titanium.
Copper 6-10 Ox. 0.2%-3% In high magnesium or high alumina glazes.
Copper 8-10 Red. 5%-10% In copper red glazes opacified w/min. 5% titanium.
Chromium Vary Ox. 1%-2% In calcium glazes opacified with 5%-10% tin.
Iron Vary Ox. 1%-5% In calcium glazes opacified with tin.
Rutile Vary Both 5%-10% In high calcium and some ash glazes.
Nickel 018-010 Ox. 1%-3% In high barium glazes with some zinc.
Manganese Vary Both 1%-5% In alkaline glazes opacified with tin or titanium. Also in high alumina glazes.
Brown
Iron Vary Both 3%-10% In most glazes.
Manganese Vary Both 2%-10% In most glazes.
Nickel Vary Both 2%-5% In high boron, calcium and lead glazes.
Chromium Vary Both 2%-5% In high zinc glazes.
Umber Vary Both 2%-10% In most glazes.
Ilmenite Vary Both 2%-10% In most glazes. High calcium may yield bluish tint.
Rutile Vary Both 5%-10% In most glazes; golden brown.
Gray
Iron Vary Red. 2%-4% In many glaze bases; gray brown.
Iron Chromate Vary Both 2%-5% In most glaze bases without zinc or tin.
Nickel Vary Both 2%-5% In most glaze bases; gray brown.
Copper 8-10 Both 3%-10% In high magnesium glazes. Warm gray in reduction; cold gray in oxidation.
Cobalt + Nickel Vary Both 1%-5% Blue gray in most glazes.
Cobalt + Manganese Vary Both 1%-5% Blue gray to purple gray in most glazes.
Black Stain Vary Both 1%-5% Shades of gray in most opacified glazes.
Black
Iron Vary Both 8%-12% In high calcium glazes — the temmoku range.
Copper Vary Both 8%-10% In a wide range of glazes.
Cobalt Vary Both 8%-10% Blue black in most glazes except those high in zinc and magnesium.
Black Stain Vary Both 3%-10% In most zinc-free, nonopacified glazes.
COLORANT CONE ATMOS. % COMMENTS
Colorant Chart
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This process has several advantages over wax. It is cleaner, safer and cheaper than waxing. It is reversible; if you screw up your glaze job, you simply let the piece dry out and in a few hours you can try again. It works better for heavy iron glazes. It is easier to wipe the glaze off of saturated bisque than wax. —Anthony Merino, San Marcos, Texas
Spray MaskingI spray a lot of my glazes and stains, and I do a lot of masking. The
best thing I have found to keep this spray off a particular part of a pot is open-cell foam. I use pieces that are slightly thicker than those that come in Or-ton cone boxes (although those work pretty well). I hold the foam with my left hand and can get a straight or curved line. Also, the foam catches drips when I’m spraying up close. It can then be rinsed out and reused. —Diana Pittis, Daniels, West Virginia
Mini BlungerI am pretty lazy
about blunging, and because of an arthritic condition, stirring lit-tle batches of cement-hard slip becomes quite wearisome very quickly. I recently found a wonderful device to help me do this: an immer-sion blender—one of those handy-dandy drink mixers that has a wee, tiny little blade and generates a tre-mendous amount of agitation while turn-ing fruit into puréed smoothies. It only costs about $10. It’s easy to clean and thoroughly works over the most gloppy, dried-out glazes and slips. Just add some water to the dried slip or glaze and whiz away!
The device draws quite a suction on the bottom of a container, so be advised that a sturdy container is necessary. And the tiny blades are very sharp, so be careful!
To clean the device, simply place the stirring mechanism into a container of clean water and whiz away! Any residual glaze or slip can be wiped off with a damp sponge. What used to take me twenty minutes now takes about three minutes. Happy blunging! —Lisa Reiser, Greenwich, New Jersey
Mini TongsWhen space is limited, a pair of staple removers make great
miniature glaze-dipping tongs. They fit inside the palms of your
Pinning Parallel linesI became frustrated by not being able to draw parallel lines in curves
or arcs on my work when it is leather hard. If I tried to draw the lines separately, it would never work, and even if I held two tools at once, one would always wander. I found that a clothespin actually performs this task wonderfully.
I sharpen the ends you use as a handle (if you were actually using it as a clothespin) and use these points to draw the lines. They are held at
a consistent distance apart, and are infinitely adjustable between open and closed. To adjust the space be-tween the points, I put various small cy-lindrical objects in the groove of the “mouth” of the pin (pen caps, pencils, dowels). The larger the object in the mouth, the closer the lines become. This tool has become a staple in our studio. —Ken Magee, Talahassee, Florida.
Fixing Finger FatigueI recently attended a
wonderful clay workshop focused on the sgraffito process of decoration. Because this involves very controlled carving, at the end of the day ev-eryone was complaining about finger strain and calluses, especially as the clay surfaces gradually dried, making it more difficult to carve.
I have made a comfortable device that will ease finger fatigue and calluses: I slip a 1H-inch plastic straw over a tool, with H inch of the blade sticking out. I then slip a pencil grip over the straw. The straw supports the grip beyond the handle, so your fingers are closer to the working tip. —Ellen Kong, Durham, North Carolina
Turning Water into WaxTry using water instead of wax as a resist when glazing. Simply
set out a tray with about G to H inch of water in it. Set your piece in the water for at least two minutes. Glaze sticks to bisque primar-ily because the water in the glaze gets absorbed into the piece. If the bisque ware is already saturated with water, the glaze will not stick. It can simply be wiped off with a wet sponge.
Clay Tools: Decoration
very handy,
very fast,
very sharp!
