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Ceramics/Questions Answered by Expert Sam Kelly
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Ceramics and Toughness | 7/15/2010 |
| Q: I've begun experimenting with new product design crafted in ceramic, specifically ... A: Bisque is the least strongest and unglazed is highly absorbent, therefore only good for looking at. ... | |
| Zeus Celadon glaze | 7/9/2010 |
| Q: One of two Clay portraits glazed with Zeus Celadon fired in same cone 10 large gas kiln clumped ... A: sorry, there is no 100% effective way to fix/repair this. What has happened is called "glaze ... | |
| Ceramic Cup Repair | 5/27/2010 |
| Q: Is it possible to repair as small chip in the lip of very nice ceramic coffee cup so that it can be ... A: there are many products that you can use to join ceramic material. The problem for you is that the ... | |
| matt glaze | 5/13/2010 |
| Q: I want ask about Matt glaze how can i make it more smooth and silky A: Matt glazes are what is known as a 'dry glaze', they do not come out smooth or silky because of the ... | |
| Glazing | 4/27/2010 |
| Q: I have glazed my class ceramic handprints and when I took them out they had bubbled really badly. ... A: "bubbled really badly" isn't much for me to go on. It can be many things, from dirty bisque before ... | |
| Kiln repair | 4/26/2010 |
| Q: I am a first year art teacher and the kiln in my classroom is not firing correctly. It is not ... A: you need an electrician to have a look at it. If all the coils are not heating then you have a break ... | |
| Dry brushing lusters or luster-ettes | 4/24/2010 |
| Q: I was giving a bunch of different lusters or luster-ettes made by velva-glo. I have looked all over ... A: Lustres for pottery are in liquid format, or all the ones I have seen are. What you have may be a ... | |
| stilting glazed pieces in kiln | 4/20/2010 |
| Q: I want to glaze some of my pieces on the bottom and stilt them in my electric kiln. I fire to Cone ... A: sorry for taking so long to get back to you. All stilts I know of can bend or melt at cone 5 to six. ... | |
| Glazing | 4/9/2010 |
| Q: I'd like to know several things: How long do I wait after applying the underglaze before I apply the ... A: [How long do I wait after applying the underglaze before I apply the final transparent glaze] the ... | |
| electric kiln firing re bungs | 4/7/2010 |
| Q: I have a 10 cub ft electric kiln. Front loader It is computer controlled. It has a top vent (not ... A: bungs and vents on electric kilns have 2 purposes, letting out moisture and aiding in the cooling ... | |
| cone 10 sawdust firing | 4/5/2010 |
| Q: I have a built a piece with stoneware cone 10 clay that I want to fire using sawdust to achieve ... A: fire it to cone 06, this being bisque at 1000degC. Do your black firing, thats all you can do. Any ... | |
| kiln firing | 3/27/2010 |
| Q: My Skutt kiln makes a clicking on/off sound every 15 seconds or so while firing. Is this normal? ... A: it will be the regulator sending and cutting off power to the elements. Sometimes this is quite loud ... | |
| Lead Based Glazes | 3/24/2010 |
| Q: I am an art teacher so I have a basic familiarity of lead based glazes. However, I have two easy ... A: the concern with lead these days is null and void, that is what frits are these days. A compound ... | |
| painting on glazed porcelain | 3/20/2010 |
| Q: I have 8" glazed porcelain plate blanks that I have recently purchased from Maryland China. They ... A: 1. ceramic decal will work, but if you are going to eat off the plates damage will occur to the ... | |
| Lead Based Glazes | 3/19/2010 |
| Q: I am an art teacher so I have a basic familiarity of lead based glazes. However, I have two easy ... A: If you are unsure if a piece of ceramic has a lead based glaze on it and it gets put into the ... | |
| ceramics | 3/13/2010 |
| Q: We are thinking about buying a chess set said to have been fired once, they called it greenware, do ... A: Laura. follow these steps. 1)Greenware: soft unfired, it can be scratched with your fingernail. ... | |
| Colored ovenware | 2/16/2010 |
| Q: I am curious to learn if cobalt carbonate, in a small quantity, can be used as a colorant in an ... A: Remove the Red Iron Oxide as that is the colourant and replace it with the Cobalt Carbonate. However ... | |
| drying time after applying clear coat | 2/13/2010 |
