nanna

Junk

Sooo, did a firing over thanksgiving, it was successful, but not super awesome. Some ok stuff, and something that didn't really fire. Here they be:

A victim of my own work

I attempted to start my Bisque last night, and it blew up 3 pieces, at which point i pulled the plug until Sunday.

It was a combination of Wet pieces, and 1 with an air bubble, but boy did they explode. The wet ones shattered everywhere, and the one with the Air bubble blew out the side and bottom.

I know better, but i didn't listen to myself. The reality is, i need to take great care when prepping, and i need to wait at lest 3 days from the time i create, to the bisque to allow from sufficient dry time.

Meh

Almost there

I'm a few days away from Bisque #2 in my hodgepodge kiln. I think i have everything i need for success now, i've got the right Glaze, i know how to get the kiln to the proper cone temp, and i even have a more suitible clay (FOR THE NEXT BATCH). I think after this round, i'm going to attempt a PIT firing at my dad's place, i may actually save 4-5 pieces just for that purpose. So maybe if i create 4-5 more in the next few days, i can get them in the bisque. Word...



On another note, i have "special ordered" a Vinyl flooring called Allure from Home Depot, it's a light Bamboo, and I'm going to do the whole 500sq feet of our kitchen/living space in the house, it's a really cool product, it looks and feels just like wood, but it's totally waterproof, and durable, and 1/3rd the cost of wood. If it works out well, I'll do the entire upstairs of the house, and trash the dog-pee carpet!

couple more pieces

I'll throw a couple more pieces for my next firing here this weekend, and see how it goes, i have a couple of shapes that i really like, and some other stuff that i don't. I'm still trying to find my stuff again, but i don't think I'm too far off. I will probably put a little more effort into the last couple of pieces i do this time, and see where it goes.

-LB

Lull

I'm in a bit of a ceramic lull at the moment. I need to produce about 10 items (8-10), to fill the kiln for the next Bisque, i suppose i could do more, and just not finish in one firing. Probably something like 3 larger pieces, and 7 small, if i were to get some new, larger stilts, i could fit one more shelf in the kiln, and place some smaller stuff also.

Now that i have the issues with Cone's, Glaze, and temp figured out, it should be ok. The kiln can reach CONE 06 (not 6), without any issue, and i can probably Bisque at 04-06, and then low fire Glaze at 06.

My next task is to call, or drive by this propane place. They re-fill tanks instead of exchanging them, so I'm hoping that it will be cheaper. It's costing me $18-21 dollars to exchange a tank, and it's taking 75% of 1 tank to do either firing. So what happens is i take in a 3/4 empty tank to get exchanged, and waste the excess fuel, plus pay a bit more.

I need to find my Style again. Right now i'm throwing various objects, but i find i don't really have a "voice". I want to throw more "robust" style bowls and such, i have found some inspiration from the website of Legendary potter Otto Heino, although i don't want to spend too much time there, for fear my stuff will end up looking just like his (his are great, but i want to be unique).

Meh.

What a dumb ass

So there i wuz, firing away with my custom kiln, thinking that it JUST WASN'T GETTING HOT ENOUGH. I was wrong, 4 of the 5 bottles of Glaze i purchased were Cone 5/6, not cone 05! Major difference! Cone 5= 2300 degrees. Cone 05 is about 1800 degrees. Shit bricks man! I could not figure out why my 06 cone would bend, but the Glaze would not flux.....

It's because I'm a retard.

But at least i voted Blue.

-LB

Mother *&%$#er

Well, i re-ran my Firing for 2 hours, with the FLU 70% closed, and it got hotter, so i had to go this morning and pickup another propane take, and try this again. I'm hoping that restricting the FLU will cause more of the heat to stay in the kiln, and out of the air.

Here's the one Piece that actually Fluxed in the 2 firings, it looks kinda funny, not enough Glaze on it, etc...



-LB

The day after

Well, candy-day in America is over, now all we have left is Election night. I have a re-Firing to look forward to. So the kiln fired last night, 5 hours, but i did something wrong, only 1 of any of the 6 pieces in the kiln Fluxed at all, and it was a larger Vase at the top.