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hands, so they can be more easily maneuvered in a glaze bucket than regular-sized dipping tongs. Don’t forget to round off the sharp teeth with a file so they won’t scratch your bisqueware. —Paveen Chunhaswasdikul, Gadsden, Alabama
Pencil PushingWhen making beads, I use a pencil to push the hole in on one end
until the point of the pencil comes just barely through the bead (1). I then remove the pencil and push it in through the small hole made by the tip on the opposite end of the bead (2). This makes a nice, clean, finished hole. To glaze the bisque-fired bead, I simply insert the pencil
into the hole again and dip it into the glaze (3). Since the angle of the hole is the same as the pencil, friction keeps it from falling into the glaze. You can also use small dowels or chopsticks for smaller beads instead of a pencil; just sharpen them in your pencil sharpener.—Kathy Sandberg, Plymouth, Michigan
Rolling StampsThe simplest method of creating rolling stamps is to wrap a clay
slab around a tubular shape (a cardboard tube, wooden dowel or plastic
Points have
been filed to
avoid scratching
bisqueware
1
2
3
glaze
pipe), which pro-vide a rigid back-ing when applying a texture to the slabs. A piece of newspaper placed between the form and the clay will prevent sticking when removing the support. Stamps also can be made by throwing a cy-lindrical or conical form. The center spout is pulled up first, then the outer wall is then raised to form the working surface of the stamp, which will be carved when leather
hard. Make sure that the outer surface is perpendicular to the wheel head. An extruder can also produce tubular shapes for rolling stamps. Just cap the ends with slabs, leaving small holes in the center to allow dowels to be used as handles. Interesting surfaces can be obtained by cutting the cylinders into sections and reassembling the parts into different positions.
After bisque firing, simply roll the stamps over the surface of the clay with the palm of the hand while varying the pressure to correspond to the width of the stamp. The roll-ing stamp is ideal for quickly
decorating a platter rim. The stamp, held rigidly in a fixed position, quickly prints out the repeated pattern as the wheel spins. Lifting at the right moment can be tricky, but a little practice is all you need.—William Shinn, Santa Maria, CA
Clay Tools: Decoration
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TEMPERATURE
°C °F 1400 2552
1300 2372
1200 2192
1100 2012
1000 1832
900 1652
800 1472
700 1292
600 1112
500 932
400 752
300 572
200 392
100 212
COnE
(approx.)
141312111098765432010203
04
05
06070809010011012013014015016
017
018
019
020
021
022
inCAnDESCEnCE
Brilliant white
White
Yellow-white
Yellow
Yellow-orange
Orange
Red-orange
Cherry red
Dull red
Dark red
Dull red glow
Black
EvEnT
End of porcelain range.
End of stoneware range.
End of earthenware (red clay) range.
1100–1200˚C: Mullite and cristobalite (two types of silica) form as clay
begins to convert to glass. Particles start melting together to form crystals,
and materials shrink as they become more dense. Soaking (holding the
end temperature) increases the amount of fused material and the mount
of chemical action between the fluxes and the more refractory materials.
800–900˚C: the beginning of sintering, the stage where clay particles begin
to cement themselves together to create a hard material called bisque.
300–800˚C: Carbonaceous materials (impurities in the clay along with
paper, wax, etc.) burn out. The kiln requires ample air during this stage
since after 800˚C sintering begins and the clay surface begins to seal off,
trapping unburned materials and sulfides, which can cause bloating and
black coring.
573˚C: Quartz inversion occurs where the quartz crystals change from an
alpha (a) structure to a beta (b) structure. The inversion is reversed on cool-
ing. This conversion creates stressses in the clay so temperature changes
must be slow to avoid cracking the work.
Between 480–700ºC chemical water (“water smoke”) is driven off.
Upon cooling, cristobalite, a crystalline form of silica found in all clay bod-
ies, shrinks suddenly at 220ºC. Fast cooling at this temperature causes
ware to crack.
Water boils and converts to steam at 100ºC. Trapped water causes clay to
explode so keep the kiln below 100ºC until all water has evaporated.
Firing converts ceramic work from weak greenware into a strong, durable permanent form. As the temperature in a kiln rises, many changes take place at different temperatures and understanding what happens during the firing can help you avoid problems with a variety of clay and glaze faults related to firing.
Kiln Firing Chart
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Manual Kilns: Place small cone in kiln sitter in offset position with small end toward center or place next lower cone in kiln sitter.
Controller Kilns: Decrease small amounts of “hold” or “soak” time if this has been set, or lower your end setpoint temperature in custom programs.
“hold” or “Soak” TimeWhen you “soak” a kiln, you hold
the kiln at a certain temperature. As shown here, you can see that it takes a significant amount of soaking to cause the next cone to deform. Soak time can be used to equalize the temperature distribution within the kiln and ware.
Pyrometric cones, often referred to simply as “cones” (or more
formally as “witness cones”), are used in pottery making to indicate the amount of “heat work” (or energy) needed during a kiln firing. Cones are shaped like elongated pyramids made of specified mix-tures of ceramic materials, and they come in a variety of standard shapes. To get the best results from cones, they must be used correctly. Here are a few guidelines . . .
Cone MountingThree cones are typically used
when firing: a “warning cone” to indicate that the target firing temper-ature is close; a “firing cone,” which indicates that temperature has been reached; and a “guard cone,” which indicates that the maturing tempera-ture has been exceeded.
• Large cones should be mounted with the face at an 8° angle.
• Large cones can be mounted at a height of 2 inches above the plaque or conepack. If you mount at the 1¾ inch height, you can use the temperature for self-supporting base (SSB) cones.
• SSB cones are made to sit at the correct mounting height and angle without the need to mount them.
Cone Placement
• Mount cones in a straight line (A), turned to an angle (B) or spaced diagonally (C). Diagonal placement is handy when viewing SSB cones through a peephole.
• Place cones at least 6 inches from the kiln’s inner wall to protect the cones from the effects of drafts.
interpreting Cones• The difference between 60° and
90° bending angles is usually a small amount in equivalent temperature.
• If your firing cone deforms to a lesser bending angle than desired, you may need to increase the firing time.
Manual Kilns: Place small cone in kiln sitter in offset position with large end toward center or place next higher cone in kiln sitter if firing cone has hardly moved. (Note: You cannot adjust a pyrometric bar by moving it.)
Controller Kilns: Add small amounts of “hold” or “soak” time or raise your end setpoint tempera-ture in custom programs.
