Stacked a test kiln this morning. It is fully computerized and there is a standard glaze program to begin one’s experiments. I’ve programmed 6 or was it 7 steps. They use pyrometric rings for each kiln to measure the actual temperature achieved.

I am testing for materials {cross between a glaze and clay} that will fill holes, a material {testing fluxes} that will give color to the porcelain/bone china without glazes or stains/oxides. I know that bone ash {i.e.: calcium phosphate} on Babu in SF, gives a very warm vapor fume, sort of like golden marshmallows. Would like to keep the panels closer to original clay sense than a glazed tile look.

Also – I apply terra stiglatta or “vapor fume” chemicals on dry clay. I am testing out hypothesis from last summers wood firing and Marc Lancet’s book on wood firing. Color development on cooling. Also soaking the kiln longer this time. Understand that bone china will give more translucencies if held for long periods of time at high temperatures. Of course, the equation of time over temperature does lead to warpage, etc.

Today, worked on making panels. Found out that the porcelain, VM 545 from Germany that is tinted pink – shrinks at a different rate than the bone china clay – BM 900. So, some panels will probably crack.