| Q: my student put underglaze on a couple of days ago. Today i applied the clear coat and put their ... A: Sometimes it works and other times it does not. There is a possibility that the clear will peal off ... | |
| Africana Colors | 12/19/2009 |
| Q: I am looking for "Natural Strawberry" that was an Africana Glaze. Do you have any idea where I ... A: use the clear galze you are using now and add RED GLAZE STAIN POWDER to it, add WHITE powder to cut ... | |
| Ceramic Christmas Tree | 12/19/2009 |
| Q: I purchased a vintage Ceramic Tree. I wish it had snow on the branch tips. Is there paint that ... A: leave the tree as is, why take the chance of applying anything and then not being able to get it ... | |
| KILNS | 12/4/2009 |
| Q: My son is keen to build his own kiln. We have heard that you can build a diesel powered kiln ... ... A: Using diesel or oil can be done, however it is old school and the only help you are going to get is ... | |
| bisque ceramics | 11/23/2009 |
| Q: If I buy a bisque ceramic from a store that just needs to be painted, do I have to fire it after ... A: Yes it has to be fired again to make the pot impervious to dish-washers, microwaves or the outside ... | |
| cloudy leadfree glaze | 11/19/2009 |
| Q: I hope you can help me. I have had to change to a lead free clear glaze. I have been advised to fire ... A: pin holeing is also caused by fine clay particles(powder) on the pot, make sure its totally clay ... | |
| Soda Ash, Sodium Silicate | 10/28/2009 |
| Q: I was given the recipe for 'magic water' at a workshop recently, which was recommended for using ... A: Majic water is used primarily for adhering handles etc. to pots. It is used straight(no added clay) ... | |
| Paint chipping off bisque after firing | 10/21/2009 |
| Q: We are having trouble with paint chipping off our bisque once it is fired. This is a new problem ... A: If this is a new problem, first analyse what changes to ANY process have been made, its got to be a ... | |
| sno kiln elements | 10/18/2009 |
| Q: i am looking for elements for a sno kiln model number c27s 230v., 45 amp. Very difficult to find, ... A: The next step is to have them made for you, check through this web site and email a manufacturer. ... | |
| lg. tile bisque firing | 9/18/2009 |
| Q: We have recently made tiles 3/4" thick and 16 x 16 sq., with slab design added on top.Stoneware ... A: at that thickness firing to bisque on thier sides should not be a problem. Tiles are best made on a ... | |
| plaster mold | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: I have a 4 piece plaster mold. It leaks slip even though tied with rubber bands and I would like to ... A: the only way is to look and see where the pieces are not matching, check the locating peg and dimple ... | |
| paint pen for bisqueware | 8/27/2009 |
| Q: Sam, I have a large Skutt kiln and do a lot of hand painted ceramic tile. My brushes are of all ... A: I have been down this road, two things I did, one: was I bisque fired the glazed pot, this allowed ... | |
| cracking | 8/22/2009 |
| Q: I'm using plaster press molds that I have made. I'm finding that in some of the vessels that I make ... A: I use Walkers Imperial Porcelain 4317 http://www.walkerceramics.com.au/porcelain%20bodies.htm Its a ... | |
| Permanently writing on glazed ceramics | 8/19/2009 |
| Q: I have a glazed ceramic picture frame that I would like to write on. I would like the writing to be ... A: Not quite sure what you mean by 'sharpie'. A permenant marker is like a felt pen that once used to ... | |
| cracking | 8/18/2009 |
| Q: I'm using plaster press molds that I have made. I'm finding that in some of the vessels that I make ... A: the only reason you should be using Southern Ice Porcelain is to attain translucency. If ... | |
| Kiln Cone limit | 8/15/2009 |
| Q: Sam, I'm looking for my first kiln (used) and see kilns rated at cone 6 but capable of a max temp ... A: The maximum temp. the kiln can be fired to is always indicated on the kiln. Cone 10 is stoneware at ... | |
| glaze not drying quickly | 8/9/2009 |
| Q: My name is Joanna and i have been doing pottery for a while. When i was in school and we glazed our ... A: Glaze not drying is an indication that the bisque has been fired to high. Get one of your bisque ... | |
| Porcelian Music Box | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: A friend of mine recently lost most of her home in a house fire one thing that was saved were her ... A: whats happened is actually a recognised firing process, called 'Black Firing'. The carbon from the ... | |
