Alternative Ceramic Supply


Materials
  1. Brick Rubble
  2. Granite Offcuts
  3. Dolerite Offcuts
  4. Broken Bisque
  5. Concrete Rubble
  6. Glass Sludge
  7. Wood Ash
  8. Bone Ash
  9. Marble Offcuts
  10. Oyster Shells


Bulk Buy
Ground Works


Info
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      8. Bone Ash

      Test tiles using wood ash glaze blends, fired to midfire (cone 6, left) and stoneware (cone 9, right). Materials were not added to clay bodies due to fluxing or invisibility. Glaze tests (top to bottom): wood ash glaze alone, +10% brick, +10% concrete, +10% brick & concrete, +30% more bone ash.


      FIRST LIFE  

                  ORIGINCattle vertebra (Tricalcium phosphate)

                 MEASUREMENTSSmall segments, 3-4mm in diameter

                 COLOURFleshy
                 TEXTUREn/a

                FINISH / FEATURESn/a

      SECOND LIFE 

                 COLLECTION LOCATION -37.76837766641702, 145.00194853207796

                  DATE OF COLLECTION
      September 2023

                  SUBURBNorthcote

                  COUNTRYWurundjeri Woi Wurrung

                  LOCAL COUNCILDarebin


      MATERIAL INFORMATION

                 COMPOSITION Typical bone ash consists of about 55.82% calcium oxide, 42.39% phosphorus pentoxide, and 1.79% water (Ca5(OH)(PO4)3).  In ceramics, bone ash is a highly variable material produced by calcining animal (cattle) bones. 

      POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS

                 SUBSITUTE FOR
      Bone ash generally acts as an opacifier in glazes. Can cause crawling and blistering.
                 IN CLAY BODY
      Body flux in bone china. Note: may cause slumping

                 IN GLAZE      In the c/9-10 range and higher, bone ash decomposes and releases tricalcium phosphate, a highly reactive substance that helps flux the rest of the glaze. 

      Bone ash is a flocculent and can cause glazes to go on too thick, if this is a problem use a deflocculant rather than water to adjust the consistency. 

      PREPARATION

                 CALCINATION
      Yes, 655 - 850C

                 CUSTOM PREPARATION
      Minimum preparation is to remove as much organic matter as possible, dry out, and calcine.
      Alternative preparation is to cook in pressure cooker for 4hrs to remove collagen. Dry roast at 200C for 1hr to dry before calcining. 
                 MINIUMUM REQURIED EQUIPMENT
      Mortar and pestle

                 RATING
      (Scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being hardest)
      1

                 NOTESKeep bones in freezer until ready to process. 

      Once calcined, the shells will easily crush/crumble with mortar and pestle. Blitz in blender/thermomix to a fine powder.

      SAFETY &
      HANDLING


                 HAZARDS
      Not considered hazardous, although precautions should be taken to manage dust and gloves are recommended.
                 SUGGESTED PPE
      Respirator
      Gloves
      Eye Protection

      SOURCING

                 SEARCHING FOR SUPPLY
      Contact butchers, meat market stall holders, steak-houses and restaurants.  

                 WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU
      Bag

                 QUESTIONS TO ASK
      They're also able to cut the bones down into manageable sizes. 

                 RECYCLABILITY AS-IS
       Restaurants
      • To make stock

      Agriculture
      • Fertilizer
      • Animal feed

      Manufacturing
      • Biofuel
      • Glue

                 COLLECTION RECOMMENDATIONS
      The butcher keeps a container for bones that are cut-off in the preparation process in the front area just behind the counter and is very willing to give you a bag of them if you ask.