Information

Fire It Once

Single Fire for Fun, Profit, and a Smaller Carbon Footprint

Members: 57
Latest Activity: Oct 12, 2021

Single Firing in the Cone 5 - 7 Range

Maybe it's time for you to kick the bisque habit. Let's talk about why Single Firing might be good for you and your pots.

Discussion Forum

Why Single Fire Instead of Bisquing & Then Glaze Firing?

Started by George Lewter. Last reply by Jack Boyko Aug 9, 2016. 3 Replies

Firing cycle for single firing

Started by Bill Curillo. Last reply by Melissa Mead Sep 7, 2015. 19 Replies

Survey: Once Fired Ceramics

Started by Margaret Davies. Last reply by Margaret Davies Mar 2, 2015. 2 Replies

Comment Wall

Comment

You need to be a member of Fire It Once to add comments!

Comment by Kathy Ransom on April 13, 2011 at 7:52am

Kathy had a good question about glazing for single firing.  I took her question and incorporated it into a discussion topic on its own, rather than leaving it here in general comments. Find it under this group as a discussion entitled "Glaze Application for Single Firing". 

Changed by George Lewter, network creator

Comment by George Lewter on December 15, 2010 at 12:58pm

Comments about firing schedules posted here today were moved to the firing cycle discussion area.

Comment by susan claysmith on December 11, 2010 at 1:01am

Ah... so this is where I join this group.  I have posted photos of recent single fire work on the single fire main page.  Should I move them to here? Thanks, Susan

Comment by George Lewter on December 5, 2010 at 7:53pm
I'm baaack! After doing a load of bisqueware last week, I'm back to single firing. I have a load cooling now. I have noticed with spraying 4 or 5 layers that it is hard to keep the wax on the bottom. It tends to get pitted, allowing glaze to stick and then needs to be wiped which enlarges the pit. I think I need a harder wax. I'm using an emulsion wax that is pretty soft and has a pretty greasy feel.
Comment by George Lewter on November 23, 2010 at 9:15pm
Sorry Gang, I'm a traitor to the cause. Yes, I'm doing a bisque tonight. Oh! The Horror, The Horror.
Comment by George Lewter on November 10, 2010 at 8:43pm
Need a reason to single fire? How about this. Sunday I threw 11 pots. Monday evening I put handles on 9 of them that were mugs. Tuesday they dried in front of a fan. Wednesday evening ( I have a day job) I waxed and glazed them and got them preheating in the kiln at 11 p.m. Thursday about 9 p.m. I should be shutting down the kiln. Friday morning about 10 a.m. my finished pots should be coming out of the kiln. That's a five day turn-around from wet clay to finished stoneware. With the added tricks of drying your pot with a heat gun or torch and finish drying in your kitchen oven, you could actually do it in three days!
Comment by John Lowes on November 4, 2010 at 9:47am
Way to go George. Everything looks great. Thanks for putting them up so we can see them.
Comment by Victoria Cochran on November 4, 2010 at 7:10am
George, it really looks like you nailed it. Love the tall mugs and the jug (form/balance) ...and the way your glazing complements the forms. Bravo.
Comment by George Lewter on November 4, 2010 at 6:04am
I'm thrilled with the results of my single fire load from Monday. I've posted the results in an album here on cone6pots.
Comment by George Lewter on November 1, 2010 at 8:00pm
I'm firing my first kiln load of single-fire pots. The glazing went well with some poured interiors, some dipped but mostly sprayed exteriors. One tankard handle separated at the lower join, but that was the only obvious raw glazing mishap. Using Nutmeg, Variegated Slate Blue, C Harris Temoku, Rutile Matte, Floating Red, Water Color Green, Hannah's Fake Ash Blue, Strontium Crystal Magic White. Doing a slow preheat around 212 deg F to drive off the loose water. Then a slow climb up through 1400 deg F. Regular heating and cooling from that point on.
 

Members (57)

 
 
 

Videos

  • Add Videos
  • View All

Use These Links to Support Us

Low cost flat lapping disc can be used on you potters wheel if you, drill bat pin holes in it, and provide a trickle of water to cool it. At amazon.com, 120 grit for aggressive material removal. Click the image to purchase 

Members have had great things to say about John Britt's new book, Mid-Range Glazes. Click the image to buy from Amazon.com

Purchase Glazes Cone 6 by Michael Bailey, The Potters Book of Glaze Recipes by Emmanuel Cooper, or Making Marks by Robin Hopper, all available at amazon.comMastering Cone 6 Glazes by John Hesselberth & Ron Roy is now out of print.

Harbor Freight is a great place to find unbeatable prices for better HVLP spray guns with stainless steel parts and serviceable economy models, as well as detail guns, all tested by our members for spraying glazes, as well as compressors to power the guns. As yet no one has tested and commented on the remarkably inexpensive air brushes at harbor freight.

The critter siphon gun is a spray alternative that is well liked by some of our members, and is available at amazon.

Amazon is also a competitive source for photo light tents for shooting professional quality pictures of your work. They also have the EZ Cube brand favored by several of our members. You might also want to purchase the book Photographing Arts, Crafts and Collectibles . . .

If you are up to creating videos of your work or techniques you might want to invest in a flip video camera

Following are a few scales useful for potters. Ohaus Triple Pro Mechanical Triple Beam Balance, 2610g x 0.1g, with Tare $169.00

And finally a low cost clone of the OHaus. The Adam Equipment TBB2610T Triple Beam Mechanical Balance With Tare Beam $99.62

ebay is a great alternative for many tools and the equipment used in the ceramics studio - kilns, wheels, extruders, slab rollers are often listed there both new and used.

Tips for Members

If you just want to spout off, it is best accomplished as a blog posting. If you want to get more guidance and ideas from other members, ask a question as a new discussion topic. In the upper right corner of the lists for both types of posting, you will find an "+Add " button. Clicking it will open an editor where you create your posting. 4/16/2014

© 2024   Created by Andrea Wolf.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service