| repaint vitreous china sink | 8/1/2009 |
| Q: I bought a new sink that is a white vitreous china vessel. I would like to paint some designs on ... A: It will need to be sealed to cope with wear and tear. To answer your question, the only way to ... | |
| glazes. | 7/24/2009 |
| Q: i work in a paint your own pottery studio, we use bisque and Gare fun strokes undercoat, and then ... A: What it looks like is the pot prior to glazing, is for another word 'dirty'. Make sure the bisqued ... | |
| Glaze Re-firing | 7/23/2009 |
| Q: I don't like the glaze I applied to a cone 6 sculpture. Can I refire the same glaze a second time, ... A: You can re-fire the same glaze a second time or another glaze over the first and fire again, but ... | |
| Glaze Re-firing | 7/20/2009 |
| Q: I don't like the glaze I applied to a cone 6 sculpture. Can I refire the same glaze a second time, ... A: no problem with re-firing, the only side effect is some clay bodies tend to crack, but not all. ... | |
| Raku firing as a health issue | 7/16/2009 |
| Q: I am doing raku firing outside. I noticed after that my throat and mouth feel sore and when I ... A: more than likley its carbon from the smoke, better get a good quality face mask. Trouble with raku ... | |
| Fixing exposed pottery | 7/11/2009 |
| Q: I have an Italian pottery bowl that I use periodically to serve homemade salsa or other fresh dips. ... A: glaze should not wear off, glaze in reality is "glass". There is no way to bring your bowl back to ... | |
| Greenware/Bisque | 7/8/2009 |
| Q: We have boxes of greenware & bisque from my mother-in-law's estate. How long does it keep and what ... A: trash it. Old moulds and bisque ware are plentifull. No one wants it. How does the buyer know the ... | |
| making lowfire slipcast ware oven-safe | 7/6/2009 |
| Q: I have had a request for oven-safe oyster shells to use to make oysters rockefeller. We have an ... A: for starters with cooking forget the low fire clays, its always going to give you trouble because of ... | |
| Kiln & Pregnancy | 7/2/2009 |
| Q: I am an art teacher. Can I fire and use the kiln during pregnancy or is that a big no-no? What ... A: there should be no problem operating a kiln during pregnancy, naturally every kiln should be in a ... | |
| cones and kilns | 6/30/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if cones expire, or do not function properly after a certain amount of time? I work ... A: I have used and am still using cones that are many years old with no problems. An easy test is to ... | |
| GREY MARKS ON FIRED PORCELAIN | 6/26/2009 |
| Q: I recently fired decals at 820degrees celcius on some porcelain bells.....the decals are fine but ... A: The porcelain has absorbed impurities on the surface of the kiln shelfs. Paint your kiln shelfs with ... | |
| tiny cracks all over the glaze/Mexican terra cotta | 6/18/2009 |
| Q: I have a set of very old (50 yrs) Mexican dishes. They are terra cotta and glazed. They were fine ... A: it can do a number of things, one being blow to pieces, or absolutly do nothing. One step at a time. ... | |
| tiny cracks all over the glaze/Mexican terra cotta | 6/13/2009 |
| Q: I have a set of very old (50 yrs) Mexican dishes. They are terra cotta and glazed. They were fine ... A: unfortunately the firing temp they were done at would be a guess.I would say low fire, maybe ... | |
| fix cracks/breaks in unfired ceremics | 6/11/2009 |
| Q: How do i fix a crack in a ceremic piece that has not been fired. I also have a piece that broke off ... A: the only option you have is to fill the crack with a solution 3 parts metho/1 part water, to the ... | |
| Repairing a breakage after 1st firing but prior to glazing. | 6/10/2009 |
| Q: A clay figure I made lost its head during the first firing in the kiln. I am very keen to keep this ... A: glaze both pieces in the finished glaze you are using, except for the broken areas. You want both ... | |
| antique ceramic glaze | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: I got a set of ceramic bowls at an antique stall at a garage sale. It just occurred to me that the ... A: there is no way to tell what the glaze is made of. A visual inspection is your best indicator now ... | |
| how to fire Crusader kiln? | 5/12/2009 |