I think, THINK, that i need to dampen the flu on the kiln, to get it to hold on to some of the heat it's pushing out of the lid hole. I hope that's the issue, because it's just not getting a high enough temp to fuse the Glaze on the pottery, not even close (probably 1-200 degrees off), what trips me out is that the 1 piece fluxed a little bit, looks kinda funny. It must have trapped heat in the position it was at in the kiln, and when i blocked the flu last night, it trapped enough in that pocket to reach CLOSE, to Cone 06.

Meh, i'll try again today with the remainder of my Propane, see how hot i can get it, and then get the tank refilled.

I was way silly thinking it would work on the first shot! Hell, it might take 10 shots!

Happy Nov 1st.

-lb

Happy Halloween?

Well, as i prepare for my Glaze firing tonight, i found out today that i have been Cleanly back stabbed at my day job. A since uncreated position was filled, one that i had requested to have a shot at (considering my experience), as it turns out, the whole time behind my back they have been planning to have someone else take those duties, in a newly created position, that will also server as my supervisor.

What really pisses me off is, i have been dedicated to this place for 5 years, i have worked hard, and protected it. This fat ass came in, worked here for 2 years, and they are promoting (with $$$), and giving him the small sliver of hope i had for moving upward in my career, and in this organization.

This sparks the end of my journey here, I'm not 100% looking for a new job, i think even if it pays the same as i make right now. I really thought they gave a shit, but in the end Bankers always look out for their own, and I'm not one of them.

Here's to good glazing on Halloween!

-LB

Glaze it like the sun

Well, I'm going to finish applying Glaze to my first successful Bisque pieces tonight. I'll probably fire it Halloween night, since we have to be home anyways. By no means will this be my best work ever, but it's truly my first independent work, from start to finish. Standby for actual fired work, it's been 16 years since i last saw that!

On a side note, i have been walking every day at lunch lately, i find that it's very pleasant, and gives me time to reflect, or just stop thinking about driving, answering the phone, etc.

It came to me today, that we have to vote Obama in, no matter what you think, it's the RIGHT way to go, the right attitude, etc. It just feels like he is normal, an actual intelligent person, with a family, who is real, and not a Character created by the times. 5 more days and we will find out.

-LB

Glaze Glaze Glaze

I went by Mile High Ceramics today, and picked up 5 different glazes. We will see how they turn out, they are pretty trick, high end glazes. Back when i was in school, we always had powdered glaze, and had to mix it ourselves. This stuff is pre-bottled, and pricey!

Viva Tuesday!

-LB

Bisque=success!

Looks like the Bisque went well, nothing exploded,and the total firing took 7 hours, then i let it cool overnight. Propane works well, although my tank is very close to being too small, and causing a freeze...

New setup

Ok, so i got this electric Kiln about 2 months ago, and i decided due to Electricity rates, that i would convert it propane. Tommorow will be the first run.. Hopefully i'm lucky.

-LB

Transition

This post is to mark a transition of this blog, to a more Pottery-centric blog. There are literally millions of them out there, some GREAT artists, some not so great. My only hope is to land somewhere in the middle. I shall never claim to be like the great ones. I don't have the education, nor the training, but what i do have is a unique perspective.

Present moment: I'm waiting on a Propane conversion for an old Kiln that i bought, and I'm planning on doing some more work this week, at least 3 more pieces to hone my skills (which are sucking from 10+ years away from the craft).

More shall come when i begin setup and such.

-LB

Old, but perfect SNL sign of the times!

Sweet

As i inch closer to moving out of the country... MY MOMENT of Zen.. : )

Political pic week

This sums up alot.

Time, She flys...

Ok, so my misson to get Gen a Different Mountain bike frame is nearly complete.  I aquired a 2005 Santa Cruz Chameleon frame, in excellent candy red conditon.  This was spurred by the fact that she recently rode my Gangreen Chameleon.  As it turns out, her 17.5 Inch felt was too big.  I had ideas of getting a complete bike in the 15 inch range, but it didn't quite work out, and if i could, i really wanted to get the SAME frame i have.  As luck would have it, i picked up this nice one.  I should have it this week, so we will see how it turns out, the plan is to have it rolling this weekend, since there's only a few more good weeks of weather before the cold/possible snow.

My intention will be to post pics.

word

-LB