Morter and pestal?

Hi everyone :-)

I am typing from Switzerland and have been "potterying around" for about 3
years now. I am making good progress and have an old (cheap) used wheel here
at home on the terrace that I can use when the weather is nice. I also go
take classes once a week and will be renting that workshop one day a week
when the weather gets too cold to sit out on the terrace anymore.

Enough introductions :-)

My question is if you have any tips or ideas on how to make a mortar and
pestal. It is for my aunt. Will be making a salt-dish and a
kitchen-tool-holder as well in hopefully somewhat the same "look".

Everything I make is stoneware and fired at 1240 degrees Celcius. I figure
if I make the mortar thick enough and let it dry slowly enough (and warn my
aunt not to be too rigorous when using it), that it will be good to use.

I have also thought of using clay with small stones in (chamotte, we call
them here) and then sponging over the inside of the mortar to give it a
slightly rough/sandy surface which should enhace performance.

I kind of like the idea of either decorating it and the 2 other things in
the same way, but also had a slight idea of making handles on the mortar
that are more sculptured in some way. Maybe even trying to model a flower
and the handles as leaves or something. ... or a groovy face with handles
like ears or funny hair.

Any tips and/or ideas and/or links to pictures of kewl mortars would be MOST
welcome!

Best regards from rainy Switzerland!

Marianne

The mortar an pestle I have is made of porcelain and is as you say very
heavy (thick - at least 1-2" or 2.5-5 centimeters). I have seen them made
of stone but never out of any clay other than porcelain. I would think it
would have to be a highly vitrified body... Just some thoughts. I know
nothing. A jack of all trades, a master of none.

By the by - I like the nic. It fits.

"Bubbles" wrote in message
...
Hi everyone :-)

I am typing from Switzerland and have been "potterying around" for about 3
years now. I am making good progress and have an old (cheap) used wheel
here
at home on the terrace that I can use when the weather is nice. I also go
take classes once a week and will be renting that workshop one day a week
when the weather gets too cold to sit out on the terrace anymore.

Enough introductions :-)

My question is if you have any tips or ideas on how to make a mortar and
pestal. It is for my aunt. Will be making a salt-dish and a
kitchen-tool-holder as well in hopefully somewhat the same "look".

Everything I make is stoneware and fired at 1240 degrees Celcius. I figure
if I make the mortar thick enough and let it dry slowly enough (and warn
my
aunt not to be too rigorous when using it), that it will be good to use.

I have also thought of using clay with small stones in (chamotte, we call
them here) and then sponging over the inside of the mortar to give it a
slightly rough/sandy surface which should enhace performance.

I kind of like the idea of either decorating it and the 2 other things in
the same way, but also had a slight idea of making handles on the mortar
that are more sculptured in some way. Maybe even trying to model a flower
and the handles as leaves or something. ... or a groovy face with handles
like ears or funny hair.

Any tips and/or ideas and/or links to pictures of kewl mortars would be
MOST
welcome!

Best regards from rainy Switzerland!

Marianne

P.S. It is embarrassing to go through Switzerland for the first time and
after every bend find yourself saying "THAT is the MOST BEAUTIFUL view I
have EVER seen!" (on ride down from Zurich to Italy).

"Bubbles" wrote in message
...
!

Best regards from rainy Switzerland!

Marianne

"dkat" wrote in message
.net...
The mortar an pestle I have is made of porcelain and is as you say very
heavy (thick - at least 1-2" or 2.5-5 centimeters). I have seen them made
of stone but never out of any clay other than porcelain. I would think it
would have to be a highly vitrified body... Just some thoughts. I know
nothing. A jack of all trades, a master of none.

A friend of mine has made one - and it is even low-fired. She has been using
it for about a year now.

I can't work with porcelain yet - too much of a newbie.

By the by - I like the nic. It fits.

Thanks - I am a scuba diver too, so it fits even better! Hehe!

Marianne

"dkat" wrote in message
.net...
P.S. It is embarrassing to go through Switzerland for the first time and
after every bend find yourself saying "THAT is the MOST BEAUTIFUL view I
have EVER seen!" (on ride down from Zurich to Italy).

Hehe! I know that feeling! I moved here from Norway 3 years ago, and we just
LOVE to just go for drives here and there to see what's to see :-)

Marianne

That is really nice to know. I wonder if a body with lots of grout in it
would make for better grinding and how much iron you would be getting in
your diet from using a red clay body?

