Slab-building
I have been without the slab roller for over two weeks. I tried to roll slabs by hand, it made my back ache and, although I was careful, the slabs were not even enough or thin enough to use. The replacement wire arrived last week, so we are waiting for the technician to find time to come across from engineering to fix it. Rob and Cath have offered to help me roll some more by hand on Friday if he does not come this week.
Glazing
I decided to use the time to test glazes. I got a couple of different books from the library, searched through them, and glazy.org , plus the books I have bought myself. I found some that looked promising, and mixed up eight batches to try for practice three. I have chosen glazes that give me an alternative to the celadon glazes already tested and adjusted. These new ones are opaque and have more depth, and will further develop my previous research on weathering. I am pleased with my final choices.
Cath didn't fire the the big gas kiln in January because she was busy, and when she tried again last week she could not get it to reduce, and my eight reduction tests were all ruined (see top row below). She said there is 'nothing she can do', and that 'the big gas kiln is useless'. She thought the refurbishment of the small gas kiln would mean it could be used, but she said there is now a problem with the burner and Northern Kilns need to come back to fix it. She said she contacted them but they are busy, we are not a big customer, and they cannot come for 10 weeks. She said I should change my research to oxidation glazes.
I tried four oxidation glazes that looked a bit like celadons (which of course I cannot make without reduction firing working). These were cone 9 so they were fired in the test kiln. These tests were also unsuccessful (see bottom row above). Cath said that the test kiln has not been getting up to temperature, and the element is probably broken. She said 'if/when Northern Kilns come they will have to look at that too'. She said they are not replying to her emails and calls to come.
Update - Two blues were fired again and worked, two greens were overfired.
The heating is still broken in the workshop, and I am finding the cold difficult to cope with. At least three lots of people have been to stand looking into the fuse box. It is months into winter now and we have had no heat since last spring.
I am a month into Practice Three and have not made any slab pots, and the glaze testing research I have done is wasted.
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