The creation of ceramic forms by casting slip in plaster molds.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Slip
Clay suspended in water, usually the consistency of thick cream.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Slab Roller
A mechanized or manually operated device for rolling out large uniform slabs of clay.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Sintering
In heating clays and glazes, a solid-state reaction where particles stick together permanently, and mass can be considered fired.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Silicon Carbide
SiC — Extremely refractory material used to form kiln shelves.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Sieving
The process of working a glaze or slip through a wire-mesh sieve to strain out impurities and to break up clumped raw materials.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Sieve
A container with fine-mesh wire screen in the bottom, available in different mesh sizes, used for straining slips and glazes in order to achieve complete mixing of raw materials and removal of large particles or contaminants.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Shrinkage
Permanent contraction of the clay in both drying and firing stages. Overall may be as much as 18%.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Shivering
Serious and dangerous glaze defect where excessive glaze compression causes small razor-sharp chips of glaze to pop off along outer edges, corners, and rims.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Shino Glaze
Classic Japanese glaze ranging from gray to white to orange, composed primarily of feldspar.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Shard
A broken fragment of pottery.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Sgraffito
Decorating technique achieved by scratching or carving through a layer of slip or glaze (helps to apply wax-resist over glaze before carving) before firing to expose contrasting clay body beneath.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Setting
Process of loading a kiln, or technically, of placing the set.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Set
To place wares in a kiln. Or, in a loaded kiln, the entire structure of shelves, furniture, and wares.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Secondary Air
In fuel-burning kilns, air that enters after initial combustion and feeds flames as they leave primary combustion source.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Scoring
Process of incising surface of wet or leather-hard clay in crosshatch pattern before applying slurry and joining pieces.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Sand
Granular silica. Major grit besides grog used to give clay bodies structure for throwing and hand building, high shrinkage in high-temperature clay bodies, but gives smoother fired surface than grog. Toxic in inhalation.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Salt (Sodium Chloride)
NaCl—table salt, rock salt—used in salt-firing. Skin irritant.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Salt Firing
Vapor-glazing process where salt (sodium chloride) is introduced into kiln firebox at high temperature.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Saggar Firing
Contemporary firing process in which wares are placed within refractory saggars, along with chemicals and combustibles, in order to achieve certain surface effects.
The creation of ceramic forms by casting slip in plaster molds.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Clay suspended in water, usually the consistency of thick cream.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
A mechanized or manually operated device for rolling out large uniform slabs of clay.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
In heating clays and glazes, a solid-state reaction where particles stick together permanently, and mass can be considered fired.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
The process of working a glaze or slip through a wire-mesh sieve to strain out impurities and to break up clumped raw materials.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
A container with fine-mesh wire screen in the bottom, available in different mesh sizes, used for straining slips and glazes in order to achieve complete mixing of raw materials and removal of large particles or contaminants.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Permanent contraction of the clay in both drying and firing stages. Overall may be as much as 18%.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Serious and dangerous glaze defect where excessive glaze compression causes small razor-sharp chips of glaze to pop off along outer edges, corners, and rims.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Classic Japanese glaze ranging from gray to white to orange, composed primarily of feldspar.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
A broken fragment of pottery.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Decorating technique achieved by scratching or carving through a layer of slip or glaze (helps to apply wax-resist over glaze before carving) before firing to expose contrasting clay body beneath.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Process of loading a kiln, or technically, of placing the set.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
To place wares in a kiln. Or, in a loaded kiln, the entire structure of shelves, furniture, and wares.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
In fuel-burning kilns, air that enters after initial combustion and feeds flames as they leave primary combustion source.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Process of incising surface of wet or leather-hard clay in crosshatch pattern before applying slurry and joining pieces.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Granular silica. Major grit besides grog used to give clay bodies structure for throwing and hand building, high shrinkage in high-temperature clay bodies, but gives smoother fired surface than grog. Toxic in inhalation.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
NaCl—table salt, rock salt—used in salt-firing. Skin irritant.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Vapor-glazing process where salt (sodium chloride) is introduced into kiln firebox at high temperature.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Contemporary firing process in which wares are placed within refractory saggars, along with chemicals and combustibles, in order to achieve certain surface effects.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook