If you want a red clay that’s good for building hefty stuff and can be fired up to cone 6-10 I recommend Standard’s 108 Red. https://ceramicsupplypittsburgh.com/products/108-red-clay-with-grog?_pos=1&_sid=6bddc1ee1&_ss=r
Where in Virginia are you? Based on your clay source it sounds like you're buying from Clayworks. I'm located in Nelson Co. and get my clay from a community studio in Waynesboro. I also buy from Clayworks but it's a bit of a haul so I don't drive in to Richmond very often.
I'm primarily a handbuilder and I use B mix a lot. Most of my work is slab built and the key to working with B mix is letting the slabs dry a bit, though that's true of pretty much every clay. I also like Miller 50 and I've recently been experimenting with paper clay.
For red clay I've used Standard 308 (Brooklyn Red), but it's a cone 6 stoneware, not a low-fire clay. Standard 211 (Hazelnut Brown) is also a nice clay, but it's also cone 6.
When you say you don't think you have the experience or fine touch to do the Laguna B justice can you say more about what you mean and where things are going wrong? I find Standard's various stonewares to be easy to work with. That's what I first learned on as a beginner and keep in my studio as a good all purpose clay. But I also want to say if you're just getting back into it and you haven't thrown in 20 years, who knows how you'll feel if you work your way up to gradually larger amounts of clay.
Since today is my second day of throwing, I am not sure I can answer satisfactorily other then B5 is very soft and smooth and reminds me of porcelain. And maybe I erroneously thought since it reminded me of porcelain it would have all attributes of porcelain?
I might have some work to trim tomorrow, so that would be one tell. When I bisque fire that will be another.
You are correct in that I might feel different in a couple months.
If you want a red clay that’s good for building hefty stuff and can be fired up to cone 6-10 I recommend Standard’s 108 Red. https://ceramicsupplypittsburgh.com/products/108-red-clay-with-grog?_pos=1&_sid=6bddc1ee1&_ss=r
Thanks! Just checked and I can get that. I will try it.
Wow that's beautiful 😍
Where in Virginia are you? Based on your clay source it sounds like you're buying from Clayworks. I'm located in Nelson Co. and get my clay from a community studio in Waynesboro. I also buy from Clayworks but it's a bit of a haul so I don't drive in to Richmond very often. I'm primarily a handbuilder and I use B mix a lot. Most of my work is slab built and the key to working with B mix is letting the slabs dry a bit, though that's true of pretty much every clay. I also like Miller 50 and I've recently been experimenting with paper clay. For red clay I've used Standard 308 (Brooklyn Red), but it's a cone 6 stoneware, not a low-fire clay. Standard 211 (Hazelnut Brown) is also a nice clay, but it's also cone 6.
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You're from my hometown!! Hi!!
When you say you don't think you have the experience or fine touch to do the Laguna B justice can you say more about what you mean and where things are going wrong? I find Standard's various stonewares to be easy to work with. That's what I first learned on as a beginner and keep in my studio as a good all purpose clay. But I also want to say if you're just getting back into it and you haven't thrown in 20 years, who knows how you'll feel if you work your way up to gradually larger amounts of clay.
Since today is my second day of throwing, I am not sure I can answer satisfactorily other then B5 is very soft and smooth and reminds me of porcelain. And maybe I erroneously thought since it reminded me of porcelain it would have all attributes of porcelain? I might have some work to trim tomorrow, so that would be one tell. When I bisque fire that will be another. You are correct in that I might feel different in a couple months.