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I just took a load out of the kiln and noticed a ton of pinholes (and maybe a couple of blisters) and could use some advice about what I did wrong. Using B-Mix and B-mix with grog (cone 5) I bisque slow fired to 04 I cleaned my pieces with a damp sponge or/or dipped in bucket of water before and let dry completely before glazing I used brush on glaze (Western white matte cone 5/6). I did the recommended number of coats. I also let it completely dry between coats. But what I did do that I'm concerned could have contributed to the pinholes - After the first coat of glaze was dry (overnight), I wiped away the brush strokes hard with my fingers and I think some glaze dust was left on the piece when I added the 2nd coat of glaze. Do you know if that could have created the pinholes? or maybe brush on matte glaze is just finicky. I should mention that I did not have this problem with the pieces I added to the same firing w/my Amaco brush-on Iron Lustre (however the Amaco was not a matte glaze, so maybe thats why. I don't know). Then I glaze fired slow to cone 5. Skutt 818-3 electric kiln. No formal vent. top peep always left out. I prop open the kiln with the kiln brick as Skutt recommends until it reaches 1000 and then remove brick and close lid. Test cone's indicate that it was fired properly (though a little on the hot side). I opened up the glaze kiln firing at 188 degrees F. I've got some Laguna Oatmeal dry by the pound glaze on order, so going forward, I can dip pieces instead, which will hopefully be less finnicky...fingers crossed.

Hello ceramics community, I have a set of studio Skutt kiln shelves that are around 2 years old. We have grinded the old kiln wash off. I was wondering if I flip the shelves and apply kiln wash on the opposite side if it could fix the slight warping? Has anyone had any success on this? Thanks for any help, Caroline

I want to have small open drilled holes in my pieces, maybe 1/8" in diameter. How can I prevent the glaze from filling the holes when firing? How big would the holes need to be to remain open during firing? Any help would be appreciated, thank you :)

This is only about the sixth firing I've done with my kiln but it is verrrrrry old and a little worn out HOWEVER recently the temperatures where I live have been around -9°C (16°F ish) and my kiln has obviously taken a little longer to reach the desired temperature out in the shed/studio. I forgot to put a cone pack in this firing but it's obvious from the results that something has gone a bit awry. Glazes that are normally very stable have become a lot more fluid (and ran off), underglazes have completely burnt away etc etc. I don't really know what I'm talking about but is it possible that because it took so long for the final section of the firing to reach the desired temperature (1240°C/2264°F) that it was too hot for too long? And if so, is there anything I can do to counteract this? I stupidly decided to make all my christmas presents this year and, after the disaster of the last firing, I'm scared to do my final glazing with the crazy winter weather. Thanks in advance! I hope at least some of this made sense.

Just asking because . Whe bisquing I have all bunbgs out till 700degC then put all in except one on lid, top loader electric. Done this for years, still solid logic? No vent

I am a beginner at ceramics and sculpting in general. I bought a ton of supplies after the studio I got a membership at said they required cone5/6 clays and glazes. I didn't realize I purchased 06/05 clay and glazes instead of 5/6. The supplies I purchased is nonrefundable. I will be purchasing more clay BUT the description for the glazes says most colors can hold up if fired up to cone 6. Generally, is it safe to fire glaze up to a cone 6 if its meant to be fired at 06/05? https://www.dickblick.com/products/blick-essentials-gloss-glaze/ here is a link to glaze I purchased.

Hi folks, once again no questions in the pool. All of you know that I have been firing a manual only kiln for over 35 years. Firing by cones and temperature color has been a learning curve, but the new kiln has made me jump into a whole new world of programmable firing. I have been using the fast bisque, and the fast glaze for my firings, but now that I have calibrated the cone offset to -40F. I yearn for a bit more depth in my color as I had achieved with the manual firings. The reading is interesting, and I am considering my own schedule. This brings me to wonder if others just use the available programs for firing or do they write their own. QotW: When using your programmable kiln, do you use preset schedules or set your own custom schedules? best, Pres

Min asked recently in the QotW pool: Kiln stuffers, what does everybody make to fill those little empty spaces in the kiln? Hmm, Min I should have open spaces in my kiln? Naw, just joshing! For over 35 years of loading my HS classroom kiln I had to use every spot of space in the kiln whether loading bisque or glaze. Most of the time we had a pile of sculptural handbuilt projects, and one would set on the shelf, one would be on a brick right next to the first with the overlaps saving space. Thrown bowls were put in right side up, upside down, with things underneath or inside. Mugs were crammed in wherever, pinch pots the same. Some bisques used no shelving at all, just everything carefully stacked in to the walls on top of each other. . . very carefully. Same for glaze loads, I would sometimes have shelves 12" apart with 1/4 shelves and broken shelves in between creating overlapping layers. Yeah, I really didn't have to fill space, but even I had to fire test tiles, and they went in along with the rest. . . filling spaces. best, Pres