Morter and pestal?

The mortar an pestle I have is made of porcelain and is as you say very heavy (thick - at least 1-2" or 2.5-5 centimeters). I have seen them made of stone but never out of any clay other than porcelain. I would think it would have to be a highly vitrified body... Just some thoughts. I know nothing. A jack of all trades, a master of none.

By the by - I like the nic. It fits.

P.S. It is embarrassing to go through Switzerland for the first time and after every bend find yourself saying "THAT is the MOST BEAUTIFUL view I have EVER seen!" (on ride down from Zurich to Italy).

A friend of mine has made one - and it is even low-fired. She has been using it for about a year now.

I can't work with porcelain yet - too much of a newbie.

Thanks - I am a scuba diver too, so it fits even better! Hehe!

Marianne

Hehe! I know that feeling! I moved here from Norway 3 years ago, and we just LOVE to just go for drives here and there to see what's to see :-)

Marianne

That is really nice to know. I wonder if a body with lots of grout in it would make for better grinding and how much iron you would be getting in your diet from using a red clay body?

If you are going to be keeping your walls thick, then porcelain would not really be any harder to work with than stoneware. Not that I'm recommending it but you might like the feel of it just to play with. I don't think your really need to wait to be a master in one before beginning with another... Just a thought.

Not much, I bet, considering hopefully that the glaze will stay nicely on - though you might risk stuff from the glaze - I hadn't thought of that!

As for grout (the tiny stones?) - I was thinking of making it with grouted clay and then washing over the inside of the bowl carefully with a sponge to bring the texture out an hopefully make mortaring more effective - I think it is a good idea, but so far nobody has confirmed this :-)

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I recently tried making something with porcelain - just a couple of stamps - but I found it very icky and too rubbery to work with. I have found a really pliable but strong clay that I think I will use - or get one with larger grout in it but of the same type.

I definitely can't see myself turning porcelain any time soon - for that it seemed too rubbery - but could be the type I have access to isn't of the best :-)

Thanks for the tips!

Marianne

I had just assumed it would be unglazed... Just went and checked. My porcelain one is glazed on the outside but not on the inside where you grind...

Wow, I'm impressed! I visited Norway a few years ago and thought that was the most beautiful place on Earth... now I guess I *have* to see Switzerland!

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

But porcelain is very even in itself, right? I figure with stoneware, it would give off particles into the food.

Not sure, though - gotta give this some thought and research!

Marianne

Hi Bob!

Welllll - Norway is definitely very beautiful, and has something Switzerland doesn't - namely ocean and long fjords and lots of lovely islands dotting them.

But the mountains and green fields and lovely little hamlets all over Switzerland are definitely something to see! Stay off the highways, though - they are as boring here as everywhere else! :-D

Marianne

Yes porcelain is very tight and smooth.... I wonder if you burnished the stoneware on the inside and left it unglazed how that would work?

The thing is that this is supposed to become a decorative piece, not "just" functional. so I would prefer to be able to give some color to the interior as well. "My" clay fires to a grayish color - not very exciting.

Marianne