Friday, May 30, 2008

Raku Glaze Recipes

3110 Turquoise Raku Glaze
Also called Ferguson's Turquoise
Ferro Frit 3110 100
Tin Oxide 3
Copper Carb. 3
Bentonite 3

This is my favorite turquoise raku glaze because it can produce a lot of different results. To get a beautiful turquoise crackle I lightly reduce the pot, both in the kiln and in the reduction chamber. If heavily reduced you can get anything from polished copper to copper reds. Examples of this glaze can be found on my blog link "My Photo Gallery." One thing to keep in mind--This glaze will settle in the course of a few days and will harden like a brick in the glaze bucket. I try to make only what I need per firing.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Raku Glaze Recipe Of The Day

I thought it would be a good idea if I not only documented my glaze recipes but also share them with anybody interested. Not sure If I can stick to a recipe a day but we shall see.

Raku Patina Glaze
Gerstley Borate 1080
Bone Ash 270
Copper Carb. 75
Cobalt Carb. 75

This used to be my favorite raku glaze when I was attending Bemidji State University. It produces a semi-dry sandy textured surface that flashes, especially when quickly reduced. The container lid is lifted, fanned and resealed , "burped," to promote more brilliant flashing. Once a nice flashing is obtained , the pot is dunked in cold water to freeze the colors.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Barrel Kiln



Another barrel firing, long over due. This barrel is at my friends Jeri and Kerry's house just outside of Coon Valley. They live up on a ridge and it tends to be windy every time I want to fire.

Last Sunday was a perfect day, 75 degrees, sunny, and no wind.

I arrived at their house about one in the afternoon and once the pots and wood were loaded into the barrel, the fire was lit about 2pm.

At 5pm about 1/3 of the wood had been consumed and I filled it back up to the top of the barrel with more split hardwood, same kind of wood that can be seen in this photo.

At this point there is nothing more to do except crack a cold beer,or two, watch the fire, and wait till the next day when the fire has died out and the pots have cooled off.

Stay tuned for the results.