craftykrb Posted March 31, 2021 Report Share Posted March 31, 2021 I've been asked to bisque and glaze fire work for someone. Does anyone have any recommendations or comments about doing this? Or how much to charge? TY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted March 31, 2021 Report Share Posted March 31, 2021 I would only do it if you can 100% confirm that the clay and glaze is rated for the cone they say it is, or if you know and trust the person. How much you charge is up to you, but start by figuring out the cost electricity for the firing, plus the cost of wear on the elements, and what your time is worth. You'll also need to figure out how you want to deal with glazes running onto your shelves or other kiln damage due to their work. Put everything in writing, have them sign it. Put cones in the kiln on several levels so you can prove it fired properly. Make sure to note that if anything goes wrong with the firing, like an element burns out and the firing shuts down prematurely, that you are not responsible for their glazes not coming out like you expect. As you can see, there are a lot of potential problems with firing someone else's work. Your best bet is to avoid it all together. I am of the opinion that if someone wants to work in ceramics, they need to either get their own kiln or join a studio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denice Posted March 31, 2021 Report Share Posted March 31, 2021 I don't fire other peoples work either but I do recommend my local ceramic supplier who does. Denice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftykrb Posted March 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2021 Thank you so much for this info. It is very helpful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted March 31, 2021 Report Share Posted March 31, 2021 I suggest steering clear of thios as its can of worms if it goes sideways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liambesaw Posted March 31, 2021 Report Share Posted March 31, 2021 I've offered to let people use my kiln to fire large things, but they'd have to operate it. I wouldn't feel right charging. And the people I've offered that to are local potters who have their own kilns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted April 2, 2021 Report Share Posted April 2, 2021 About 30 years ago I bisqued a wildlife scence sculpture that a fellow spent two full months making-two months in the greatest detail of many critters-all realistic. I mentioned the exploding/cracking options that could take place in my manual kiln (no computer controlled kilns back then ) it was all seat of your pants as I still do it today. I dried it in my shop with heat for a week than I slowly took that kiln up over two days to get to 06. No cracks and all was well but it could have gone sideways in a heart beat. This person had never worked in clay before. I decided after that to never fire work done by others.I should add I fired some clay for another potter to cone 10 and it was cone 5 and slumped all over the place as well as a cone 10 plate drawing -I made the plate, someone did thier drawing on it than I glazed it so I know the stuff was right. since thoes days it a no I do not do that. To much pain and suffering possible . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberta12 Posted April 2, 2021 Report Share Posted April 2, 2021 I agree with everything written, other than letting someone else fire my kiln (sorry @liambesaw) If there is a screw up on firing, I would rather it be my screw up. I have fired for a couple of friends who were in a jam, but it was only a couple of times. And I give them the 3rd degree concerning the clay and glaze. Other than that, I just say no. If you have a kiln that you fire regularly, you also have regular maintenance which is expensive. Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeU Posted April 3, 2021 Report Share Posted April 3, 2021 The one time I accommodated a friend's work in my kiln I managed to misposition a large tray so that one corner was slightly over the edge of a shelf that was not at the same level as the other half. It was her most prized piece. The corner slumped (well, duh!) and I felt like s**t for months, because there was just no way to make it right. In other words-don't do it, it's not worth it. I agree with Neil-ceramics is not the type of work, even as a hobby-that you do looking for the easier, softer way to make it happen. People who are unequipped to do it correctly should just join a community studio, take a class, or use air dried/oven treated pseudo clays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piedmont Pottery Posted April 16, 2021 Report Share Posted April 16, 2021 I get requests like this at least once a week. What I've settled on is an open studio plan, where for a fixed fee per month, users can rent a section of shelf space and use studio equipment to work on projects when I don't have classes in session. The fee includes bisque and glaze firings, and a selection of the glazes I use in class. However, they must purchase their clay from me so I know what is going into my kilns. Several of my open studio users have wheels or slab rollers at home, but no kiln, so they bring in their works from home for firing and glazing. It's been working out ok so far, but I control what goes into my kilns and I do the firings. No one else touches the kilns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeanetta Posted November 9, 2021 Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 Everything written here makes very good sense. In the spirit of adding a different perspective in the mix here’s my take: when I first was drawn to clay I didn’t know how to enter the pottery world (no community studio options or classes near me) & pottery felt daunting and inaccessible. I got my hands on some clay and