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Thanks for the advice all. I think I am going to go with a few full and the rest half and just see how it goes and what I end up liking. Looks like advancer shelves that will fit my kiln are on backorder until august/september, so I am going to have to get something else. I was on the fence about them anyway since apparently I would still have to kiln wash since I use porcelain. So I am trying to decide between corelite or high alumina shelves... anyone have any recommendations in that area? I would not be firing to cone ten very often but I think I might be doing 7 or 8 with some frequency. Thanks again!

We (several fellow potters and I) are gearing up for a second pit fire, after conducting our first last year. I'm striving to be more methodical this time, so not only paying attention to what I treat pots with pre-fire, but also trying to do more "planning" on color expectations versus just winging it. As such, looking for advice from those who have done more than one pit fire experience on colorants that have provided good results, and behave somewhat predictably. Also curious about materials used for combustion. Last time laid a bed of pine saw dust which burned well, but I think contributed to a lot of unattractive heavy, black markings on pots that were in direct contact with it. Wondering if a hardwood sawdust would be a better alternative. Welcome to any suggestions or shared experiences. Thanks!

Yes, you just have to make sure they're sitting evenly. A waster slab across the joint is also helpful.

The GT400 is a good wheel for most people. It'll handle the vast majority of what most potters make, especially students.

Looks more like a glass kiln than a pottery kiln. Like Mark said, photos of the inside would help, as well as the dimensions of the interior.

Photos of the inside would help but my guess is this a glass annealing kiln by the looks of shape and handle on lid.That means its not for ceramics. This brand I think is pretty old-call Alpha Fired Arts in Sac and ask abouit when they went out of business as well as what type og kilns they made.

I do not like the shimps I have demonstrated on.That being the wisper.Or the oldser lever conested to foof pedal cone drive. You could look for a used Brent.

All good pug mills use vacuem systems but it works as the clay is being beat up with a screw during that process. The bowl I do noit think will have any effect. Wedging will remove them if done right

Years ago, when I was working with glazes, I usually used tin oxide as an opacifier for white. Then as tin oxide became more expensive I started looking for different opacifiers for my white glazes going through the different -paxes and finding them not quite to my liking so I started using combinations of opacifiers for the whites that I liked as liner glazes. Then I played with adding rutile for a creamy looking liner glaze and a low percentage of cobalt for a icy glaze. HOwever, I have been wondering with the raise in price on glaze materials if others have found better solutions for opacifiers in their glazes? Have glaze chemical prices forced you to make changes in your White glazes? best, Pres

Hi anyone own and uses the Pacifica GT400 pottery wheel? If so, what are your thoughts on the torque and overall power? I love my old Brent I personally use, and recently added a Shrimpo VL lite to my studio for teaching. Not a huge fan of the Shrimpo VL lite. I'd love to buy another Brent as my third wheel, but they're just so pricey, so looking for other options. Appreciate your thoughts and opinions!

Do you sit platters across half shelves with success, asking as I get older and older and full shelves heavier and heavier..

I’m debating getting this used kiln but I can’t find any information on it. I’m mainly wondering what is the max cone/how hot it gets and the overall quality of the brand. I have a picture attached of the label as well as the kiln in general. Let me know if you have any info about it!!

Slam wedging before you hand wedge and sometimes if your hand is twisting the wrong way you wedge bubbles back into it. I use my recycled clay for handbuilding or mold making, I don't hand wedge any more. I slam wedge clay from a fresh bag, I go a step further and put the bag of clay in a 5 gal bucket of water a day or two before. The clay comes out smooth and even consistency and soft enough for old tired wrist, fingers and hand to throw. If is is to soft I will pull the plastic down and let it air dry for awhile. Denice

I don't think you can just put a block of clay into a container and suck the air out of it. The clay is likely much too dense for that. When clay goes through a pugmill vacuum chamber it's being moved around and cut up via the auger, or in the case of larger industrial 2 stage puggers, it's cut into small bits as it enters the vacuum chamber, then moved out via an auger.

Going to try Soldate 60, will let you know how it goes. I threw with Laguna buff sculpture the other day and it was super gritty and pretty uncomfortable to throw with but perhaps that's just an adjustment I need to make from B-Mix.

I have been recycling my clay and general have about 20 lbs each time I do it. I heave wedged it until the cows come home but it seams like there is almost always a air bubble that ruins my project. Has anyone tried using a vacuum bowl after wedging to remove the air bubbles. I know some pug mulls use a vacuum system. Thanks

Will do.

I am hoping to model some of Shimaoka's work, particularly his jomon pots in cobalt blue. The brilliance of the cobalt is wonderful and the rope inlays are human. I cannot soda fire because my kiln is a converted soft brick kiln, but I regularly fire cone 10 reduction with ease. Is there any way to mimic these surfaces? I have experimented with little success. I primarily use a local iron rich stoneware as my body and keep my glazes simple, all under 5 ingredients. It is an idyllic way of approaching glaze, I admit, but the materials' integrity gets lost in complex recipes (to me). I have also seen some interesting results with thickly applied shino's that are regularly white with some blushing that utilize the addition of cobalt. Hopefully I can avoid this predicament in the future by building a salt kiln! thanks all.

I prefer half shelves. More flexibility, easier loading, and half shelves tend to last longer. Posting gets awkward when using both full and half, because you end up having to use 4 posts on a full shelf and they don't always sit evenly, which puts a lot of stress on them.

i am/was in contact with him as of 5/3/2024. He just blocked my email after requesting a refund. i talked with him on messenger and now he is ignoring me there too. i made a post putting him on blast on facebook. i want a refund. And if I don't get it by May 30th I am filing a police report. I have been nice and understanding about his physical health for the last two years. We are being taken advantage of. I also heard he gets really nasty with people.

I know my customer, and he's a picky gallery owner. And, I have an exclusive contract with him, so selling it retail is not an option. My decision is to give the higher-fire a try; and if it doesn't work, give it to one of my relatives, who won't care if it isn't perfect. Thanks to all of you who responded; you helped me make my decision.

I have fired many large pots and sculptures that filled the kiln. Taking the kiln apart and candling over night is the way to go, I also use a shelf to build and fire it on, I pick one that is not in the greatest shape. I am getting ready to work on new sculpture, I have already figured out a way to make it in two pieces so I don't have to take my new kiln apart. It only has 16 firings on it and it is bigger around than my old skutt but shorter. The rings are harder to manage, I am not ready to bump, scuff and chip the edges yet. Denice

They will be fragile flower pots that can't hold up to freezing weather. Denice

I have one purchased set of half shelves, eventually your full shelves break in half. I use them as half shelves, I always end with steadier stack when I use full shelves. Two half shelves cost more than one full shelf. Denice

M390 changes colour quite a bit between bisque and cone 6. It’s a much darker, warmer red at that temp if aesthetics are of concern. If you like the look of your flower pots as-is, leaving them porous is probably better from a functional standpoint.