Best books on glazing and firing?

[rich55]

Having learned to throw pots at a night class, we had the luxury of someone else to do the firing.

I have a kiln and I want to get up to speed on techniques for firing as well as glazing, so I'm looking for some good beginners guide books.

UK focused books would be preferable.

Cheers.

[Babs]

Electric or gas?

[PeterH]

Kiln and controller types models?

Edited July 8, 2022 by PeterH

[rich55]

The kiln I have is electric. Its an old one with a sitter, no electronic controller.

I'm looking for general books on glazing and firing.

[Babs]

If beginning, I'd go to local library and borrow until I was a bit down the road. 

Emmanuel Cooper

Kenneth Clark

John Colbeck

Peter cosentino

[Chilly]

As @Babs says, local library.  Read every book you can get hold of.  You will find some make sense, and some don't.  Read them all again, and maybe three or four times.    Eventually, it will feel like you are understanding.  Old books tend to be more about firing a manual kiln.  The pots and the clothes worn in the photos may be "out-of-date" but the info will be sound.

Firing a manual kiln is easy, you just have to be disciplined, set a timer so you don't forget to turn it up every so often.  And make sure the timer on the kiln is set so that if the sitter fails, it will switch the kiln off by itself.  If you need to fire overnight, make sure the "finish-time" is around breakfast time, and leave the cereals near the kiln so you have to go and check it.