Main Discussion Area > Primitive Skills
primitive pottery making
M-P:
Lone500 and Dave, Pottery making is a very widespread hobby and it's quite likely that you can find someone nearby to help you. Most potters will use commercial clay, but even then an experienced potter should be able to give you some tips on what to look for to obtain a usable clay. You might check into ceramics classes at your local junior college. And yes, expect to use a lot of wood! Ron
tattoo dave:
I've done some pit firing of clay. Commercial clay though. Turned out great, but doesn't reach a temp that was needed to harden the clay enough to my liking. However, I'm sure that primitive potters were not too worried about that. As long as the piece was capable of doing it's intended job, it was good. I have made a few arrowheads from pit fired clay, looked awesome, but not hard enough. Anyway, there is an easier way to make a bowl. Flatten the clay and stretch it out as much as possible, like you would flatten a pie crust or cookie dough. Find a nice round rock, and use the rock as a mold, let it dry, then fire it. Before the clay is completely dry remove it off the rock, it should be still a little soft, but firm enough where you don't need the mold anymore. One more trick, while it is air drying, lightly cover it with something. Most clays will crack if they air dry to fast. Well good luck, and we would love to see a few pics.
Tattoo Dave
iowabow:
I teach ceramics at a community college and have done many pit fires.
First you can do it in a pit or BBQ grill or half barrel.
You must line the bottom of the pit etc with saw dust. Then paper waded up. Wrap each item with newspaper. Start placing stick over the pots then larger ones. You are making a very larger fire. I kept adding fuel for hours then covered with tin. Wait 24 hours before digging for pots. My pit would reach very high temps 1400. Now my dome woodfire would go to 2000 and start to melt ash to the pots. The picture below is my dome kiln. At first count on 50 percent breaking that will be normal till you figure things out. I can explain more of the detail if you pm your phone number. I will call you this weekend.
iowabow:
The clay I have on the land here will go to cone 6 easy and is melting at cone 7. I have fired local clay without adding other stuff but the first images are of store bought clay bodies. The post of the purple fish head is my clay. Images to follow soon
iowabow:
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version