Recently, I wanted to create a layering effect with underglaze, using masking tape. I was worried that the masking tape would pull off the unfired underglaze. And, I found myself wondering ‘can you bisque fire twice?’. So, I did a bit of research and this is what I found out. You can bisque fire twice…
Since I started using my DIY raku kiln, I have picked up some tips on the raku firing process. It took me a few tries at firing a raku kiln to use it successfully. And I imagine that the same is true for other people starting out. So, I thought I’d write an article and…
It can be daunting learning how to fire pottery. There are lots of factors to think about. And you may have found yourself wondering if you can put wet clay in the kiln. Or perhaps you are in a hurry, and you want to fire your pottery in time for a deadline. Potters do sometimes…
You may have heard of kiln cookies and wondered what they are and what they do. This post is all about the humble kiln cookie. Also known as patties, the kiln cookie is firing essential and handy kiln saver. Once you start using them, you won’t look back! Kiln cookies are thin flat slabs or…
So, you set your kiln to hold for hours instead of minutes by mistake. You are definitely not the first and you won’t be the last. Perhaps you set it to hold for 15 hours instead of 15 minutes. You are probably desperate to know what happens if you do set a kiln to hold…
There are a number of technical terms used by potters when they talk about firing their pottery. One term you will come across when learning about using a kiln is a ‘hold’ or ‘hold time’. It took me a while to piece together why potters used a hold time. So, I thought it might be…
One of the first things you learn about firing pottery is that it needs to be dry before it’s fired. You may have heard the quaint term ‘candling’ and wondered what it means. In this article, I look at what candling a kiln means and why is it so important. Candling a kiln involves heating…
If you produce masses of pottery each day, you will fill your kiln in no time. But if like me, you produce more modest amounts, it takes longer to build up a kiln full of work. So, you might have wondered if you can fire bisque and glazed pots together in one load. Here is…
Most of us have been there, your kiln is coming to the end of the cool down, and you are itching to open it up. You may have heard about potters unloading their kilns early. Perhaps this has left you wondering what temperature can you open a kiln without causing clay carnage. This article looks…
Once you’ve made your pottery and fired it you may be desperate to see how it has turned out. You probably want to know how long does it take for a kiln to cool down. This article is about how long you can expect to wait, and what factors affect the cooling time. The time…
Kilns come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. If you have a new kiln, you might be wondering how to use the peepholes. Or perhaps you are having trouble with your glazes and you suspect you can remedy this with the peepholes. Either way, you may have been wondering, when do you close the…
If you have bisque fired to cone 6 by accident, you’re not the first, and you won’t be the last. It’s an easy mistake to make. But if you have a kiln load of overfired pottery, you may be wondering what you can do. Here are some suggestions about what you can do to salvage…