| Q: i have a crusader 274S kiln. It is 24"x 27". it has a kiln sitter, set of 6 knobs low to high, 12 ... A: step by step via this forum won't work, thay only allow 3 follow up questions. The best way is to do ... | |
| dry brushing | 5/11/2009 |
| Q: Hi could you please tell me if there are any good books on dry brushing and were i could find them ... A: dry brushing with what(glaze-underglaze) and at what tempeture. Why dry brush?, what is the effect ... | |
| Gold glaze - low fire | 5/10/2009 |
| Q: I just started doing ceramics and was asked to do something special with gold glaze on it. I don't ... A: I don't really know where your coming from with this. Your not going to get Gold from anything ... | |
| Firing | 5/9/2009 |
| Q: Until recently I have always used cones for my firing. Now I have a computerised kiln. I have to ... A: I don't know what hobby earthenware clay is, however water is water and it must be removed slowly, ... | |
| how to seal (from heast and water) a photograph on a tile | 5/9/2009 |
| Q: I would like to use old B/W family photos on 4 x 4 glazed tiles and use them as part of a splash ... A: the heat is the deciding factor. Send an email to this company. http://www.lazertran.com/ I ... | |
| Locally Mined Clay | 5/8/2009 |
| Q: I have been a potter for 16 years and decided to try using a clay found on my land. I normally fire ... A: it should be absorbent and low density at coe 06, no higher, this is the glaze application ... | |
| Cone 10 kiln | 5/8/2009 |
| Q: I purchased a D22 cone 10 gas kiln and am having trouble finding someone to move and hook up the ... A: I live in Australia so I am not sure wether I can help you or not. our gas comes by Kilo weight. I ... | |
| permanent mark on tile | 5/7/2009 |
| Q: I'm a school teacher trying a new craft. I need to know what I can put on a ceramic tile that has a ... A: the only product I know of is sold in craft stores, I don't know the name of it but you paint it on ... | |
| Firing | 5/7/2009 |
| Q: Until recently I have always used cones for my firing. Now I have a computerised kiln. I have to ... A: I am also in Australia, Coffs Harbour NSW. Usually bisque is 06(1000DegC). You need to keep it to ... | |
| How to stabalize my cement statue | 5/7/2009 |
| Q: How are you? I'm hoping you can help me with a question about cement. I recently bought my mom a ... A: dig a square shape in the ground and add sand, sprinkle cement powder on the sand, lightly moisten ... | |
| gas pressure on geil kiln. | 4/25/2009 |
| Q: I have a new small geil kiln, dlb-8. I am getting about 51/2 inches of wc pressure but according ... A: I think you may have answered your own question. Are you creating to much reduction. talk to the ... | |
| ceramic mold | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: im trying to locate the mold for a small bumble bee and a very tiny mouse to attach to other ... A: do a search on Google, 'pottery mold' Have a look through here ... | |
| Glaze addition? | 4/22/2009 |
| Q: Sam, I have been given a prepared commercial glaze called Forest Green opaque made by Laguna Clays. ... A: pinholes are the hardest to get rid of. make sure the rim is as round as it can be, reduce the ... | |
| Bubbles in the glaze... | 3/26/2009 |
| Q: I am sure you have answered this before, so I apologize in advance if I might be forcing you to ... A: if the pic of the plate with the Peacock on it was yours it looked good, however it was only a very ... | |
| duncan kiln | 3/19/2009 |
| Q: I just bought an old duncan kiln and the bottom switch didn't work so a friend wired it all to the ... A: its possible you have 2 different sets of elements in the kiln have a look and see if there is a ... | |
| Re-firing ceramics once wet | 3/12/2009 |
| Q: I've been told that once a piece gets wet it can never be re-fired. I have some pieces that were ... A: yes you can, BUT the pot needs to be warmed up in the kiln/oven BEFORE you apply the glaze. By ... | |
| glazing and firing | 3/12/2009 |
| Q: I have a new kiln that my husband got me 2yrs ago and can't get the nerve up to fire it not for ... A: If you are using a clear glaze, decorate on the pot, bisque fire, glaze and final fire. You can ... | |
| ceramics | 3/10/2009 |
| Q: I recently purchased dish ware pottery, made in Italy, from a chain store in Arizona. It claims to ... A: totally unhealthy it is. The clay body itself is absorbing moisture and causing it to expand, thus ... | |