If you are going to be keeping your walls thick, then porcelain would not
really be any harder to work with than stoneware. Not that I'm recommending
it but you might like the feel of it just to play with. I don't think your
really need to wait to be a master in one before beginning with another...
Just a thought.


"Bubbles" wrote in message
...

"dkat" wrote in message
.net...
The mortar an pestle I have is made of porcelain and is as you say very
heavy (thick - at least 1-2" or 2.5-5 centimeters). I have seen them
made
of stone but never out of any clay other than porcelain. I would think
it
would have to be a highly vitrified body... Just some thoughts. I know
nothing. A jack of all trades, a master of none.

A friend of mine has made one - and it is even low-fired. She has been
using
it for about a year now.

I can't work with porcelain yet - too much of a newbie.

By the by - I like the nic. It fits.

Thanks - I am a scuba diver too, so it fits even better! Hehe!

Marianne

"dkat" wrote in message
.net...
That is really nice to know. I wonder if a body with lots of grout in it
would make for better grinding and how much iron you would be getting in
your diet from using a red clay body?

Not much, I bet, considering hopefully that the glaze will stay nicely on -
though you might risk stuff from the glaze - I hadn't thought of that!

As for grout (the tiny stones?) - I was thinking of making it with grouted
clay and then washing over the inside of the bowl carefully with a sponge to
bring the texture out an hopefully make mortaring more effective - I think
it is a good idea, but so far nobody has confirmed this :-)

If you are going to be keeping your walls thick, then porcelain would not
really be any harder to work with than stoneware. Not that I'm
recommending
it but you might like the feel of it just to play with. I don't think
your
really need to wait to be a master in one before beginning with another...
Just a thought.

I recently tried making something with porcelain - just a couple of stamps -
but I found it very icky and too rubbery to work with. I have found a really
pliable but strong clay that I think I will use - or get one with larger
grout in it but of the same type.

I definitely can't see myself turning porcelain any time soon - for that it
seemed too rubbery - but could be the type I have access to isn't of the
best :-)

Thanks for the tips!

Marianne

I had just assumed it would be unglazed... Just went and checked. My
porcelain one is glazed on the outside but not on the inside where you
grind...

"Bubbles" wrote in message
...

"dkat" wrote in message
.net...
That is really nice to know. I wonder if a body with lots of grout in
it
would make for better grinding and how much iron you would be getting in
your diet from using a red clay body?

Not much, I bet, considering hopefully that the glaze will stay nicely
on -
though you might risk stuff from the glaze - I hadn't thought of that!

As for grout (the tiny stones?) - I was thinking of making it with grouted
clay and then washing over the inside of the bowl carefully with a sponge
to
bring the texture out an hopefully make mortaring more effective - I think
it is a good idea, but so far nobody has confirmed this :-)

If you are going to be keeping your walls thick, then porcelain would
not
really be any harder to work with than stoneware. Not that I'm
recommending
it but you might like the feel of it just to play with. I don't think
your
really need to wait to be a master in one before beginning with
another...
Just a thought.

I recently tried making something with porcelain - just a couple of
stamps -
but I found it very icky and too rubbery to work with. I have found a
really
pliable but strong clay that I think I will use - or get one with larger
grout in it but of the same type.

I definitely can't see myself turning porcelain any time soon - for that
it
seemed too rubbery - but could be the type I have access to isn't of the
best :-)

Thanks for the tips!

Marianne

On Wed, 23 Jun 2004 14:52:49 +0200, "Bubbles"
wrote:


"dkat" wrote in message
v.net...
P.S. It is embarrassing to go through Switzerland for the first time and
after every bend find yourself saying "THAT is the MOST BEAUTIFUL view I
have EVER seen!" (on ride down from Zurich to Italy).

Hehe! I know that feeling! I moved here from Norway 3 years ago, and we just
LOVE to just go for drives here and there to see what's to see :-)

Marianne

Wow, I'm impressed! I visited Norway a few years ago and thought that
was the most beautiful place on Earth... now I guess I *have* to see
Switzerland!



Bob Masta
dqatechATdaqartaDOTcom

D A Q A R T A
Data AcQuisition And Real-Time Analysis
www.daqarta.com

"dkat" wrote in message
news
I had just assumed it would be unglazed... Just went and checked. My
porcelain one is glazed on the outside but not on the inside where you
grind...

But porcelain is very even in itself, right? I figure with stoneware, it
would give off particles into the food.

Not sure, though - gotta give this some thought and research!

Marianne