[Moonfruit]

Does anyone have experience with incorporating metal into pots? How can they be fired? Is it possible to fire to cone 5 with metal going through the clay (metal that melts above cone 5) and not destroy your electric kiln? Or do you leave the metal in as the clay dries, fire without the metal pieces and hope to fit them back in afterward? I am intrigued by combining these media but understand it could be very difficult. Any advice is appreciated!

Susan

[Lucille Oka]

The clay will shrink around the metal and may crack the clay. You must take this into consideration when you start testing.

[Marcia Selsor]

It could depend on the metal as well. Kanthal wire will take high temperatures. You have to experiment. Possibly start with lower temperatures.
Marcia

[DBCurley]

I've seen nails, screws, and bolts used. The items came out looking like charred metal that came out of a fire(imagine that huh? . ) Like the previous poster said, watch for shrink rate. Also, I would try to avoid galvanized metal. I'm not sure what it would do, but its one less factor.

[trina]

I use old iron from time to time low fire earthen ware , just need to watch shrinkage. Have a look in my gallery there is pot there with loads of iron bits in it. T

[Marcia Selsor]

Trina,
What temperature is the "Fire Pot" with nails?

Marcia

[trina]

Marcia Selsor, on 02 July 2012 - 08:42 AM, said:

Trina,
What temperature is the "Fire Pot" with nails?

Marcia

Hi there, that one is low fire earthware fired at 1100 C . T

[bciskepottery]

Check out the work of Jeremy Randall. He uses nails, wire . . . earthenware temperatures.

http://ceramicartsda...tully-new-york/

[Nelly]

bciskepottery, on 02 July 2012 - 09:14 AM, said:

Check out the work of Jeremy Randall. He uses nails, wire . . . earthenware temperatures.

http://ceramicartsda...tully-new-york/

Dear All,

I have used the special wire and the nuts and bolt thing in kilns.

In Mendocino I did some long marionette puppets using the eye screw in an electric kiln. We then raku fired these pieces and attached them after firing with plain old wire.

I have also done some work with the ceramic wire in a class taught by Victoria Christenson at Anderson Ranch.

In both cases I did not see any cracking.

I cannot provide you with exact temperatures these were fired at given that at that point I was just interested in creating and not the technical part. But do know it is achievable.

Nelly

[Moonfruit]

Thanks everyone! I might chance cracking the pot if the consensus is it won't damage the kiln.