| Slip Casting and Glazing Cassius | 3/4/2009 |
| Q: I am involved in an entrepreneurial venture involving ceramics and I'm seeking some technical ... A: any clay can be turned into a slip. Cut the wet clay up into small pieces and let it dry out ... | |
| Ceramics Glazing Indented Areas | 3/2/2009 |
| Q: I've seen some ceramic artists who cut out a flat piece of clay (like a thin plaque that you might ... A: put your color on when its bone dry and then bisque. At bone dry all you need is a FINE diswashing ... | |
| Ceramics Glazing Indented Areas | 3/2/2009 |
| Q: I've seen some ceramic artists who cut out a flat piece of clay (like a thin plaque that you might ... A: The color has to be applied by hand, look at the large flower, ... | |
| glaze firing- first time | 2/28/2009 |
| Q: I have a paragon caldera. I do some firing of glass and PMC. I bought some bisque from a local shop ... A: Dawn if the pot started to warp and go out of shape that means the clay has gone past it's maturing ... | |
| glaze firing- first time | 2/28/2009 |
| Q: I have a paragon caldera. I do some firing of glass and PMC. I bought some bisque from a local shop ... A: I am assuming same clay, same glaze, approx same thickness. was the pyrometric cone 4 melted flat or ... | |
| bat wash flaking off and cone numbers | 2/26/2009 |
| Q: I finally have my own kiln! Anyway I have done two bisque fires and one glaze fire (1280 degrees ... A: Kerry, you will have to get the flaking batwash off, it will end up in the glazes on your pots. You ... | |
| glaze firing- first time | 2/22/2009 |
| Q: I have a paragon caldera. I do some firing of glass and PMC. I bought some bisque from a local shop ... A: If the glaze ran then it was to hot, you are going to have to test at 4 first and see the results, ... | |
| Ceramic Bisque and Glaze Firing | 2/15/2009 |
| Q: My Questions are: I was told that when Bisque Firing Clay most clay bodies are fired with 04 Cone ... A: When bisque firing you can close the hole at 600degC, at this temp all chemical water has been ... | |
| gas fire glaze | 2/14/2009 |
| Q: I am Jacaranda from Israel. Looking for several "blood-red" glazes for gas fire cone 7. I hope you ... A: your best option is to fire in oxidation using a clear glaze with a glaze stain added to it. Glaze ... | |
| Firing Glazes/Procedure | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: I have a Evenheat electric kiln. I use multi-purpose red/brown stoneware clay, bisque fired at cone ... A: leave one(top) peep hole open until 200degC then close up, this is only a precautionary measure to ... | |
| glazing bisque | 2/8/2009 |
| Q: We glazed and fired in a kiln, bisque bowls at cone 6. The glaze is a comerical Mayco brand glaze. ... A: What you will have to test is the firing temp and glaze compatability. put some glaze in the middle ... | |
| glazing bisque | 2/1/2009 |
| Q: We glazed and fired in a kiln, bisque bowls at cone 6. The glaze is a comerical Mayco brand glaze. ... A: yes you can, BUT the pot needs to be warmed up in the kiln/oven BEFORE you apply the clear glaze. By ... | |
| glaze sealed up hole | 12/30/2008 |
| Q: I made a ring bowl for a friend, and it has two small holes (about 1/4 inch in diameter)for me to ... A: is it a traditional name matched to culture). there is only one way to do it, and that's with a ... | |
| Slip | 12/29/2008 |
| Q: I am re-entering the potters wheel world with a new purchase of a wheel. As I get back into it I am ... A: yes you can re claim it and use it again, just not straight away. I am guessing you do not have a ... | |
| glaze bubbles | 12/20/2008 |
| Q: My helper didn't close my kiln all the way and the cone 6 duncan clear glaze bubbled and looks ... A: all you can do is refire as they are. What you are seeing is an under fired pot, did not get to ... | |
| underfire and crazing | 12/9/2008 |
| Q: New to this..and a little frustrated! In dire need of help! I am having trouble with my fired items ... A: Just put them back in the kiln and fire to the correct Temp. I bisque fire to cone 06, however I am ... | |
| mallory ceramic studio 1952 | 12/9/2008 |
| Q: I have a ceramic dancer by Jamar, in parenthesis "Pamela" oblong shape with one leg out. What is ... A: I am unfamiliar with "Jamar" However 'Pamela' in a hand writing style, inscribed, was used by a ... | |
| firing underglaze on bisque | 12/3/2008 |
