A few months ago I shared my first foray in to the newest form of Bronze clay called Goldie Bronze.
The firing instructions call for firing only one layer in the kiln at a time on a layer of carbon and then adding carbon then doing a second phase, well when you make as much inventory as I need to make that is not really a good use of my time.
The firing instructions call for firing only one layer in the kiln at a time on a layer of carbon and then adding carbon then doing a second phase, well when you make as much inventory as I need to make that is not really a good use of my time.
I asked some questions on the Goldie Bronze Forum on Facebook and several people suggested firing 4-5 open shelf firings and then consolidating them in one Carbon Firing.
So here's what that process looks like.
Here is the first layer
Here is the first layer
And 2 more layers for 3 total, I think I might have been able to get a 4th layer in.
They are in the kiln right now.
The first stage of firing is 660F for 30 minutes.
Typically you do this on carbon and just add carbon to the top and do the second phase.
But since I want to do more at one time I'm going to layer all of these in to carbon after the first phase.
I have to let them cool completely before I remove them and transfer them to the carbon.
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| BEFORE 1st phase firing |
Removing them after this first stage is making me very nervous,
they are extremely delicate only partially fired and last time I tried it they fell apart,
but I think it's because I took them out still warm AND I was not as gentle as I should have been.
So after this stage let them cool COMPLETELY and be very gentle as you transfer them to the carbon.
 |
| AFTER 1st phase firing |
Very carefully removing partially fired pieces and transferring them in to carbon, I started using a knife then felt confident I could use my fingers and that was fine.
1st of 3 layers.
Carbon over the top and another layer.
My only casualty :(
This is the whole batch all tumbled, I would call this a success.
I wanted to fire a large number at one time and it worked!!
I'm creating alot but not listing all of it on Etsy for a while
because I'll be a vendor at the
Whole Bead Show
May 3-5 at the Lynnwood Convention Center.
But as always if you want something I've shown you just ask!!
May 3-5 at the Lynnwood Convention Center.
But as always if you want something I've shown you just ask!!
Kristi
It is so cool seeing this! Great job letting it cool all the way (don't you find you have to "forget about them" in order to do that?). The finished pieces look amazing! Love seeing all your work and textures :)
ReplyDeleteIt's true Marsha, actually I had to leave the house for a good part of the day so I wasn't tempted to "check" them lol.
ReplyDeleteI am in love. I swear I cant try metal clay or it will be the end of me. Stoneware and polymer will have to suffice. Kristi I sure wish we lived closer so we could swap mediums and collaborate!
ReplyDeletegood job Kristi and thanks for sharing the process. This whole 2 stage firing of some metal clays has really put me off in the past. It's wonderful to see that it can be done in a production mode. Nice results and the look just wonderful.
ReplyDeleteHow long is' the second phase Kristi - I've always been out of 2 stage process like LeAnn as I sometimes do 3 loads in a day. Does the carbon come off easily>
ReplyDelete? I tried open fired Prometheus clay when I first started and the carbon layer was so thick there was little left but that's obviously not the case here.
There's a link to the firing instructions at the top of the post but here it is. http://www.vallewis.net/assets/images/Downloads/goldie_PRESENTATION.pdf
DeleteSecond phase is 40 minutes. I tumble it as usual, well longer than I do copper because I don't like my copper to be shiney, but you see how they came out in the last picture. I can't imagine doing 3 firings in a day, once or twice a week is all I ever have time for.
All I can really say is OMG you are darn talented!!! I am in love with all the pieces!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting method. I had no idea it was so involved!
ReplyDeleteThese are so gorgeous...I love seeing them all together like that. I would love to try metal clay, but don't have the funds right now. Thanks for sharing your techniques!
ReplyDelete