Could I glaze and fire a piece of greenware?
If so, do we have suitable glazes? I read that they have to be a high clay content. (I want clear)
If so, are we willing to fire it at DMS?
Thanks in advance.
I have a clay background.
A greenware to fully fired piece is a 3 part challenge because the greenware clay will “muddy” the glaze, it is tough to keep the 2 separate, the firing has to be extra slow because the greenware clay is more likely to fail. Finally, the kiln should thematically the same. Mixing greenware and bisque together means a more complicated firing.
Not impossible. Very difficult.
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I generally won’t allow single fire in my kiln. From what I have read, if the piece explodes with glaze on it, the pieces are more likely to stick to things and become a much bigger mess. If it’s something that is very unlikely to explode I might allow it. I also tried it once and I wasn’t happy with the results - lots of crazing.
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Yep, popping pots is the biggest issue in my book when it come to full firing green ware with glaze. It is much easier to clean a kiln where a pot pops with no glaze, you just sweep it up. With glaze, it is a nightmare, imagine pebbles covered in glass stuck to all surfaces. It is doable and some traditional artist do it without issue. But, they often own all their own equipment and are the ones dealing with the issues when they happen.
Thanks everyone. It sounds like it’s not gonna happen. This isn’t a big deal - I was just trying to avoid the added shrinkage of firing the second time.
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I’m not sure that a single firing would reduce shrinkage. To me, that shrinkage you see in the 2nd firing is the additional shrinkage as the bisque reduces to stoneware (vitrifies). If you’re firing up to the glaze temp, you’re going to get the full-on shrinkage all at one time. That may be why folks that single-fire do a slow fire – because you’re getting both the bisque shrinkage and the stoneware shrinkage all in one firing.
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