| Q: I used to do the paint-your-own stuff before I did my own pottery. When I painted on the ... A: " When I painted on the underglazes and gave it to the shop to fire, did they fire it once at cone ... | |
| crazing | 11/30/2008 |
| Q: You recently answered a question for me on crazing. I have another. Apart from me finding the ... A: "would you consider the piece unsellable due to it being considered a damaged piece" The answer is ... | |
| uneven firing | 11/30/2008 |
| Q: My electric kiln consistently fires hotter on the bottom, as much as a whole cone when firing to ... A: this is a common problem and is overcome by soaking at final temp. In my gas kiln when firing in ... | |
| crazing | 11/29/2008 |
| Q: You recently answered a question for me on crazing. I have another. Apart from me finding the ... A: Crazing on functional ware is unacceptable, on anything else it's up to the owner/purchaser whether ... | |
| Cobalt Blue glaze formula/recipe | 11/28/2008 |
| Q: I am looking for a 'recipe' for cobalt blue that I can use to decorate my ware and am uncertain if a ... A: If you have the base glaze as a powder add 1gram of cobalt carbonate to 100grams of base glaze ... | |
| crazing | 11/28/2008 |
| Q: I have been getting someone else to fire my ceramic pieces for me. (She runs ceramic classes, I'm ... A: you are a 1000 times better off having your own kiln and this is the way you should go. Why?, the ... | |
| Making Cookie Molds for use in the oven | 11/15/2008 |
| Q: I am an avid gingerbread baker/decorator and I use alot of the clay molds for everything from houses ... A: I am assuming the cookies will be flat. Make the master mould, what your cookie cooked and finished ... | |
| Propane Fired Kiln | 11/4/2008 |
| Q: I have just received a raku kiln setup. This setup is basically an old electric kiln that the coils ... A: a little confused here, talking ramp rates? are you going back to electricity or using gas. With ... | |
| firing green clay | 11/4/2008 |
| Q: I made some buttons from a clay that a friend gave me. She wasn't sure what it was, so she gave it ... A: You will have to do low fire glaze and clay. i would not recommend firing to the maximum all the ... | |
| underglaze | 11/2/2008 |
| Q: I made a small clay sculpture, smoothed it with a sponge and let it dry. then I painted 2 thin ... A: I can think of 2 things to check, and test's will confirm. There was contamination of sorts in the ... | |
| Ceramic paints | 11/1/2008 |
| Q: DO you know where I can get a color chart for American Beauty glazes.It isn't made anymore and I ... A: sorry I don,t know where you could aquire one. The best idea would be to approach the current ... | |
| Electric Kiln | 10/30/2008 |
| Q: I have a Skutt Single Phase electric kiln. When the building cleaning staff moved it this summer, ... A: no kiln is not ruined, replace the bricks. About half way down this page ... | |
| glaze | 10/30/2008 |
| Q: How long would I leave the objects in the kiln after I glaze them? ANSWER: Hi Flor, do not open the ... A: Flor, it,s a learning process that is not suitable to email. You need to go to someone with a kiln ... | |
| moldy porcelain | 10/28/2008 |
| Q: I discovered an ancient reclaim bucket in the back of my storage closet that turned out to be ... A: I don't know if it will make you sick or not. So far it has not effected me. I do 2 days a week at ... | |
| after the kiln has fired ... | 9/25/2008 |
| Q: .. although I've been firing electric kilns at the community college for a few years, I just ... A: BISQUE: Close all vents and peep holes at 600degC when heating up. On cooling down open peep hole ... | |
| after the kiln has fired ... | 9/23/2008 |
| Q: .. although I've been firing electric kilns at the community college for a few years, I just ... A: There is a crystlobite change in the clay body at 200degC so never open a kiln up untill its below ... | |
| my cone 6 glazes | 9/22/2008 |
| Q: i am firing in an old electric kiln with a sitter on cone 7 and my pieces come out bubbly and pin ... A: OK, so now we change clay, at cone7 you are well over 1200degC so a low fire or earthenware clay is ... | |
| my cone 6 glazes | 9/20/2008 |
| Q: i am firing in an old electric kiln with a sitter on cone 7 and my pieces come out bubbly and pin ... A: Empty your kiln and when its cold close the door and turn it on high. Wait about a couple of minutes ... | |
| clay | 9/15/2008 |
