help! what clay do i buy/use?

What cone do you want to fire to? earthenware, ^6 stoneware or ^10 stoneware (or anything in-between!). Personally I use a ^6 buff stoneware - why? because it is available at my local guild and I like the look of my glazes on it. You may want to use a coloured clay, brown, terracotta, red, or porcelain. There is also the issue of grog. How smooth do you want your clay to be? Lots of grog in a clay helps it to stand up to lots of manipulation whereas a grogless clay is less forgiving in that department. My suggestion would be to try a couple. Perhaps one with and one without grog. Or one light coloured and one darker. Then the trick is getting glazes that "fit" your clay! Lots and Lots of choices and decisions. Good Luck =o)

=o) =o) =o) =o) =o) =o) Penni Stoddart Literacy Education Assistant Potter London, Ontario

Sometimes we just need to remember what the rules of life really are... You need only two tools: WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and it should, use WD-40. If it moves and shouldn't, use the duct tape.

I think you are starting on the wrong end. Where do you want to fire your things? At what temperature do they fire? I live in Europe and have no idea about the clays you mention, but i would talk to the people who are going to fire your stuff. Different clays fire at different temperatures, you can't just order any clay and fire it to any temperature. It also depends on what glazes you want to use. They look very different on a light or dark body. I don't think this is a question anyone in the pottery group can answer for you. Maybe you should take some more classes and find out more about pottery and what it is you want, before you rush out to buy a wheel and some clay.

Monika

-- Monika Schleidt snipped-for-privacy@schleidt.org

On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 19:04:00 +0100, Monika Schleidt wrote: ..l)).

I learned a lot the past couple of days-- found out my college kiln can fire at cone10 so i bought some cone10 clay, since i also learned cone10 clay can also be fired at cone6. Also bought some cone6 clay since a local ceramics stores does daily firings at cone4 and cone6 for the public.

Nope, I am a rebel, can't wait and take classes or I will lose interest. I plan to dive in and just do it! Just call me reckless!