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I just bought a collection of ceramic pieces, green ware, bisque, partly painted or choked, from a former ceramic painting teacher. Most of the pieces are from the late 80's to early 2000's. I'm trying to find out how to fix some of these pieces, such as broken antlers or wings, legs or feet or arms or hands. Some of these pieces have been started painting or choked, some are green and some have been fired ready for painting or choking. How do I fix these pieces if I'm going to glaze them then fire them again? How do I fix the green ware so I can fire it? What is the best way to fix the pieces that I'm not going to refire?

I just mixed a bunch of colored slips for the studio using trimmings from Laguna #65. I left the studio for 2 weeks and I come back and all the slips I mixed have turned black and smell something fierce. How can I fix or prevent this for next time cause I definitely just burned $20 of mason stain. Would a vinegar ratio have killed bacteria growth? Should I not have used trimmings and just mixed a clay base?

So I’m new to getting glazing figured out. And I got really thrown off by the “whole milk consistency” rule I kept hearing about mixing glaze. And subsequently, I have seen correctly mixed glazed and I don’t think those people know what whole milk looks like.. so long story short, I got WAY too much water in my glazed and I’m trying to salvage them. I spoke with a person at the closest pottery store and they suggested I add APT-II or brushing medium to thicken them up. I added the APT and it did thicken them up some. They were at varying degrees of watery. I gave up and dumped the worst ones. I’m only working in pints right now so it wasn’t that big of a loss. But I’m still working on the rest which still aren’t quite there. I have 2 questions: 1. My brushing medium says mix 1 tsp to 1lb of dry glaze. My glaze is already mixed and not dry. I read that I should add 1-2 tsp to a gallon of warm water and let set for 24 hrs. My questions is why does it need to be a gallon? I don’t know if they are saying to make a whole gallon and just use that water when you are first mixing your glaze or add it to your mixed glaze. Can I just disolve a 1/2tsp of the medium in a little water and add it to my mixed watery glaze? 2. Do you have a better idea? Is there another way to thicken these up or should I scrap it all and start over? I have about 8 different messed up glazed. I apologive for my naïveté. The pottery store in my area is closed for another 3 days and I’d like to get this show on the road so I’m turning to you guys. You have been very helpful in the past. Thank you!

Good evening! my husband and I have a smaller Duncan and a digital Paragon kiln and are looking at a used Duncan kiln that is about 29" wide and 26" tall and the ceramic outer hard shell has come off about 1/3 or 1/4 of the top with a few areas coming off on the underside (of the lid). I have read many forums on here that have been very helpful and noticed that there is a Paragon dealer/rep in Texas who comments on Duncan parts, etc. Well, I am wondering, would we need to replace this lid right away if we got it or is it safely operable still? Or is there any way to repair the ceramic fiber (specifically outer layer)? I know on my Paragon with firebrick on the lid, we can, but noticed in the manual it says to ask a Duncan/Paragon rep. Thank you!