Lesley
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Sawdust Kiln Firing – Build a Brick Kiln for Sawdust Firing
A sawdust kiln is one of the easiest ways to fire clay at home. The kiln can be made using a simple brick construction. It can be used to bisque fire pottery, or to create lovely smoked effects on already bisque fired ware. Here is an easy to follow step-by-step guide on how to build…
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DIY Propane Kiln Ideas – 4 Easy Ways to Make a Propane Kiln
Making a DIY propane kiln is a great way to start firing your own pottery. A lot of the time DIY propane kilns are used to glaze fire pottery using the raku technique. But some can also be used to bisque fire pottery. There are lots of different ways to make a DIY propane…
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How Do Kilns Work? – All about How Pottery Kilns Fire Clay
There are different types of kiln, and each of them works a bit differently. However, regardless of design, kilns are simply chambers that are heated up to bake clay at high temperatures. In this article, I will look at the question, how do kilns work? I will consider some of the differences between types of…
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What is the Recommended Raku Firing Temperature?
Raku firing pottery is often described as a low fire fast method of glazing or finishing your pottery. But if you are thinking of firing raku, you might be wondering what exactly is the recommended raku firing temperature? In the context of a raku firing temperature, what does ‘low fire’ mean? Raku pottery is often…
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What is the Second Firing of Clay Called? – Glaze or Glost?
The most common practice when making ceramics is to fire pottery twice. The first fire is the bisque or biscuit fire. But what is the second firing of clay called? The second firing of clay is called the glaze fire. After the first fire, liquid glaze is applied to the bisque fired pottery. This is…
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What is the First Firing of Clay Called?
One of the first things that you will learn about firing clay is that it happens in two stages. These two stages have different purposes. This article is all about the first stage. So, let’s look first at what the first firing of clay is called… The first firing of clay is called the bisque…
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What Happens to Clay When it is Fired in a Kiln?
Usually, clay is fired two times. The first time is the bisque fire and the second time is the glaze fire. Clay undergoes changes during both of these firing processes. And this article is all about what happens to clay when it is fired in a bisque and a glaze fire. In essence, when clay…
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How Long Does It Take to Fire Clay in a Kiln? – Firing Tips
When you are starting out in pottery, most likely someone else is firing your pieces. Or perhaps you have a new kiln and you are wondering about firing schedules. Either way, you are probably wondering, how long does it take to fire clay in a kiln? This article is all about how long the firing…
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How to Fire Clay at Home – 7 Simple Ways to Fire Pottery
If you’ve started making pottery, you may be wondering how to fire clay at home. The good news is that you don’t need a fancy art studio to fire your own pottery. There are some simple, inexpensive ways to fire clay at home. This article covers 7 ways of firing pottery and some of the…
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What is Glaze Firing? – All About Glaze Firing Pottery
Firing clay is the process of turning it from clay into ceramic material. Most of the time pottery is fired twice, and the second firing is called glaze firing. So, what exactly is glaze firing? The first step in firing pottery is the bisque fire when clay turns into ceramic ware. After the bisque fire,…
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3 Stages of Firing Clay – A Beginner Guide to Firing Pottery
Firing pottery can seem like a mysterious process to the new potter. There are lots of technical terms that can sound quite foreign. So, I thought it would be helpful to write an overview of the stages of firing clay. Here is a guide to the 3 stages of firing clay. There are 3 main…
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How Long Does a Bisque Firing Take? – 6 Factors at Play
When I first started firing my own pots, one of my questions was how long does a bisque firing take? This can be a pressing question if you are up against a deadline or excited to see your fired ware. Over time, this is what I have learned about bisque firing pottery… A bisque firing…