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JUST RAKU
The Newsletter for Raku Artists and Raku Art Lovers
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October 2006
Issue #43
Published by
Gary R. Ferguson � Raku Artist
http://www.garyrferguson.com
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In This Issue
* While the Smoke Clears � Books, Books, Books
* Hang Tags in time for Christmas
* Unstoppable Glaze
* Two Halves of the Same Pot
* Global Warming with Raku
* Raku Links
* Workshops
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* While the Smoke Clears *

Hello Raku-er,

Well this month was book month. I'm a big reader, but this
month deals with being on the other side.

My first two books Raku Glazes http://www.rakuglazes.com
and Raku Secrets http://www.rakusecrets.com are now
available on Amazon.com
http://www.garyrferguson.com/myamazonbooks so if you
frequent that website check them out. If you already have a
copy of either (or both) and love them, please add a review
on Amazon. I would appreciate it.

Also the new book Fired Up With Raku by Irene Poulton which
I contributed to has been published and is available at:
http://www.garyrferguson.com/firedupwithraku.htm This is
published in the UK and availability in the US is a little
tough.

Finally, my latest ebook (not Raku related) Hypnotic
Auctions is now available at:
http://www.hypnoticauctions.com If you sell your work on
eBay or have wanted to, this ebook should reveal the
methods to attracting customer and getting higher bids on
your listings.

Yes, I know the above was all shameless plugs, but it's my
newsletter after all. Don't worry. Good content is below
for your Raku-ing enjoyment.

As always, I look forward to your feedback, suggestions,
questions, and article ideas at: editor@garyrferguson.com

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"I must thank you for all the great recipes. I was a bit
stuck for new recipes. I'll be here for thirty years
trying all these out." - Simon D. http://www.rakuglazes.com
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* Hang Tags in time for Christmas

I read an interesting article in Pottery Making Illustrated
about Hang Tags by Frank James Fisher a couple weeks ago
that I would like to mention. If you sell you items at
craft fairs or even out of your own studio, you may want to
take a look at this article. It provides some great
insight into how to create a simple, but professional
looking hang tag that adds to the look of your pieces
instead of being the typical price tag "eye sore."

So if you are interested in improving the look of your
items for sale (the holiday selling season is right around
the corner) then check out his article at:
http://www.potterymaking.org/issues/2006-0910/Fisher.pdf
(Note: I'm sure how long the link above will be available)

Also if you would like to see some great "realistic" Raku
check out his website at: www.frankjamesfisher.com

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"Our class fired again last night, and the instructor
followed your tips and voila. Boy do we have copper. Its
great knowing we can do it, and I really appreciate your
help. Thanks again!"-Shannon P. http://www.rakusecrets.com
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* Unstoppable Glaze

Len wrote:
While I was receiving instructions concerning the repair
(installation of new elements) of my electric kiln, the
expert told me to be sure to remove the glaze drips from
the bottom of the kiln, as they would eventually produce a
hole in the bottom of the kiln as they gradually work their
way through the brick. Yesterday, during a Raku fund
raiser, a piece of kiln shelf wound up with a hole
completely through the shelf. I saved the shelf piece,
which clearly shows a hole and glaze on both sides of it.
Is this the same phenomenon? Can glaze actually work its
way through glaze shelves if you don't chip it off and
apply kiln wash?

Very interesting question.

First I attempt to explain the glaze on brick phenomenon.
Firebrick is very porous (full of holes like Swiss cheese).
When the glaze drips on the brick it fills some of these
holes. Then when it cools (and shrinks), it actually
breaks some of this fragile brick. If the glaze is left on
there for repeated firing, the glaze will continue to
liquefy, seep further into the brick, cool, solidify, and
break/crack the brick more. If this process repeats enough
times, yes the glaze can "eat" all the way through the
brick.

Now a kiln shelf on the other hand is a little different. A
kiln shelf is made of much tougher stuff and is not as
porous as kiln brick. The main reason you want to get the
glaze on kiln shelves is to keep them smooth and flat and
to prevent them from fusing to kiln furniture or your
pieces. I would think it would be highly unlikely the kiln
shelf developed a hole with the same process as the kiln
brick above. I would think someone would have had to grind
a hole through (or almost through) the kiln shelf (by
repeatedly removing dripped glaze) and then possibly during
the lasting firing a glaze drip finally "broke" through the
shelf.

Just a guess, but I think it would take more than just
glaze to "eat" through a kiln shelf.