• If your firing cone is deformed to a greater bending angle than desired, you may need to decrease the firing time.
CAUTION Always use proper safety glasses when viewing
cones during firing.
A.
B.
C.
Using Cones by Tim Frederich
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best, with minimal warping. When making and trimming plates, always make sure that the foot is the same size. The more variation in size, the more warping you will have.—Linda C. Klaus, Sandy, Oregon
in the Soda ZoneInspired by Gail Nichols’ article “Soda, Clay and Fire” (Ceramics
Monthly, December 2006) and her book of the same title (American Ceramic Society 2006), our firing group conducted an experiment to introduce soda into one segment of a kiln rather than dedicating an entire chamber to it.
We fire a small wood kiln with a 50-cubic-foot cross-draft chamber. This chamber has an “in-chamber” firebox in the front and one stoke hole in the middle that helps fire off the back half of the kiln.
Two-foot-long pieces of 2-inch tree bark covered with a soda paste were introduced in the rear stoke hole, beginning at Cone 8 and continuing every 15 minutes until Cone 10 was reached. The draft carried soda vapor through the bottom and rear quarter of
the kiln and then out of the chimney, not affecting the other parts of the kiln. We call this area our “soda zone.” We gained effective distribution of soda in the zone with excellent traditional firing results in the rest of the chamber.
The placement of the soda-bearing wood must be done with caution as direct contact between the paste and a pot leaves a per-manent scar. Soda does make a mess of the kiln floor and shelves, so we lay a bed of oyster shells in and around the zone floor, which seems to help in clean up.
—Mark Bollwinkel, Los Altos, California
PotlifterHandling large pots may be awkward and can even be difficult, es-
pecially after pieces are glazed. After glazing, the only surfaces one wants to touch are unsprayed or unseen areas. This can make pots difficult to transport and load into the kiln.
When lifting these pots into the kiln, I use a piece of wood cut just a bit shorter than the interior diameter of the pot shoulder. I place the
wood into the pot vertically and, once inside, turn it horizontally and lift the pot into the kiln. To remove the wood, I simply return it to the vertical position and lift out. In a top-loading kiln like mine, the inside of the pot is still accessible, so any unwanted marks left by the wood can be touched up before closing the kiln. —Rick Erickson, Green Bay, Virginia
Consistent WaddingWhen wadding a stack of plates for wood firing, use a template
and pencil eraser to neatly facilitate glaze removal and stacking. Make a triangular template to mark a consistent configuration for the wads on the foot. After a plate is glazed, use this template and a pencil to transfer the markings to the top of the plate. Re-move a ½-inch area of the dry glaze at each wad mark with the pencil eraser. Knock down the edge of the glaze around these areas with a damp sponge and proceed to wadding.
Although I have stacked as many as six small plates together, three or four works
A piece of wood, cut slightly shorter than the interior diameter of a pot’s shoulder,
acts as a handle for carrying and loading the large pot into a kiln.
triangular template based on footring
transferred marks with glaze removed
Wads should be placed directly above one
another to prevent warping.
Clay Tools: Firing
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Choosing a ClayMost potters use commercially prepared clays, and
ceramic suppliers have met their needs by offer-ing a vast, though sometimes bewildering, selection of clays to choose from. If you’re using the clay someone else just handed you, maybe it’s not the right one for the work you’re doing. Every clay body is formulated for a specific use, and finding the right one for your needs takes a bit of research and experimentation. There are several decisions to make when finding a clay body or bodies that meet your skill level, tech-niques and aesthetic.
SupplierNow why would you choose a supplier first? They
work with amateurs, professionals, students, teachers, sculptors, tile makers, etc., and have solved a wide vari-ety of problems. There are three types of suppliers: those that manufacture their own clays, those that sell clay from other manufacturers and those that do both. And, if you have problems a supplier can’t answer, either you or the supplier can contact the manufacturer.
ApplicationClay bodies are formulated for different applications.
Throwing tableware requires a clay body that is plas-tic (malleable) and smooth, while constructing a large sculpture may require “toothier” (coarse-grained) clay. In many cases, a clay body may be used for several applica-tions, but some are highly specialized—raku or oven-ware, for example. Make a list of the things you want to do, and you may end up with several bodies to achieve the best results.
Firing RangeClays are formulated to fire at specific temperatures
within three general ranges: low (Cone 06–2), mid (Cone 3–7) and high (Cone 8–10). Within a range, the higher you fire, the greater the shrinkage and the lower the absorbency of the fired clay. Low-fire clay bodies (earth-enware) are easy to work with and fire, and there is a wide range of colorful glazes available. These clay bodies are also used for raku and pit firing. Mid-range clays are more durable and include stoneware and some porcelain bodies, but color is more limited. This situation improves each year as glaze companies improve and expand their offerings. High-fire clays are very durable and include stoneware and porcelain. Color palettes vary depending on firing atmosphere (oxidation or reduction).
ColorColor in basic studio clay bodies results mostly from
naturally occurring iron and/or iron that has been added. Porcelain contains no iron, light buff bodies have some iron and earthenware bodies may have over 10% iron.
The body color (as well as the glazes) changes based on the type of firing atmosphere you have—reduction (from fuel firing) or oxidation. Reduction firing deepens or darkens an otherwise neutral-colored clay body. Some clay companies have duplicated this effect by adding more colorants to their formulas making it possible to achieve “reduction” colors from an electric kiln. Since the iron and other colorants in a body color affect glaze color, you’ll need to test your glazes with each body.
TextureTexture can range from smooth to rough. Smooth
bodies contain very small particles of clay, which tend to shrink more. These are best suited for small, fine and/or detailed work. Adding grog (ground-up fired clay) or sand gives the body “tooth,” and the larger the particle size, the less water the piece will need (hence less shrink-age). Manufacturers offer a range of bodies that incor-porate finer particles of grog and sand to get a texture between smooth and rough.