started by handbuilding at home- with joy & delight this was my first discovery into the magic of working with clay! BUT then I was stuck with this greenware not knowing to do next. The trees I barked up (colleges outside the area) weren’t willing to let me access their kilns & I felt too guilty imposing on any nearby potters for firing. Then one day a local potter caught wind of my dilemma and had me out to her studio. She let me glaze my things with her glaze and fired my pieces in her kiln (for free!) This generous act ignited my passion and started a long relationship with clay. She wound up giving me lessons on the wheel, later passing on her coveted glaze recipes, and decades later I’m a full time potter. when I think back to this amazing gift I’m humbled. Her generosity impacted the course of my life. I try to remember the effect of receiving her gift when people with an interest in clay come my way, and I try to pay this forward whenever I can. Absolutely there are many important factors to consider when firing someone else’s work: communication, determining your own needs & limits, and laying out expectations are crucial. But remembering the pure joy of creating and recalling the times when we were but hungry kiln cravers ourselves can enter the equation too. Ive got a load firing right now with few strategically placed pieces of a friend’s first wheel experience and a funny faced creation my 70 year old uncle made one sunny day in my front yard . It makes me happy to include these random special works in with my usual bowls and mugs … I can’t wait to get them back to their makers and see their excitement. sometimes to me the risks and hassles can be well worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted November 10, 2021 Report Share Posted November 10, 2021 4 hours ago, Jeanetta said: Everything written here makes very good sense. In the spirit of adding a different perspective in the mix here’s my take: when I first was drawn to clay I didn’t know how to enter the pottery world (no community studio options or classes near me) & pottery felt daunting and inaccessible. I got my hands on some clay and started by handbuilding at home- with joy & delight this was my first discovery into the magic of working with clay! BUT then I was stuck with this greenware not knowing to do next. The trees I barked up (colleges outside the area) weren’t willing to let me access their kilns & I felt too guilty imposing on any nearby potters for firing. Then one day a local potter caught wind of my dilemma and had me out to her studio. She let me glaze my things with her glaze and fired my pieces in her kiln (for free!) This generous act ignited my passion and started a long relationship with clay. She wound up giving me lessons on the wheel, later passing on her coveted glaze recipes, and decades later I’m a full time potter. when I think back to this amazing gift I’m humbled. Her generosity impacted the course of my life. I try to remember the effect of receiving her gift when people with an interest in clay come my way, and I try to pay this forward whenever I can. Absolutely there are many important factors to consider when firing someone else’s work: communication, determining your own needs & limits, and laying out expectations are crucial. But remembering the pure joy of creating and recalling the times when we were but hungry kiln cravers ourselves can enter the equation too. Ive got a load firing right now with few strategically placed pieces of a friend’s first wheel experience and a funny faced creation my 70 year old uncle made one sunny day in my front yard . It makes me happy to include these random special works in with my usual bowls and mugs … I can’t wait to get them back to their makers and see their excitement. sometimes to me the risks and hassles can be well worth it. Been there done that myself-The story is all good gteat outcomes The thing is sooner or later things go sideways with firi ng for others -it did with me and that was firing another potters work that was the wrong temp clay-they never checked one box and that was total melt down. If I supply the clay and glaze then it a different deal for sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted November 14, 2021 Report Share Posted November 14, 2021 Things do happen. . . firing kilns in a HS for years, I have seen a lot. Strangely enough not much happened to me in firing, as I really controlled the clay and the glazes, and watched the kiln setter firings like a hawk. However, I was called by a colleague to see if I could help her with her kiln. Turned out that she was firing, 06, pottery, and used a cone 6 cone. Needless to say we tore out the bottom bricks, and replaced the floor. I asked her why she had cone 6 cones in the room, and she said that a friend had donated them to her and she really didn't notice the difference in color or the numbers on the side. She had the cones in a plastic baggie! Teacher in adjoining district had someone donate clay, she was firing cone 6, and this donated clay looked just like the clay that she used in class. Students made 50# of pieces when she fired them in a bisque, turned out dark red, and seemed OK, glazed and fired, all over the shelves. At least this teacher had bottom shelves 1" off of the floor. I have never had anyone want to fire in my home kiln, and never fired others work from outside of the school even though it was requested. Someone went to my administrator to try to get me to fire his stuff. I was called in for a conference,, , , short discussion of what could go wrong and possible replacement of a kiln was all that was needed. Nice to be helpful, nice to try making folks happy, better to be certain, and have a kiln for many years because you were. best, Pres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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