Lucille Oka

After my first disaster opening my kiln too soon many many years ago I learned to have a lot of patience. I fire with the top peep open but when the top temperature is reached and the firing is complete I insert the top peep so no bursts of cool air enters the kiln from doors opening and closing.

The most informative 'Operating Manuals' I have ever encountered comes from Skutt Kilns. Measure your kiln if you don't already know the dimensions. Find the Skutt Kiln that comes close in dimensions and maximum firing temperature and you will find a lot of information on how to fire your kiln. http://www.skutt.com/pdf/op_manual/KS_manual/KS_OperatingManual_2002.pdf

Okay here is a nice little video I found on YouTube 'JanicethePotter' shows her firing results for some commercial glazes not Ancient Jasper but others. I hope it works. I hope it encourages.

Are you sure it is the sweat? It maybe the latex.

I hate to put a damper on this advice but if you plan to use these oils on your hands when you apply glaze or underglaze wear some surgical gloves before handling your ware. The oils that you use may affect your applications causing a resisting surface. Is your clay or working water a bit funky? I had to 'de-funk-ify' my working situation; all of the water that I use now has a small amount of bleach added to it to clean it up. All reclaiming water, throwing water, misting water, slipmaking water, thinning water, and cleaning up water, every bit of it. Soon I won't have to continue doing this because the municipal water supply will be adding chlorine.

I did a little research and found out there are a lot of 'bucking broncos' out there, however they are under copyright ownership and have been placed on belts, plaques, statuary, jewelry and whatever else you can imagine. If I couldn't afford to have a mold made and my skills to make them were limited, I would buy the mold that will allow me to reproduce the image. I would reproduce it in clay or metal clay which has a high shrinkage level to get it to the dimensions that I need. Or use shrink pellets that can be used in the kitchen oven or toaster oven. But this requires some testing and getting the proper product and supplies. Or spend the $50.00 for the mold with sole exclusive use and reproduction rights.

You can try Tandy in Texas, they may have something you can use. Dick Blick has a Bronco metal tooling mold item # C62926-0019 it is 4"x 4" cost is 94 cents.

Skutt recommends 18 inches away from all walls. Here is a publication that may be helpful to you. It is a Skutt publication and therefore it is Skutt kiln specific but much can be applied to any kiln installation. http://www.skutt.com/pdf/brochures/Skutt_Architect_web.pdf

Tear, Your vessel and choice of glazes is wonderful, just wonderful, bravo.

I realize opening a kiln is like opening Christmas presents, but I think too many of you just can't seem to wait until Christmas day.

.....for me at room temperature, I learned a lesson, it is better for me to wait; while the kiln cools down I go do something else. I leave it alone.

Ok, start again. Make new 'test' vessels be sure they are fired to cone 04 bisque. Cool them down completely in the kiln, to room temperature. Do not prop open to hasten the cool down, before removing the vessels from the kiln. Be sure to dampen the vessel before glazing. Mix the glaze the way you did the first time. Try dipping the glaze and see what you get. Let us know the results. Here is something else you can try- if you have any unglazed bisqued vessels from that last firing, pour some water inside don't let any water get on the exterior of the unglazed bisqued vessel(s) and see if you notice any bubbles rising up from the vessel like you would see in a champagne filled glass. And also if the vessel begins to leak in spots on the exterior. Let me know what you see.

I have been pondering this problem and wondering if you may have removed the vessels from the kiln too soon or did you rush the firing causing cracks to form in the bisque. You will find many schools of thought on this one but, it is overall best to let the kiln cool down before removal of the vessels. Let the vessels cool all the way down to room temperature, without propping. I realize you are in a hurry. But firing and cooling down clay cannot be rushed. Hence the term 'haste makes waste'.