Buy WiselyBuying prepared clay requires a little judgment. First,
try to find a supplier that is nearby because shipping costs can add up and sometimes equal or exceed the cost of the clay body itself. Next, test a sample before purchasing a large quantity. If you’re buying several types of clay bodies, suppliers will typically allow you to combine the weights for a better discount. Finally, buy only enough clay to last you a year maximum. Clay loses moisture in storage and becomes stiffer, possibly even unworkable. You can ask your supplier how long they have stored the clay. A good supplier will only stock what they can sell within a reasonable amount of time.
Buyer BewareAll commercially prepared clay bodies are made from
naturally occurring elements scooped from the earth for industrial users. Studio potters do not purchase enough materials to be a major user, so we have to make do with a small portion of what the industry uses (brick and tile manufacurers, china companies, steel indus-try, paper mills, pharmaceuticals, etc.). Mother Nature did not use any quality control when she created clay deposits, so seams of clay vary from one spot to another. And a mammoth front loader is not a delicate material-selection tool. The good news is that the industry often requires a degree of consistency in their raw materials, so that clay mines make every effort possible to provide them with the very best product out there for an intend-ed application. To make sure your clay meets your every needs and your own quality standards, always test each batch everytime.
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CERAMIC MATERIAL GLAZE FUNCTION CLAYBODY FUNCTION
Potash Spars Glaze Core (ST, P) Melter (ST, P)
Custer G-200, K200 (s)
G-200 Custer, K200 (s)
K200 Custer, G-200 (s)
Redart Color Melter Color Core (E)
Rotten Stone Glaze Core Melter (ST, P) Color (ST)
Soda Spars Glaze Core (ST, P) Melter (ST, P)
Kona F-4 C–6 (s)
Spodumene Lithium Glaze Core Melter (ST, P) (FL)
Talc Melter Melter Opacifier (E, 4–6, W)
Volcanic Ash Glaze Core (ST, P) Cornwall Stone (s)
Whiting Melter (ST, P) Melter (ST) Opacifier Wollastonite (s) Dolomite (s)
Wollastonite Melter (ST, P) Melter (ST, P) Opacifier Whiting (s) Dolomite (s)
Wood Ash Glaze Core (ST, P) Melter (ST, P) Colorant
Zinc Melter (ST, P) Opacifier (ST, P)
Key: (s)=substitute option
(E)=earthenware claybody
(ST)=stoneware claybody
(P)=porcelain claybody
(FL)=flameware claybody, c/9-10
(W)=white-burning claybodies, c/4-10
This chart is excerpted from Out of the Earth, Into the Fire, 2nd Edition, by Mimi Obstler, published by The American Ceramic Society, 2000.
Primary Functions of Raw MaterialsCERAMIC MATERIAL GLAZE FUNCTION CLAYBODY FUNCTION
Albany Slip Clay Glaze Core Colorant Alberta Slip (s) Jasper Slip (s)
Ball Clay Alumina Plasticity Opacity
Barnard Clay Glaze Core Color Color (ST, P)
Bone Ash Opacifier Melter (4–6)
Borax Melter (5–6, E) Melter (4–6, E Glassmaker Carbon Trap (ST, P)
Boric Acid Melter (5–6, E) Melter (4–6, E) Glassmaker
Boron Frits Glaze Core (5–6, E) Melter (4–6, E) Melter Colemanite (s) Gerstley Borate (s)
Colemanite Glaze Core (5–6, E) Melter (4–6, E) Melter Gerstley Borate (s) Boron Frits (s)
Cornwall Stone Glaze Core (ST, P) Melter (P) (Low melter, high SiO2)
Dolomite Melter (ST) Melter (ST) Opacifier Whiting (s)
EPK Kaolin Alumina Core (P, W) Opacity (ST, P)
Silica (Flint) Glassmaker Glassmaker Glaze-fit
Fluorspar Melter
Gerstley Borate Glaze Core (4–6, E) Melter (4–6, E) Melter Colemanite (s) Boron Frits (s)
Goldart Clay Core (ST)
Kentucky Ball Clay Core (ST)
Lepidolite Lithium Glaze Core Melter (FL)
Magnesium Carbonate Melter (ST, P, W) Melter Opacifier
Nepheline Syenite Glaze Core Melter (ST, P) (low SiO2) (high Na2O) (high Al2O3)
Petalite Lithium Glaze Core Melter (FL) (ST 9-10)
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AlABAMA
Mecca Pottery Tools (Florence) •
South Alabama Ceramic Supply (Montgomery) • • •
ARiZOnA
Marjon Ceramics Inc. (Phoenix) • • • • • • • • • • www.marjonceramics.com
Dolan Tools (Scottsdale) • www.dolantools.net
Marjon Ceramics Inc. (Tucson) • • • • • • • • • • www.marjonceramics.com
ARKAnSAS
Flat Rock Clay Supplies (Fayetteville) • • • • • • • • • • www.flatrockclay.comCAliFORniA
Phoenix Ceramic & Fire Supply (Arcata) • • • • • • • • • • www.phoenixceramic.com
W.P. Dawson Inc. (Brea) • www.kiln-sitter.com
Creative Paperclay Co. (Camarillo) • www.paperclay.com
Ceramic Services (Chino) • • • • • • www.ceramicservices.com
Kemper Tools (Chino) • www.kempertools.com
Laguna Clay Co. (City of Industry) • • • • • • • • • • www.lagunaclay.com
Graber’s Pottery Inc. (Claremont) • www.graberspottery.com
Gordon Brush Mfg. Co. Inc. (Commerce) • www.gordonbrush.com
Snyder Imports (Comptche) • www.donsynderimports.com
