can I fire my toilet?

Drying that out could be problematical! Buy a new one and decorate that, then if it goes t**s up you won't be Toiletless.

Steve Bath UK

In article , chriS RING writes

I don't know the answer to your question, but if your toilet is the standard design with a rectangular lid that lifts off, you might try working on just that part first. It's already the driest part of the assembly, but more important if you screw it up it's the easiest to make a replacement for. Also, if it comes out a slightly different color than the rest of the body, it might be a "feature instead of a bug" (as we say in the software business)!

I suspect a bigger problem is going to be getting your new glaze to stick to the old. I'd be inclined to avoid this project unless you and your spouse would be happy with a "distinctive" toilet with a non-uniform glaze. In fact, you might want to consider something streaky or runny on purpose, to cover up the fact the glaze isn't perfectly uniform. It's hard enough to get a uniform color on bisque, let alone over a glaze!

Just a thought....

Bob Masta dqatechATdaqartaDOTcom D A Q A R T A Data AcQuisition And Real-Time Analysis

Chris:

I've actually seen it done. But I can't tell you how they did it. George Wright of Wright Pottery in Manning, Oregon, USA has a whole bunch of toilets lined up that he and his son have re- fired with psychedelic colors. Actually they are pretty cool. They don't have email or website that I can find. It can be done. If you can somehow get them on the phone, he is eager to share.

Diego

Thanks for your answers- actually, I had planned on buying a new toilet to redecorate anyway, and it would be a design, more than just a solid color, so I am not really concerned about uniformity. Ive fired many previously glazed commercial glazed tiles with very good success so I thought this might be possible. My main concern is to what temperature I can take the toilet- the material seems more porous and light weight and possibly less durable than typical ceramics. Could it be subject to crumbling (potentially lethal for a toilet)if taken to cone 04? Chris in Austin, Texas

I think 04 would be a good point to start from. In the UK Ceramics of this type are (I believe) biscuit fired to a much higher temperature, but glazed between that and 03. I am open to correction on the precise temperatures.

Steve Bath UK

In article , chriS RING writes

Just throwing in my uninformed 2 cents here. Toilets I believe are made of porcelain and are high fired. From what I understand you can add decorations to a fired piece at a lower glaze fire which is of course done after the initial high firing. So lusters are done at a low fire on a piece after it has been high fired. Stenciling is done the same way (so your pretty little china tea cups are often done I believe on two firings - first the high fire glaze followed by a low fire decorative addition).You can always email the toilets manufacture to find out what temp they fire to.

For those who just HAVE to know, I found the following information on the American Standard website.

Materials What We're Made Of.

American Standard products are made of the finest quality materials. Here's what these materials are all about.

Vitreous China. There's Red China, and Nationalist China, so what's Vitreous China? All of our toilets and many of our sinks are made of Vitreous China. Vitreous means it's impervious to water. We take "slip," a mixture of water and special clays, and pour it into molds that absorb moisture. When the china is hard and dry, it's time for the porcelain glaze. Then it's off for a sauna in our 2200 degree kiln. All in a day's work.

And now you know...

Wayne Seidl Key West, Florida, USA North America, Terra Latitude 81.8, Longitude 24.4 Elevation 3.1 feet (1m)

on my list of things to do one day is to SLIGHTLY melt a toilet.

i think it would be a great thing to show off at the next chilli cook off contest...

see ya!

steve

Would that qualify as a *Jalapeno Toilet* ?

:-)

Steve Bath UK

In article , steve graber writes

Steve Mills wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@mudslinger.demon.co.uk:

Mein Got!! Potters with a sense of humour

John W

would it be art? sculpture?

it sure would stop traffic & initiate conversations!

steve graber

One of the artists that use our studio from time to time paints on sinks. We fire them at cone 015 and they come out fine.

Hi Chris,

I have done the sink & toilet redecoration you are asking about. I used "MAYCO Stroke & Coats". They fire to cone 05-06. I have also used the least expensive 4x4 tiles glazed in several different colors. I have found either cone 05-06 worked equally well although I always prefer to use the highest temp I can. In this case cone 05. I've done quite a bit of this work so if you have any questions about different application techniques feel free to contact me personally off list & I'll be happy to share what I can. Good Luck! Logan Johnson

Is this what they call toilet humour? Perhaps the inside could be decorated with - Aim here please!

I think this discussion has gone 'down the pan' :-))) Jo p.s. Some great designs spring to mind

on my list of things to do one day is to SLIGHTLY melt a toilet. i think it would be a great thing to show off at the next chilli cook off contest...

Would that qualify as a *Jalapeno Toilet* ? :-)

Steve Bath UK

Don't laugh.... We got tired of cleaning urine off the walls at the local bar (pub/tavern). I took black and red permanent markers, and put 4 inch (10cm) "bullseye" targets in the center of each. That worked only for a while. Then, we removed the bullseye and painted a small black "fly" in the center of each. Guys love to play games...we had no more problems. We do it in all new accounts now. Works every time, and the owners think I'm a genius...who am I to argue? Best, Wayne