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After reading Sue's book I discovered dozens of tips,
techniques, and methods of creating Raku beads and jewelry
that I never would have thought of. The hundreds of color
photos are not only instructional but inspiring as well.
There is a new idea to try on almost every page. This book
is a gold mine!" http://www.rakubeadjewelry.com
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* Two Halves of the Same Pot

Doug sent in the following:
I have only been "pottering" since last November and have
found that I enjoy Raku firing more than anything else. We
only Raku fire once a month and I attend each one. We have
a very limited inventory of Raku glazes available to us but
the one I like the best is the Glossy Green. I always seem
to have a problem with it � after removing the piece from
the reduction chamber (garbage can with waded up newspaper)
half of the piece will be very shiny and impart lots of
color while the other half will be dull and maybe even a
"bubbled" finish to it. We just had a firing last Saturday
and the top of the piece was just beautiful with lots of
color and was very glossy but the bottom had a very dull
finish to it. Is there a way to make both top and bottom
halves of the piece come out the same? I have your book,
Raku Secrets http://www.rakusecrets.com and have enjoyed it
very much.

Well, I can't know exactly what is occurring in these
situations, but I can give you some insight that may help
you out. There are two primary factors as you can guess:
the firing process and the reduction process.

Generally in a Raku firing (because of the speed), the
bottom of a piece get hotter that the top of a piece in a
kiln. This can lead to runs on the bottom with the top
just reaching maturity, or it can get bubbles on the top of
a piece when the bottom is just mature. The bubbles are
caused by gas escaping during the firing and the glaze not
having a change to heal itself by reaching maturity. So the
solution here would be to fire slower and soak at the final
temperature for a little longer to make sure both the top
and the bottom reach about the same temperature at the same
time.

Now during the reduction process you can have two different
impacts on the piece as well. When you place the piece into
the reduction materials the bottom of the piece will often
sit right in the combustibles, which can lead to creating
marks in the glaze and more black marks from the carbon.
Both of which can dull the pieces. The solution here is to
use fewer combustible materials and also place one or more
bricks in the bottom of your reduction chamber set the
piece on to keep the piece elevated out of the reduction
materials better.

Hope this helps.

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Discover the secrets to creating multiple streams of income
using the power of eBay. A Powerseller shows you how at:
http://www.planetsms.co.uk/partners/?a=9OpcT9Pu&p=1
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* Global Warming with Raku

Another reader wrote:
After Raku-ing for about 10 years, and loving it, I've
grown concerned about my contributing to the effects of
global warming. Has anyone read articles on how the Raku
process effects the environment? Although this is probably
not a popular subject, does anyone have thoughts on this or
get customers inquiring about the subject?

I have to admit. When I first received this email my first
reaction was, you've got to be kidding. How could this be
affecting the ozone, etc. But then I didn't a little
looking around on the Internet and I am a little more
"educated".

First I couldn't find any articles specifically addressing
Raku and Global Warming (so I guess this is the first). But
on Wikipedia I read that Global warming is primarily
attributed to increased amounts of carbon dioxide and other
greenhouse gases (water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide,
ozone, etc.)

The first of these, carbon dioxide is produced in several
ways, which include combustion of organic material and even
the act of breathing (oxygen in - carbon dioxide out).

So given these facts, I can say that yes, the Raku process
does "contribute" to Global Warming ... but so does forest
fires, barbequing, driving a car, water evaporating from
the oceans, cow burps (methane), visiting the dentist
("laughing gas"), and even breathing, along with a jillion
other things.

But do I think it contributes significantly? Of course not.
How many hours (or make that years) would I have to fire my
Raku kiln to equal the impact of one forest fire? Or one
oil burning car? Or one industrial factory? I think the
comparative impact is miniscule at best.

So I personally would not worry about adding to the
Greenhouse effect, but others might look at any possible
increase as bad, so if this is you, then you may want to
find another art form to express yourself with.

I, on the other hand, will plant a tree and keep Raku-ing.

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"It's all your fault! I was up all night reading "Raku
Secrets". I have been Rakuing for about ten years, and
still so much to learn. Your Raku Secrets gave me a lot of
new insight. Thanks so much". - Elaine S.
http://www.rakusecrets.com
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* Click Away *
Frank James Fisher
www.frankjamesfisher.com

Christine Cox
http://www.potfest.co.uk/ChristineCox/raku.htm

Steven Forbes-deSoule
http://www.stevenforbesdesoule.com/

Raku Glazes http://www.rakuglazes.com
Raku Secrets http://www.rakusecrets.com
Raku Beads http://www.rakubeadjewelry.com
Got Raku? http://www.cafepress.com/gotraku
Just Raku Archive http://www.JustRaku.com
Just Raku Blog http://justraku.blogspot.com
Hypnotic Auctions http://www.hypnoticauctions.com

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Books, Music, Videos and that's just the start. Amazon
sells more than books! Help support this newsletter by
using this link: http://www.garyrferguson.com/amazon
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* Workshops and Seminars

None Currently

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Raku: A Practical Approach by Steven Branfman
The "nuts and bolts" how-to book of Raku
Order 30% off at: http://www.garyrferguson.com/branfman
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JUST RAKU (C) Copyright 2002-2006 Gary R. Ferguson