| Q: I would like to make plaques to go on the wall, but each time i try it,it is a hit or miss on ... A: Usually its because it is to thick and the outside dries quicker than the middle. If you are slip ... | |
| Duncan Kiln | 9/13/2008 |
| Q: My Duncan kiln Mod. # EA 1029-2 makes a loud buzzing noise as soon as I turn it on. So as not to ... A: Its more than likely the electrical contact breaker than switches on and off while the Temp. goes ... | |
| reglaze? | 9/13/2008 |
| Q: Alright I’ve gone through a ton of these questions but still haven’t found my answer yet. I bought a ... A: Glaze is like glass, the surface is sealed. You can put them in an oven and heat them up untill hot ... | |
| Repainting a glazed ceramic item | 9/6/2008 |
| Q: I have a white glazed ceramic Christmas tree I would like to repaint in a glossy gold color. I do ... A: you are now moving into a new process, a straight out pottery process. You need to apply a gold ... | |
| pottery blown to bits in kiln | 9/4/2008 |
| Q: I had a kiln full of ceramics made by children and adult students in an art program. It was a high ... A: this usually happens for 2 reasons only, fired to quick at the lower temperature, if it fires to ... | |
| personalizing purchased ceramics | 9/2/2008 |
| Q: I have a small catering business and I use large white ceramic serving pieces that I have purchased ... A: I don't know in what part of the world you are in but there ia a process used by porcelain painters. ... | |
| glazing | 8/26/2008 |
| Q: I'm trying to understand the temperatures used in glazing a piece of ceramic. If I fire something ... A: There is more shrinkage in the final firing. measure your pot at some stage BEFORE firing occurs, ... | |
| glazing | 8/26/2008 |
| Q: I'm trying to understand the temperatures used in glazing a piece of ceramic. If I fire something ... A: I will try to keep this as simple as possible for you 1) the glaze firing process requires 2 ... | |
| Color Bleed and Movement | 8/20/2008 |
| Q: * here is what we need help with: Why are our pieces coming out most of the time with colors ... A: Applying two glazes to a bisqued pot is a much used process called 'Glaze on Glaze'. Using this ... | |
| Manual for Sno Kiln P 22 | 8/19/2008 |
| Q: I am looking for a download or a place to acquire a user/repair manual for this no longer ... A: I have never seen or heard of these kiln's. The best place is to join the clayart newsgroup at ... | |
| Outside Ceramics | 8/19/2008 |
| Q: I have a boy and girl statues that I would like to place outside, they have been painted for inside ... A: The best product is a traditional wood glue. I don't know what products are available to you but the ... | |
| Permanent marker on bisque | 8/17/2008 |
| Q: Can I use a black permanent marker to outline on bisque (like on a coffee mug) and still glaze and ... A: you can use what is called ceramic pencils. I use them all the time to write on my test pieces. They ... | |
| bisque firing | 8/15/2008 |
| Q: do you always have to do a glaze firing ? what happens if I choose to bisque only (because I like ... A: No there is no rule to say you have to apply a glaze or fire above bisque. Many studio potters do ... | |
| wax painting on fired ceramics? | 8/15/2008 |
| Q: My 90 year old, still pretty sharp, dad was remembering when his mother and aunts used to "paint" on ... A: No I have never heard of this process. Being non functional it would have been a process for ... | |
| to glaze a glazed ceramics again? | 8/13/2008 |
| Q: I appreciate if you give some advice about my problem. Can we glaze a glazed ceramics after fired? I ... A: The brushing medium can be added to any thing, all it does is make the underglaze or glaze in your ... | |
| to glaze a glazed ceramics again? | 8/13/2008 |
| Q: I appreciate if you give some advice about my problem. Can we glaze a glazed ceramics after fired? I ... A: Test the glaze again on a small piece to make sure the glaze is correct, if you used the same glaze ... | |
| Starting home work shop | 8/13/2008 |
| Q: I worked at a studio for few years and planing on buying all needs to work at home. What are the ... A: The answer is simple, if you have worked in a pottery studio for a few years you will need all the ... | |
| new batch of engobe is running at cone 6 | 8/13/2008 |
| Q: This engobe I've been using for a few years from a single large batch is NOW in the NEW batch ... A: What a pain, I make all my own glazes and clay bodies so I sympathies. A couple of things first, I ... | |
