Flameware claybody
 

Has anyone worked with flameware claybody? I just started a class in
this last night, and I'm pretty excited about it. Any hints for best
handling this clay? It seems to be softer, stickier, and at the same
time grittier than the stoneware I'm used to. I found it difficult to
pick up my pots after throwing them, even after letting them sit for
awhile before touching them. They're just little pots to do glaze
testing on, but I wasn't too happy about the way their shapes
distorted when I handled them. I wouldn't want to work on larger pots
and have that happen.

My tentative plans include something to saute in, and maybe a tagine.
I don't know much about tagines except what I googled. I'm guessing
they have a hole at the top of that conical lid, but I couldn't tell
from the pictures I looked at. Anyone ever make one of these?

Thanks!

Deb R.

On Tue, 9 Sep 2003 15:35:43 +0000 (UTC), (Deborah M
Riel) wrote:

Has anyone worked with flameware claybody? I just started a class in
this last night, and I'm pretty excited about it. Any hints for best
handling this clay? It seems to be softer, stickier, and at the same
time grittier than the stoneware I'm used to. I found it difficult to
pick up my pots after throwing them, even after letting them sit for
awhile before touching them. They're just little pots to do glaze
testing on, but I wasn't too happy about the way their shapes
distorted when I handled them. I wouldn't want to work on larger pots
and have that happen.

My tentative plans include something to saute in, and maybe a tagine.
I don't know much about tagines except what I googled. I'm guessing
they have a hole at the top of that conical lid, but I couldn't tell
from the pictures I looked at. Anyone ever make one of these?

Thanks!

Deb R.

I'm somewhat surprised that someone is teaching a class in this given
the liability issues. Flameware is tricky to produce and requires
proper handling by the user. The serious concern is that it may fail
during use and injury the user. Below are a couple links with
collections of posts that discuss production issues.

http://www.potters.org/subject03172.htm
http://www.potters.org/subject38183.htm

deg

In article ,
Dewitt wrote:

I'm somewhat surprised that someone is teaching a class in this given
the liability issues. Flameware is tricky to produce and requires
proper handling by the user. The serious concern is that it may fail
during use and injury the user. Below are a couple links with
collections of posts that discuss production issues.

http://www.potters.org/subject03172.htm
http://www.potters.org/subject38183.htm

deg

Thanks for the links. I've printed out some of this, plus the article
on Flameware by Ron Probst.

My teacher (Robbie Lobell) has been making this for awhile, and is
very concerned with proper studio use of the clay. The only people allowed
to purchase the flameware claybody are those of us registered in the
class and on the classlist. We are sworn not to share it with anyone
else, and not to mix it with the reclaim in the studio.

I've only had one class so far, so I may not be getting all this
right--but I think the body itself is 50% spodumene and lithium. She
mentioned that it is a cone 10 claybody, but I did note in some of the
posts in the links you sent that cone 11 was recommended. I'll ask
about that.

We'll be formulating special glazes for use only with this flameware
as part of the class and testing them on small pots. I believe that
part of the class also involves testing the pots for their ability to
successfully withstand heat and cold.

Anyway, it should be interesting.

Back to my other question--has anyone made a tagine? Do they in fact
have a small hole at the top of the cone?

Deb R.

On Tue, 9 Sep 2003 17:27:29 +0000 (UTC), (Deborah M
Riel) wrote:

She
mentioned that it is a cone 10 claybody, but I did note in some of the
posts in the links you sent that cone 11 was recommended. I'll ask
about that.

FYI, I just looked in "Clay and Glazes for the Potter" by Rhodes /
Hopper and it recommends cone 11as well. It also describes, albeit
briefly, how to test a flameware body.


We'll be formulating special glazes for use only with this flameware
as part of the class and testing them on small pots.

You'll definitely need specially formulated glazes for flameware has
it has an extremely low expansion rate. A typical cone 10 glaze
wouldn't fit at all - if I've thinking about this the right way, it
would craze badly.

deg

Back to my other question--has anyone made a tagine? Do they in fact
have a small hole at the top of the cone?


Deb,

The following website has some great information about tagines. They
do NOT have a hole at the top of the lid - it should be enclosed.

http://fantes.com/tagine.htm

A google search will give you not only some great resource material,
but terrific recipes as well!

I had a lot of fun working on some of these last year for one of our
local eateries.

Hope this helps.

Lori

The following website has some great information about tagines. They
do NOT have a hole at the top of the lid - it should be enclosed.

http://fantes.com/tagine.htm


A bit of a tangent, but I found it "interesting" that these pieces are
described as "lead-free", but there is a foot note that says:
" Pottery, like that above marked with this symbol, has been tested to
be within the safe guidelines established by the Food & Drug
Administration. Standards established by California Proposition 65 are
significantly stricter than those of the FDA, and pottery with a
yellow triangle has been found to leach lead above California's
Proposition 65 warning levels. "

Sure sounds to me like they aren't lead-free. . .

deg

In article ,
Lori wrote:
Back to my other question--has anyone made a tagine? Do they in fact
have a small hole at the top of the cone?


Deb,

The following website has some great information about tagines. They
do NOT have a hole at the top of the lid - it should be enclosed.

http://fantes.com/tagine.htm

A google search will give you not only some great resource material,
but terrific recipes as well!

I had a lot of fun working on some of these last year for one of our
local eateries.

Hope this helps.

Lori

Thanks Lori. I printed up this site for future reference, but I also
found in this site (http://www.tajine-nyc.com/index1.html) that the
definition of tangine includes putting a small hole in the top! Now I
don't know which one is correct, or if they both are, why you would
prefer having a hole over not having a hole.

More research needed!

Deb R.

Thanks Lori. I printed up this site for future reference, but I also
found in this site (http://www.tajine-nyc.com/index1.html) that the
definition of tangine includes putting a small hole in the top! Now I
don't know which one is correct, or if they both are, why you would
prefer having a hole over not having a hole.

More research needed!

Hmmm, guess I'm gonna have to do some more myself - although, I like
the results of the one I kept for my own use. The closed top allows
the steam to collect at the top and run down the inside of the lid
back into the base to keep the food moist - I guess you could call
them the original slow-cookers.

Mine are made from earthenware and lead-free glazes - and on the heavy
side to help hold the heat.

Let us know what you decide to do - I'm interested to hear how well
they work with the steam hole.

Take care,

Lori

from the one link, and a very brief read from me - these *tagine* things can be
used over charcol as well as other flames. if you didn't have a hole at the
top you'd smoke out the flame and not slow cook for the several hours you might
want. a minor hole should keep the heat going but also retain the steam. it's
like having a loose lid on a boiling pot i guess.

they look like a fun idea. guess i'll make one - thanks!

see ya

steve






Subject: Flameware claybody
From: (Deborah M Riel)
Date: 9/10/2003 7:42 AM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:

In article ,
Lori wrote:
Back to my other question--has anyone made a tagine? Do they in fact
have a small hole at the top of the cone?


Deb,

The following website has some great information about tagines. They
do NOT have a hole at the top of the lid - it should be enclosed.

http://fantes.com/tagine.htm

A google search will give you not only some great resource material,
but terrific recipes as well!

I had a lot of fun working on some of these last year for one of our
local eateries.

Hope this helps.

Lori

Thanks Lori. I printed up this site for future reference, but I also
found in this site (http://www.tajine-nyc.com/index1.html) that the
definition of tangine includes putting a small hole in the top! Now I
don't know which one is correct, or if they both are, why you would
prefer having a hole over not having a hole.

More research needed!

Deb R.








steve graber