ingrid houchin Posted October 30, 2021 Report Share Posted October 30, 2021 Hello, I am firing my pieces in a friend's studio and frequently, the fired pieces have clay bits stuck to the bottom. Is there a remedy I can apply after collecting them? Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted October 30, 2021 Report Share Posted October 30, 2021 Hi @ingrid houchin. Welcome to the best pottery/ceramics forum. Yes, there are solutions. Can you give more details? Are they glazed, what temp/cone were they fired too, etc. Can you post pictures? The more info you give us, the more appropriately we can answer you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted October 30, 2021 Report Share Posted October 30, 2021 Do you mean kiln wash stuck to the bottoms- white flakes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted October 30, 2021 Report Share Posted October 30, 2021 whatever it is, actual clay,(unlikely) or kiln wash, rubbing one bottom against another would probably work. kiln wash is normally white and flakey. the bottoms of pots are abrasive enough against each other to make the whole bottom smooth. if you do not already own one, buying a white stone abrasive from your pottery supplier is a great investment. the bottoms of pots can damage a fine surface just as though you rubbed the surface with sandpaper. always clean off the bottom of everything you make. you do not want to scratch a beautiful wood table top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ingrid houchin Posted October 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2021 Thank you all for your kind replies. Reading the above, I assume it is kiln wash as it is white and flaky but I also have some other glazing which seems to have transferred over. Is there something one can put between the different layers of ceramic pots? Mine are all porcelain and are being fired at cone 5 with stoneware until I buy my own kiln. Thank you for the suggestion to buy a white stone abrasive @oldlady. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted October 31, 2021 Report Share Posted October 31, 2021 Without knowing more about the brand of clay you’re using, your experience level or the state the shelves of the kiln you’re using are kept in, there’s a few possibilities that could be happening. Some porcelains will do something called plucking, which means the clay body is maturing at the temperature you’re firing at, and is melting slightly. This makes the pot stick to the shelf, or the kiln wash if that’s what’s being used. If this is what’s happening, try adding some alumina to the wax you’re applying to the feet of your pots. If you haven’t thoroughly cleaned off the bottom of your pots after they’ve been glazed, the residual glaze can stick to the kiln wash on the shelf. If this is what’s happening, just give them an extra wipe with some clean water. If you’re in a group studio, also make sure that the ware board you’re putting the finished pieces on is also clean so it’s not picking up anything it shouldn’t. Finally, again assuming you’re in a group studio situation, if the the kiln shelves aren’t kept in good repair, there might be residual glaze on the shelves that are re-melting and sticking to your pot. If this is the case and you’re not the one in charge of maintaining shelves, it’ll depend on your studio policies on how to proceed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted November 2, 2021 Report Share Posted November 2, 2021 Transferring over?? Some colourants do affect pots sitting nearby during firing. Is that what you are referring to? No cure for that in a community kiln unfortunately. The ingredients in the glaze will make some pots susceptible to this happening. Some glazes may spit off pots onto others. That is fixable... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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