| switching from ceramics to stoneware | 8/11/2008 |
| Q: I work with adults with disabilities and we make ceramics to sell. I have noticed how easily these ... A: It's probably a typing error but the firing is the other way around, not bisque to 02 and glaze fire ... | |
| lid and bowl stuck together | 8/10/2008 |
| Q: Although I used a wax resist to prevent the glaze from touching on a lid and bowl set, the two ... A: What I use is a kiln shelf prop(never a hammer) and gently tap around the outside of the pot where ... | |
| china painting | 8/9/2008 |
| Q: i've been painting on bisque ware and am not able to make paint flow or cover as well as i would ... A: You can buy what you are looking for from a pottery supplier. Underglaze colors and clear ... | |
| Glazing existing pottery | 7/31/2008 |
| Q: I have no experience with pottery, but I have some items purchased from Greece that I would like to ... A: They say that thier pots can be fired so it's probably an underglaze that was applied to the dry ... | |
| Glazing existing pottery | 7/31/2008 |
| Q: I have no experience with pottery, but I have some items purchased from Greece that I would like to ... A: at a guess i would say the refire to 700degC would not effect the applied ink as a glaze firing is ... | |
| Glazing existing pottery | 7/30/2008 |
| Q: I have no experience with pottery, but I have some items purchased from Greece that I would like to ... A: the major problem here is the firing temperature of the glaze. Clay is made with different raw ... | |
| Underglaze paint recipe | 7/30/2008 |
| Q: I would like to make an underglaze paint using the encapsulated red stains that can be high fired. ... A: I don't know in which part of the world you reside in but here in Australia I use a product called ... | |
| Ceramic question | 7/28/2008 |
| Q: someone has told me that you can buy special glue that would be able to use on slip before fireing. ... A: I don't know of the glue you are talking about but I have seen a product called "Airset" used in ... | |
| the european/uk alternative for USA ingredients? | 7/21/2008 |
| Q: I've come across some recipes that I'd really like to try out myself..but all are from USA and all ... A: I am in Australia but will help as much as I can. I uploaded a web page with frit info on it for ... | |
| Looking for Bone Ash | 7/15/2008 |
| Q: I have been unable to find and purchase natural bone ash. Bone Ash used in crusables and metal ... A: The cost of making natural bone ash has made the synthetic bone ash take over the market. The ... | |
| glaze firing | 7/14/2008 |
| Q: I have bisque fired some small rectangles of clay to 1040 oC. I now want to glaze them. I think ... A: The glaze you have purchased is a midfire glaze to stoneware glaze. If the clay you have is for cone ... | |
| Kiln Sitters | 7/12/2008 |
| Q: I recently purchase an older Paragon Kiln which has a kiln sitter on it. I'm a little confused on ... A: try doing it direct, that way you bypass thier programing info@paragonweb.com In the Subject line ... | |
| removing figurine from mold | 7/12/2008 |
| Q: I am using slip low fire for ceramic figurine i problem is when i remove from mold the back sinks in ... A: How old is the mold and is it in working condition. Get another mold and cast a piece from it and ... | |
| drilling holes | 7/10/2008 |
| Q: i have a soap dish in which i would like to drill a hole. is it possible and how. A: The first thing that comes to mind is a diamond drill. Consider the soap dish as a tile, there are ... | |
| Kiln Sitters | 7/9/2008 |
| Q: I recently purchase an older Paragon Kiln which has a kiln sitter on it. I'm a little confused on ... A: Not being able to actually see the kiln is a problem here so I have sent a link to you from the ... | |
Sam Kelly
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
questions with regard to all types of clay, glaze problems and glaze making and application. gas and electric kiln firing
Experience
I am a full time studio potter, also technical assistant in the ceramics department of our local college.
Education/Credentials
I completed a three year ceramics course with 6 distinctions and 5 credits. 2 years as a proffesional potter in on of Australia's largest potteries. Working full time as a studio potter.
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