The Chinese Clay Art, USA (Cupertino) • • www.chineseclayart.com
Creative Industries (El Cajon) • • • www.creativewheels.com
Mud in Mind (El Cajon) • • • • • • www.mudinmind.com
Chris Henley Tools (Encinitas) • www.hominid.net/chris.htm
Duncan Enterprises (Fresno) • • • • • www.duncanceramics.com
B & W Tile Co. Inc. (Gardena) • www.bwtile.com
Geil Kilns Co. (Huntington Beach) • • www.kilns.com
Art Decal Corp. (Long Beach) www.artdecalcorp.com (decals)
Echo Ceramics (Los Angeles) • • • • • • • www.echoceramics.com
West Coast Kiln (Lucerne Valley) • www.westcoastkiln.com
Nasco Arts & Crafts (Modesta) • • • • • • • www.enasco.com
Olsen Kiln (Mountain Center) • www.olsenkilns.com
Freeform Clay & Supply (National City) • • • • • • • • • • www.freeformclay.com
Falcon Company (Olivenhain) • •
Keith Company (Pico Rivera) • www.keithcompany.com
Aftosa (Richmond) • • • • www.aftosa.com
Jiffy Mixer Co. Inc. (Riverside) • www.jiffymixer.com
Industrial Minerals Co. (Sacramento) • • • • • • • www.clayimco.com
HyperGlaze/Richard Burkett (San Diego) www.hyperglaze.com (software for glazes)
Ceramics & Crafts Supply Co. (San Francisco) • • www.ceramicssf.com
Japan Pottery Tools (San Francisco) • www.japanpotterytools.com
A&D Weighing (San Jose) • www.andweighing.com
Lily Pond Products (Sanger) • • www.lilypond.com
Aardvark Clay & Supplies (Santa Ana) • • • • • • • • • www.aardvarkclay.com
Miles Ceramic Color (Santa Ana) •
Clay Planet (Santa Clara) • • • • • • • • • • www.clay-planet.com
California Pot Tools (Santa Paula) •
Peter Pugger Mfg., Inc. (Ukiah) • • www.peterpugger.com
Ceramic ArtSpace (Van Nuys) • • • www.ceramicartspace.com
Pure & Simple Pottery Products (Willits) • www.pureandsimplepottery.comCOlORADO
Herring Designs, LLC (Breckenridge) • • www.herringdesigns.com
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Manufacturers and SuppliersQuickly locating one of 335 ceramic businesses is easy with this locator. You’ll be able to easily find suppliers nearby and all the suppliers offering various products and services. Companies are arranged alphabetically by state, then by city.
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Ceramic Design Group Ltd. (Denver) • • www.jonathankaplanceramics.ocm
Killam Gas Burner Co. (Denver) • • www.killamburner.com
Mile Hi Ceramics, Inc. (Denver) • • • • • • • • • • www.milehiceramics.com
Thomas Stuart Wheels (Denver) • • • www.thomasstuart.com
Bluebird Mfg. Inc. (Ft. Collins) • • • • www.bluebird-mfg.com
Rocky Mountain WoodMasters, Ltd. (Highland Ranch)
ARC (Lakewood) • • • •
BNZ Materials Inc. (Littleton) • www.bnzmaterials.com
Glyptic Modeling Tools (Loveland) • www.glyptic.comCOnnECTiCUT
Rusty Kiln Ceramic Studio (North Windham) • • • • • • • • www.rustykiln.com
R.T. Vanderbilt Co. Inc. (Norwalk) • www.rtvanderbilt.com
Duralite Inc. (Riverton) • • www.duralite.comDElAWARE
J. & J. Ceramic Studio (Dover) • • • • •
Nabertherm, Inc. (New Castle) • www.nabertherm.comFlORiDA
Atlantic Pottery Supply Inc. (Atlantic Beach) • • • • • • • www.atlanticpotterysupply.com
Jepson Pottery & World Pottery Institute (Geneva) • • • • www.jepsonpottery.com
Jen-Ken Kilns (Lakeland) • www.jenkenkilns.com
Summit Kilns (Land O Lakes) • • • • www.swiftweb.com/summit
C and R Products, Inc. (Ocala) • • • • • www.candrproducts.com
Bennett Pottery Supply (Ocoee) • • • • • • • www.bennettpottery.com
Calcoworld Ceramic Decals (Orlando) www.calcoworld.com (decals)
Axner Co. Inc. (tradename of Laguna Clay Co.) (Oviedo) • • • • • • • • • • www.axner.com
Highwater Clays of Florida (St. Petersburg) • • • • • • • • • www.highwaterclays.com/hwcflorida.html
St. Petersburg Clay Company Inc. (St. Petersburg) • www.stpeteclay.com
The Arts Center (St. Petersburg) • www.theartscenter.org
OTT-LITE Technology (Tampa) • • www.ott-lite.comgEORgiA
Davens Ceramic Center (Atlanta) • • • • • • • • • www.davensceramiccenter.com
Fort Pottery Co. (Augusta) • • • • • • • www.fortpottery.com
Creative Glazes (Duluth) • • www.creativeglazes.com
Olympic Kilns (Flowery Branch) • • • www.greatkilns.com
Larkin Refractory Solutions (Lithonia) • • www.larkinrefractory.com
Kickwheel Pottery Supply Inc. (Tucker) • • • • • • • • • • www.kickwheel.comiDAhO
The Potter’s Center (Boise) • • • • • • • • www.potterscenter.com
Wendt Pottery (Lewiston) • • • • • • • • www.wendtpottery.comillinOiS
U.S. Pigment Corp. (Bloomingdale) • •
Great Lakes Clay & Supply (Carpentersville) • • • • • • • • • • www.greatclay.com
Metomic Corporation (Chicago) www.metomic.com (lamp parts)
Paasche Airbrush Co. (Chicago) • www.paascheairbrush.com
Boothe Mold Company (Dupo) www.boothemold.com (molds)
Ceramic Supply Chicago (Evanston) • • • • • • • www.ceramicsupplychicago.com
Badger Air Brush Co. (Franklin Park) • • www.badgerairbrush.com
