Flameware claybody

I'm somewhat surprised that someone is teaching a class in this given the liability issues. Flameware is tricky to produce and requires proper handling by the user. The serious concern is that it may fail during use and injury the user. Below are a couple links with collections of posts that discuss production issues.

Thanks for the links. I've printed out some of this, plus the article on Flameware by Ron Probst.

My teacher (Robbie Lobell) has been making this for awhile, and is very concerned with proper studio use of the clay. The only people allowed to purchase the flameware claybody are those of us registered in the class and on the classlist. We are sworn not to share it with anyone else, and not to mix it with the reclaim in the studio.

I've only had one class so far, so I may not be getting all this right--but I think the body itself is 50% spodumene and lithium. She mentioned that it is a cone 10 claybody, but I did note in some of the posts in the links you sent that cone 11 was recommended. I'll ask about that.

We'll be formulating special glazes for use only with this flameware as part of the class and testing them on small pots. I believe that part of the class also involves testing the pots for their ability to successfully withstand heat and cold.

Anyway, it should be interesting.

Back to my other question--has anyone made a tagine? Do they in fact have a small hole at the top of the cone?

Deb R.

FYI, I just looked in "Clay and Glazes for the Potter" by Rhodes / Hopper and it recommends cone 11as well. It also describes, albeit briefly, how to test a flameware body.

You'll definitely need specially formulated glazes for flameware has it has an extremely low expansion rate. A typical cone 10 glaze wouldn't fit at all - if I've thinking about this the right way, it would craze badly.

deg

Deb,

The following website has some great information about tagines. They do NOT have a hole at the top of the lid - it should be enclosed.

Hope this helps.

Lori

A bit of a tangent, but I found it "interesting" that these pieces are described as "lead-free", but there is a foot note that says: " Pottery, like that above marked with this symbol, has been tested to be within the safe guidelines established by the Food & Drug Administration. Standards established by California Proposition 65 are significantly stricter than those of the FDA, and pottery with a yellow triangle has been found to leach lead above California's Proposition 65 warning levels. "

Sure sounds to me like they aren't lead-free. . .

deg

Thanks Lori. I printed up this site for future reference, but I also found in this site

Hmmm, guess I'm gonna have to do some more myself - although, I like the results of the one I kept for my own use. The closed top allows the steam to collect at the top and run down the inside of the lid back into the base to keep the food moist - I guess you could call them the original slow-cookers.

Mine are made from earthenware and lead-free glazes - and on the heavy side to help hold the heat.

Let us know what you decide to do - I'm interested to hear how well they work with the steam hole.

Take care,

Lori

from the one link, and a very brief read from me - these *tagine* things can be used over charcol as well as other flames. if you didn't have a hole at the top you'd smoke out the flame and not slow cook for the several hours you might want. a minor hole should keep the heat going but also retain the steam. it's like having a loose lid on a boiling pot i guess.

they look like a fun idea. guess i'll make one - thanks!

see ya

steve

steve graber