Pots are not setting

[Fred_the_potter]

Hello, I am a proffesional potter from Walthamstow, and My pots do not seem to wan't to set in the oven. I was wondering why this is?

[Scorch]

Umm, well... forgive me for sounding rude, but if you're a "professional potter", shouldn't you know the answer? :)

To the best of my (schoolgirl) knowledge, you make your pot, let it dry to leather-hard, do any incised work, dry it more, fire it once to biscuit, glaze and decorate it, and then finally fire it again at a different (higher, I seem to remember) temperature. What part of this is causing you grief?

[Fred_the_potter]

Well, After I've thrown them, I put them into the microwave to set, for a few hours. But it doesnt want to work, it just melts the clay

[Scorch]

Mmmm... I'm not altogether surprised that doesn't work. What made you think that it would?

(PSST... anyone else think that this person isn't, ummm... let us say... altogether serious?)

[Pagan]

Well, After I've thrown them, I put them into the microwave to set, for a few hours. But it doesnt want to work, it just melts the clay


ROFL!!!! Thank you, you just made my day

[Fred_the_potter]

Well it takes too long in the oven, the microwave does it much quicker, well I thought it would

[beadstudio]

:mf::mf::mf: Hilarious!:mf:

[Scorch]

Mmm, well...best of luck with that, Fred the "professional" Potter... :)

[Critchley]

Perhaps he should join his pots in the microwave - he might melt too.

[lockettpots]

What clay are you actually using Fred?

John

[Fred_the_potter]

Oh the clay from down the back of the shops, the earth round here is mainly clay, I scoop it up and make it into pots

[Scorch]

I could ask you how you decide what bits of ground to dig up, how you condition it, how you decide what temperature you fire it at, and things like that, but I'm not sure it'd be a good idea to start down that road...

Anyway, as you may have gathered, you can't dry clay in a microwave. Microwaves heat things up, not dry them out.

[Fred_the_potter]

What would the oven do?

[woodtattoos]

What would the oven do?

Cook you a nice pizza while you clean the clay out of the microwave, I reckon.

Si. :D

[Fred_the_potter]

I could ask you how you decide what bits of ground to dig up, how you condition it, how you decide what temperature you fire it at, and things like that, but I'm not sure it'd be a good idea to start down that road...

Anyway, as you may have gathered, you can't dry clay in a microwave. Microwaves heat things up, not dry them out.

Just the ground by the path. I pick out leaves and grit then make on my wheel, then fire.

[silvermaid]

Not all clay is suitable to be used for pottery. Although a lot of soil looks like clay it could be as much as 50% organic matter which would have to be separated before the clay portion could be used.
It sounds as if you are trying to make the mud bricks like they make in Africa.
We live on the site of an old pottery making business ( dating back to medieval times) and have the blue lias clay which they used, only a foot deep in our fields. I'm sure the only way you can make pottery for it is by using a kiln.
If I get a chance I will try some in my microwave and see what happens.!!

Melanie

[Tip Top]

I have a feeling you are not being serious

If you are a crafter than please join in but your posts are bordering on the limits of what this forum is all about.

[Pebbles]

A scientific response to why a microwave oven would not dry clay and an oven would is required I think. Being a scientist, I am very well placed to provide an answer.

This is why I consulted the bible of all of my knowledge: Wikipedia, it says microwaves uses something called dielectric heating "Dielectric heating (also known as electronic heating, RF heating, high-frequency heating) is the phenomenon in which radiowave (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio) or microwave (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave) electromagnetic radiation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_radiation) heats a dielectric (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dielectric) material, especially as caused by dipole rotation."

So your clay molecules may get excited, but they aint gonna set.

[Critchley]

A scientific response to why a microwave oven would not dry clay and an oven would is required I think. Being a scientist, I am very well placed to provide an answer.

This is why I consulted the bible of all of my knowledge: Wikipedia, it says microwaves uses something called dielectric heating "Dielectric heating (also known as electronic heating, RF heating, high-frequency heating) is the phenomenon in which radiowave (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio) or microwave (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave) electromagnetic radiation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_radiation) heats a dielectric (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dielectric) material, especially as caused by dipole rotation."

So your clay molecules may get excited, but they aint gonna set.
Question - Was it your head or your clay you put in the microwave because I think that is what happened to your brain (Not you Pebbles)

[gypsypunk]

very funny. i am a professional neophyte crafter, too

[Fred_the_potter]

Really! Holy ****! we should maybe get together sometime.

[Rudi]

Ive been quite bored today but this has just made my day!!!
LOL!
He must be having a laugh!!
Ive never done pottery (not since primary school) and even i know that a microwave does not set clay!!
HOWEVER!!!.... My mum does use the microwave to dry her paper mache!!!
weird...

[janetdc]

Just came across this thread and it made me really laugh. I'm not a potter but I don't think anyone on the forum should risk their microwave. I think Fred is probably the potman done at his local pub collecting up the beer glasses or perhaps he's interested in some other type of pot?. :sm:

[Fred_the_potter]

Hahahaha, this is Freds son! MOD ED - swear word removed yeah, hes into it... (Not really lol!!!), You should see his potting wheel!!! MOD ED - and another swear word removed record player with a wooden disc ontop!

[Tip Top]

This thread has got out of hand