Dick Blick Art Materials (Galesburg) • • • • • • • • www.dickblick.com
Crystal Productions (Glenview) • www.crystalproductions.com
Shimpo Ceramics (Nidec-Shimpo America Corp.) (Itasca) • • • • www.shimpoceramics.com
Midwest Ceramics (Joliet) • • • • • • • • • www.midwestcas.net
International Decal Corp. (Northbrook) • • www.timrg.com
Art Clay World, USA (Oak Lawn) • • • • • • www.artclayworld.com
Debcor Inc. (South Holland) • www.debcor-inc.sbcontract.cominDiAnA
United Art & Education (Ft. Wayne) • • • • • • • www.unitednow.com
American Art Clay Co., Inc. (Amaco/Brent) (Indianapolis) • • • • • • • • www.amaco.com
Brickyard Ceramics & Crafts (Indianapolis) • • • • • • • • • • www.brickyardceramics.com
Sugar Creek Industry, Inc. (Linden) • • • www.sugarcreekind.com
Royal and Langnickel Brush Mfg. (Merrillville) • www.royalbrush.com
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iOWA
Johnson Gas Appliance Co. (Cedar Rapids) • • www.johnsongas.com
Bartlett Instrument Co. (Ft. Madison) • www.bartinst.com
Scotlin Ceramics (McGregor) • • • • • • • • KAnSAS
Creative Paradise (Goddard) • www.handbuilding.com
Easy Ceramic Decals, LLC (Kansas City) www.easyceramicdecals.com (decals)
Bracker’s Good Earth Clays (Lawrence) • • • • • • • • • • www.brackers.com
Soldner Clay Mixers by Muddy Elbow Mfg. (Newton) • www.soldnerequipment.com
ClayStamps.com (Olathe) • www.claystamps.com
Evans Ceramic Supply (Wichita) • • • • • • • • • • www.evansceramics.com
KEnTUCKY
Old Hickory Clay Co. (Hickory) • • www.oldhickoryclay.com
Kentucky Mudworks LLC (Lexington) • • • • • • www.kentuckymudworks.com
Louisville Fire Brick Works (Louisville) • www.louisvillefirebrick.com
lOUiSAnA
Alligator Clay Company (Baton Rouge) • • • • • • • • www.alligatorclay.com
Southern Pottery Equipment & Supplies (Baton Rouge) • • • • • • • • • www.alligatorclay.com
Blue Diamond Kilns (Metarie) • www.bluediamondkiln.com
New Orleans Clay (New Orleans) • • • • www.noclay.com
MAinE
Portland Pottery Supply South (Braintree) • • • • • • • • • www.portlandpottery.com
Amherst Potters Supply (Hadley) • • • • • • • www.amherstpotters.com
MARYlAnD
Baltimore Clayworks (Baltimore) • www.baltimoreclayworks.org
Buyers Market of American Craft (Baltimore) • • www.americancraft.com
Chesapeake Ceramics Supply (Baltimore) • • • • • • • • www.ceramicsupply.com
Clayworks Supplies, Inc. (Baltimore) • • • • • • • • • www.clayworkssupplies.com
Bear Creek Pottery (Bowie) • • • • www.bcpottery.com
PotteryTools.com (Sinkburg) • www.potterytools.com
MASSAChUSETTS
Gare Inc. (Harverhill) • • • • www.gare.com
The Potters Shop and School (Needham) •
Sheffield Pottery Inc. (Sheffield) • • • • • • • • • • www.sheffield-pottery.com
Ceramics Consulting Services (Southampton) • www.fixpots.com
Boston Kiln Sales & Service (Watertown) • • • • www.bostonkiln.com
Saint-Gobain Ceramics (Worcester) • www.refractories.saint-gobain.com
MiChigAn
Pebble Press, Inc. (Ann Arbor) • •
Evenheat Kiln Inc. (Caseville) • www.evenheat-kiln.com
Runyan Pottery Supply Inc. (Clio) • • • • • • • • • • www.runyanpotterysupply.com
Gilmour Campbell Co. (Detroit) •
West Michigan Clay (Hamilton) • • • • • • • • • www.westmichiganclay.com
Crossroads Pottery & Clay Company (Jackson) • • • • • • • • • www.crossroadspottery.net
Manitou Arts (Leland) • www.manitouarts.net
Du-All Drafting & Art (Madison Hts.) • • • www.duall.com
Har-Bon Ceramics & Decals (Presque Isle) www.harbon.com (decals)
Rovin Ceramics (Taylor) • • • • • • • • • • www.rovinceramics.com
MinnESOTA
Minnesota Clay Co. USA (Edina) • • • • • • • • • • www.minnesotaclayusa.com
Master Kiln Builders (Farmington) • • www.kilnbuilders.com
Dunghanrach Clay Co. (Melrose) • • • • •
Brown Tool Co. (Minneapolis) • www.browntool.com
Continental Clay Co. (Minneapolis) • • • • • • • • • • www.continentalclay.com
Smith-Sharpe Fire Brick Supply (Minneapolis) • • www.kilnshelf.com
Triarco Arts & Crafts LLC (Plymouth) • • • • • • • • • • www.triarcoarts.com
MiSSiSSiPPi
Dogwood Ceramic Supply (Gulfport) • • • • • • • • • www.dogwoodceramics.com
Whistle Press (Petal) • www.whistlepress.com
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MiSSOURi
Christy Minerals Co. (High Hill) • www.christyco.com
KC Metro Ceramic & Pottery Supplies (Kansas City) • • • • • • • • www.kcmetroceramic.com
L&R Specialties Inc (Nixa) • • • • • • • • • www.claydogs.com
Krueger Pottery, Inc. (St. Louis) • • • • • • • • • • www.kruegerpottery.com
MOnTAnA
Archie Bray Foundation (Helena) • • • • • • • • • • www.archiebray.org
nEvADA
Cress Mfg. Co. (Carson City) • www.cressmfg.com
Aardvark Clay & Supplies (Las Vegas) • • • • • • • • • www.aardvarkclay.com
Bison Studios (Las Vegas) • www.bisonstudios.com
BigCeramicStore.com (Sparks) • • • • • • • • www.bigceramicstore.com
Nevada Dan’s (Sparks) • • • www.potterywheel.com
