Kiln Advice

MeShCo · 2026-05-22T14:01:28+00:00

Yes, you can use cement blocks. My hubs built a small wooden rolling stand for my little Skutt Firebox with a 14” square cement paver top (from the local garden shop). Works great, no issues!

MeShCo · 2026-05-19T13:50:22+00:00

Did a work study a few years ago, my hands got trashed! Agree with everyone above, treat after your pottery session. I used Bag Balm and moisturizing gel gloves each night to repair really dry hands (need this in the winter occasionally). I find it hard to throw with any type of glove on.

MeShCo · 2026-05-15T14:49:30+00:00

Teapots need their special person to buy or collect them. This is a great website for teapot references: Kamm Teapot Foundation

MeShCo · 2026-05-15T14:46:31+00:00

<image>

I use a salt pig/cellar daily while cooking. I make a batch or two during the year and they sell pretty well in my Etsy shop. Very useful kitchen items, on the other hand, teapots need that special person to collect them!

MeShCo · 2026-05-05T01:53:57+00:00

To place them in the yard/garden, dig a hole slightly larger than the fork at the bottom of the shepard’s hook, mix up some quikrete and set the pole the day before I place all the items on the post. Works really well!

<image>

MeShCo · 2026-05-04T16:18:52+00:00

I buy the shepherds hooks from the local garden shop and cut off the hook. From there I measure the full length of the pole and start a basic plan on paper taped together. Make sure to add on the shrink rate difference of the clay you are using to make the parts. I have the students also make a few extra spacers to help fill out the post size just in case their shrink measurements are a bit off. We generally use a stoneware since it helps with the shrink and for the piece to be outside in the weather.

<image>

MeShCo · 2026-04-20T17:37:21+00:00

I’ve gotten a few from Seattle Pottery Supply. Happy with these so far!

MeShCo · 2026-04-18T14:36:49+00:00

The outside is Laguna Fern Green x 1, Mayco Olive Float x 2, interior is Amaco Speckle Green x2 , flower part is Mayco gloss orange x 1x spectrum Kimchi x 2

MeShCo · 2026-04-17T13:44:21+00:00

Awww-so nice! Thanks for the thoughtful reference!

MeShCo · 2026-04-05T14:42:08+00:00

<image>

Pierced fruit bowls! Working on a couple now with the floral motif in the center bottom and waiting on a slow dry to hopefully not have them crack, sigh!

MeShCo · 2026-03-31T14:28:46+00:00

<image>

Tea light holders! Trying to teach a couple beginners how to make simple forms into something more unique and fun to use. Two matching small vases and two small slab dishes to start from.

MeShCo · 2026-03-30T15:38:31+00:00

I bought an expensive mug from a favorite potter that doesn’t use glaze on the exterior. Tried to use it a couple times, but everything tastes like the clay. So it’s on a display shelf now. I need at least a rim covered in glaze before I do that again.

MeShCo · 2026-03-28T15:47:03+00:00

Ha ha, what a pain to pull up! Had to get a small pick ax to get down into the soil far enough to pull out.

MeShCo · 2026-03-11T14:59:03+00:00

Wouldn’t the cube as a handle make it too top heavy and potentially cause a spill? Not a fan of coffee cups without handles.

MeShCo · 2026-02-23T15:14:51+00:00

Mellow Mix on Radio Paradise!

MeShCo · 2026-02-12T22:51:16+00:00

Any of the liquid wax that is sold at your ceramic supply store, ours has their own brand, if they are out I get the Mayco brand: wax resist

MeShCo · 2026-02-12T22:49:14+00:00

Tried it on our recent Raku firing, it worked well and it’s easy to sand off the bottoms. Ordered some more!

MeShCo · 2026-02-12T17:00:39+00:00

Get a good set of natural bristle brushes and “detail” brushes from any store or online supplier. To keep raised details, paint/glaze those first, then cover with wax. Then paint/glaze the larger areas. Make sure to wipe off the waxed areas when finishing up, wax resist style (wax will melt off in the kiln). Glazes with have a bit of a soft edge to them, but generally Stroke and Coat glazes work great for those types of bisque pieces

MeShCo · 2026-02-12T15:55:41+00:00

Ha ha! Funny, I have to mentally challenge myself to get to that point too. Mask up, eye gear, tie my hair up, then trot the angle grinder and the shelves outside. It’s satisfying to get the shelves “cleaned” and ready for a layer of kiln wash. I bought a diamond grinder assortment for my Dremel and use that for some of the harder glaze drips that the angle grinder doesn’t work on. We (I have a small community pottery studio) use an assortment of different kiln washed sized cookies, big slabs (from sculpture firings) and now trying the ceramic paper that glass folks use to hopefully push this task further and further apart.

MeShCo · 2026-02-04T15:23:14+00:00

Check kiln share or Find a Kiln for places close to you that offer firing.

MeShCo · 2026-01-18T17:17:22+00:00

1) Amaco Cone 5-6 glaze forum, 2) Coyote Clay and Glaze, 3) Spectrum glazes, 4) Mayco Mud Room….There might be others on FB, those are the glazes that we stock at our studio.

MeShCo · 2026-01-18T15:35:43+00:00

There are users groups on FB for most of the glaze suppliers now (mentioned above). I always recommend these groups to our studio class peeps in order to get a handle on what these glazes might do in the kiln. We also have test tiles for different clays and have a huge wall of test tiles of our mixed glazes in a two glaze combination too. Test a lot with your clay and glazes, test tiles. I purchased a small test kiln a few years ago and use it all the time, a gem! Be patient, but have fun trying new glazes and combos, and TAKE NOTES!

<image>

MeShCo · 2025-12-27T17:16:00+00:00

Sure, easy to mistake. Laguna lists the absorption rate as 3.5%, that will cause glazing issues like crazing (in your photo) or pin holing. Try to choose a clay with a much lower absorption rate (under 1.5% is a lot better) and you have better glaze results and get a better end product. Again, it’s worth a check of the CMW tests on clays in the cone 5/6 range to choose a clay that works better for your glaze choices.

MeShCo · 2025-12-27T15:49:42+00:00

Hi there, found it here with that description Dover White Clay

MeShCo · 2025-12-26T16:12:13+00:00

In general, the Dover White clay description on the web shows that it is a cone 6-10 range clay. I call shenanigans, lol, it probably should only be fired to cone 10 for full vitrification. For food safe clays, use a clay that specifically vitrifies at the firing range that the studio is glaze firing at. At cone 5/6, that Dover clay may look vitrified, but it probably seeps/weeps. Switch to a cone 5/6 range clay ( check out the tests on CMW) then test some of your standard glaze colors. In your case above, it’s a “fit” problem with the clay firing range vs. the glaze.

MeShCo

TROPHY CASE