Expert: Sam Kelly - 3/12/2009

Question
I've been told that once a piece gets wet it can never be re-fired. I have some
pieces that were fired in a soda kiln but came out very dry.  The inside was
glazed and the outside was left bare.  I wanted to re-fire them again in the
soda kiln but was told that because they got wet they can never be re-fired
because this can make the pots explode.  Is this true?  Is there no amount of
drying time or drying technique that will allow the moisture to evaporate
from the crevices?

Answer
yes you can, BUT the pot needs to be warmed up in the kiln/oven BEFORE you apply the glaze. By warmed up I mean to hot to handle with bare hands, but not as hot as a casserole in the oven with a chicken in it ready to take out, so about 100-150DegC.

The reason being is that you want the glaze to start drying on the pot straight away, if you apply it to a cold pot it will just run off.

The best and only really successful way I have found to do this process is to spray the glaze on. An ordinary car painting spray gun is all that you need. spray straight onto the hot pot as soon as you take it out of the kiln/oven. Not a great deal of glaze is needed, as long as you can see that the pot is covered, even if you can see through it is enough, because when you do the refire they will melt together.

Sam