nEW hAMPShiRE
W.K. Hillquist, Inc. (Hudson) • www.retaildisplays.com
Midlantic Clay (Bellmawr) • • • • • • • • • www.midlanticclay.com
nEW JERSEY
Instar Beautiful Decals (E. Brunswick) www.instardecals.com (decals)
Curran Pfeiff Corp. (Edison) • • www.curranpfeiff.com
Hobby Colorobbia (Elmowwod Park) • • • • www.hobbycolorobbia.com
Hammill & Gillespie Inc. (Livingston) • www.hamgil.com
Ceramic Supply Inc. (Lodi) • • • • • • • • • • www.eceramicsupply.com
New Brunswick Lamp Shade Co. (North Brunswick) www.nbls.com (lamp shades)
L&L Kiln Mfg. Inc. (Swedesboro) • • • www.hotkilns.com
nEW MExiCO
Coyote Clay & Color (Albuquerque) • • www.coyoteclay.com
New Mexico Clay, Inc. (Albuquerque) • • • • • • • • • • www.nmclay.com
Taos Clay (El Prado) • www.taosclay.com
Santa Fe Clay (Santa Fe) • • • • • • • • • • www.santafeclay.com
nEW YORK
Charles A. Hones Inc. (Amityville) • www.charlesahones.com
East Valley Supply (Andover) www.evsupply.com (ceramics repair epoxy)
Studio Sales Pottery Supply (Avon) • • • • • • • • • • www.studiosalespottery.com
Teka Fine Line Brushes Inc. (Brooklyn) • www.tekabrush.com
The Mudpit (Brooklyn) • • • • • • • www.mudpitnyc.com
Vent-A-Kiln Corp. (Buffalo) • www.ventakiln.com
Ceramic Arts Library (Corning) • www.ceramicartslibrary.com
PCF Studios (Honeoye) • www.pcfstudios.com
Bailey Pottery Equipment (Kingston) • • • • • • • • • • www.baileypottery.com
American Craft Council (New York) • www.craftcouncil.org
Artfixtures (New York) www.artfixtures.com (display stands)
Artsystems, Ltd. (New York) • www.artsystems.com
Eagle Zinc Company (New York) •
Rockland Colloid Corp. (Piermont) • www.rockaloid.com
Clayscapes Pottery Inc. (Syracuse) • • • • • • • www.clayscapespottery.com
Oneida Air Systems, Inc. (Syracuse) • • www.oneida-air.com
Northeast Ceramic Supply (Troy) • • • • • • • •
Alpine Kilns and Equipment LLC (Warwick) • • www.alpinekilns.com
Doo-Woo Tools LLC (Warwick) • www.doowoo.com
Kiln-Ray Services (Warwick) • • • • • www.kilnray.com
Rochester Ceramics, Inc. (Webster) • • • • • • • • • www.rochesterceramics.com
nORTh CAROlinA
Highwater Clays, Inc. (Asheville) • • • • • • • • • www.highwaterclays.com
Lark Books (Asheville) • www.larkbooks.com
Carolina Clay Connection (Charlotte) • • • • • • • • • www.carolinaclay.com
Potterystamp.com (Charlotte) • www.potterystamp.com
Claymakers (Durham) • • • • • • • • www.claymakers.com
Resco Products Inc. (Greensboro) • www.rescoproducts.com
Mudtools (Hendersonville) • www.mudtools.com
Williams Supply (Star) • • • • • • www.williamssupplync.com
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Speedball Art Products Co. (Statesville) • www.speedballart.com
Fat Cat Pottery Inc. (Wilmington) • • • • • • • • www.fatcatpottery.com
OhiO
National Artcraft Co. (Aurora) • • • • • • www.nationalartcraft.com
A & K Clay Company LLC (Bethel)
Laguna Clay Co. (Byesville)) • • • • • • • • • • www.lagunaclay.com
Olympic Enterprises Inc. (Campbell) • • • www.olympicdecals.com
Vulcan Kilns (Centerville) • • • www.vulcankiln.com
Funke Fired Arts (Cincinnati) • • • • • • • • • www.funkefiredarts.com
Maxfield Ceramics Supply Inc (Cincinnati) • • • • • • • • • • www.maxfieldceramics.com
Aegean Sponge Co. (Cleveland) • www.aegeansponge.com
Bareclay (Columbus) • www.bareclay.com
Columbus Clay (Columbus) • • • • • • • • • www.columbusclay.com
Mudmats (Columbus) • • • www.mostlymud.com
RAM Products Inc. (Columbus) • www.ramprocess.com
Cornell Studio Supply (Dayton) • • • • • • • • • •
Wise Screenprint (Dayton) www.wisescreenprint.com (decals)
Innovative Ceramic Corp. (East Liverpool) www.innovativeceramic.com (inks/decals)
Mason Color Works Inc. (East Liverpool) • www.masoncolor.com
Mayco Colors (Hilliard) • • • www.maycocolors.com
Maryland Refractories Co. (Irondale) • www.mrcgrog.com
Ohio Ceramic Supply Inc. (Kent) • • • • • • • • • • www.ohioceramic.com
Handmade Lampshades (Maumee) (lampshades)
Cedar Heights Clay Operation (Oak Hill) • www.rescoproducts.com
Krumor Inc. (Valley View) (thermocouples and RTDs)
Orton Ceramic Foundation (Westerville) • • • www.ortonceramic.com
Olympia Enterprises, Inc. (Youngstown) • • www.olympiadecals.com
OREgOn
The Kiln Elements Co. (Birkenfeld) • • www.kilnelements.com
Aim Kiln Mfg. (Corvallis) • • • • • www.aimkilns.com
Georgies Ceramic & Clay Co. Inc. (Eugene) • • • • • • • • • • www.georgies.com
Georgies Ceramic & Clay Co. Inc. (Portland) • • • • • • • • • • www.georgies.com
Mudshark (Portland) • www.mudsharkstudios.org
PotteryVideos.com (Portland) • www.potteryvideos.com
Skutt Ceramic Products (Portland) • www.skutt.com
Southern Oregon Pottery Supply (Talent) • • • • • • • • • www.southernoregonpottery.com
PEnnSYlvAniA
Ceramic Services Inc. (Bensalem) • • www.kilnman.com
Insulating Firebrick, Inc. (Butler) www.insulatingfirebrick.com
