Expert: Leisha Hiester - 12/28/2008

Question
What is an alternative firing technique that I can use for my pottery that I do at home instead of paying the high price of a kiln or paying someone to do it for me? Any suggestions?
Thanks
Lisa

Answer
Lisa,
Just this year I tried a new homemade kiln with a metal trash can. I had tremendous results & right now they're my best selling pots! Smoke firing; I'm hooked. The smell is so wonderful too. It smells like a campfire burning lightly. Here's the info off my card for you. If you do a simple search online or google Smoke or sawdust firing, you'll come up with lots of good information. The only drawback to this firing is that these pots are for decorative purposes only. Leisha

 
Smoke firing
Sawdust firing is a simple, low-fire
method of firing pottery. Pots are
burnished before bisque fired, then
packed on a 6 inch bed of sawdust.
More sawdust is sprinkled around
them & allowed to burn away slowly
over a period of a few days. The
smoldering smell of the sawdust
burning is pleasant, like a campfire.
Pots are then polished with wax.