My house no longer has a gas supply - one standing charge less. The solar panels don't produce much in the middle of winter (especially when covered with snow) but a variable tariff is still making my firings and heating costs much cheaper than before. Nevertheless, I still want to use as little energy as I can, because that's what our world is asking me to do.
So I've begun a period of methodical research and development, adapting my existing glazes to perform in ways I like, but at lower temperatures - having always fast fired to cone 9 (in an electric kiln), I've gradually worked my way down to cone 6 (the lowest cone still classified as stoneware). The firing is quicker and uses quite a bit less electricity, and the elements and relays will last longer.
Here's one of the resulting pots, fresh from the kiln this morning, and it still has the same slight sheen as those fired at cone 8 - in the background you can see the tubs of glazes and glaze test pinch pots.
This pot will be one of those to be shown at Old Kiln Yard, Wokingham, in December .
(Some readers might notice that the title of this blog is a play on the Patrick Rivers book 'Living better on less ' published in 1977. Check it out!)
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