The Clay Place (Carnegie) • • • • • • • • • • www.clayplace.com
M&M Pottery Supply (Corry) • • • • • • • • •
Del Val Potter’s Supply Co. (Glenside) • • • • • • • www.delvalpotters.com
Penn-Mo Fire Brick Co. (Harrisburg) • • • • • • • www.penn-mo.com
Nilfisk-Advance America Inc. (Malvern) www.pa.nilfisk-advance.com (vacuums)
Shenango Advanced Ceramics (New Castle) • www.shenangoceramics.com
Camp’s Clay Accessories (Philadelphia) • www.campsclayaccessories.com
The Ceramic Shop (Philadelphia) • • • • • • • • • www.theceramicshop.com
Standard Ceramic Supply Co. (Pittsburgh) • www.standardceramic.com
Frog Pond Pottery (Pocopson) • www.masteringglazes.com
Placid Ceramics (Washington) • • • • • • • www.placidceramics.com
Petro Mold Co (Waterford) • www.petromolds.com
RhODE iSlAnD
Dew Claw Studios (Pawtucket) • • • • • www.dewclawstudios.com
SOUTh CAROlinA
Clay-King.com (Spartanburg) • • • • • • • • www.clay-king.com
eArtWorld.com (Spartanburg) • • • • • • • • www.eartworld.com
Coastal Ceramics (Summerville) • • • • • • www.coastalceramic.com
SOUTh DAKOTA
Pacer Corp. (Custer) • www.pacerminerals.com
Dakota Potters Supply (Sioux Falls) • • • • • • • • • www.dakotapotters.com
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TEnnESSEE
Ward Burner Systems (Dandridge) • • • • • www.wardburner.com
Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts (Gatlinburg) • • • www.arrowmont.org
The Clay Lady (Herdersonville) • • • • • • • • • www.theclaylady.com
Kentucky-Tennessee Clay Co. (Nashville) • www.ballclay.com
Mid-South Ceramic Supply Co. (Nashville) • • • • • • • • • • www.midsouthceramics.com
H.C. Spinks Clay Co. Inc. (Paris) • www.spinksclay.com
TExAS
Armadillo Clay & Supplies (Austin) • • • • • • • • • • www.armadilloclay.com
Trinity Ceramic Supply Inc. (Dallas) • • • • • • • • www.trinityceramic.com
American Ceramic Supply Co. (Ft. Worth) • • • • • • • • • www.AmericanCeramics.com
Texas Pottery Supply & Clay Co. (Ft. Worth) • • • • • • • • • www.texaspottery.com
PMC Connection (Garland) • • • • www.pmcconnection.com
Ceramic Store Inc. (Houston) • • • • • • • • • www.ceramicstoreinc.com
Bella Bisque, Inc. (Kyle) • • www.bellabisque.com
Display Your Art by Glassica (Liberty Hill) • www.displayyourart.com
Paragon Industries, L.P. (Mesquite) • www.paragonweb.com
Old Farmhouse Pottery (Rusk) • www.farmpots.com
Clayworld Inc. (San Antonio) • • • • • • • • • www.clayworld.com
GSM Enterprises (San Antonio) • • • • • www.gsmkilns-sales-service.com
Etc., Etc., Etc. (Wichita Falls) • • • • • • • • • •
UTAh
Capital Ceramics Inc. (Salt Lake City) • • • • • • • • www.capitalceramics.com
viRginiA
Spun Earth Pottery (Forest) • • • • www.spunearth.com
The Kiln Doctor Inc. (Front Royal) • • • • www.thekilndoctor.com
Tin Barn Pottery Supply at Manassas Clay (Manassas) • • • • • • • • • • www.manassasclay.com
Campbell’s Ceramic Supply Inc. (Richmond) • • • • • • • www.claysupply.com
ClayPeople (Richmond) • • • • • • • • • www.claypeople.net
WAShingTOn
North Star Equipment Inc. (Cheney) • • www.northstarequipment.com
Giffin Tec Inc. (Lummi Island) • • www.giffingrip.com
Crucible Kilns (Seattle) • www.seattlepotterysupply.com
New Century Ceramic Arts Inc. (Seattle) • • • www.paperclayart.com
Seattle Pottery Supply (Seattle) • • • • • • • • • • www.seattlepotterysupply.com
Precision Terrefirma (Spokane) • www.precision-terrafirma.com
Rings & Things Wholesale (Spokane) • www.rings-things.com
Clay Art Center (Tacoma) • • • • • • • • • • www.clayartcenter.net
Scott Creek Pottery Inc. (Tacoma) • • www.scottcreekpottery.com
Clay In Motion (Walla Walla) • • www.clayinmotion.com
WiSCOnSin
MKM Pottery Tools LLC (Appleton) • www.mkmpotterytools.com
Nasco Arts & Crafts (Ft. Atkinson) • • • • • • • www.enasco.com
Sax Arts & Crafts (New Berlin) • • • • • • • • www.saxarts.com
A.R.T. Studio Clay Co. Inc. (Sturtevant) • • • • • • • • • www.artclay.com
AUSTRAliA
Venco Products (Kelmscott WA ) • • www.venco.com
CAnADA
Plainsman Clay Ltd. (Medicine Hat) • • • • • • • • • • www.plainsmanclays.com
Greenbarn Potters Supply Ltd. (Surrey) • • • • • • • • • www.greenbarn.com
Bamboo Tools (Hi Tech Marketing) (Surrey) • www.bambootools.com
Ceramic Arts & Crafts Supply (Burlington) • • • • • • www.ceramicarts.com
Euclids Kilns & Elements (Oakville) • • • • www.euclids.com
Euclid’s/The Pottery Supply House Ltd. (Oakville) • • • • • • • • • • www.pshcanada.com
Tucker’s Pottery Supplies Inc. (Richmond Hill) • • • • • • • • • • www.tuckerspottery.com
Spectrum Glazes (Toronto) • www.spectrumglazes.com
Mercedes Ceramic Supplies (Woodbridge) • • • • • • • •
Digitalfire Corp. (Cornwall) • • www.digitalfire.com
Edouard Bastarache Inc. (Sorel-Tracy) • www.sorel-tracy.qc.ca/~edouardb
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