Category: Technique

Some have passed on but left treasures behind.  I never met Phil Berneburg.  But recently I stumbled across a wonderful video explaining pyrometric cones, which led me to The Potters’ Round Table.  Almost 100 excellent videos of Phil explaining all aspects of ceramics, including gems like “Pottery Figurin’ (Math for Potters)”. I’ll link some of Phil’s lectures in […]

Updated Printable Firing Charts with Fahrenheit & Celsius conversion and markers for common Orton Cones & Quartz Inversion:https://wiki.glazy.org/t/kiln-charts/

†From the fascinating article by The Public Domain Review: “Colour Wheels, Charts, and Tables Through History” https://publicdomainreview.org/collections/colour-wheels-charts-and-tables-through-history/

I’m not a plaster master, so I don’t know if this is a good or even original idea.  By mixing plaster in a plastic bag, it seems easier to remove bubbles from the mixture, while pouring is much more controlled.  It’s the same idea as using a garden watering can for pouring glaze:  You pour […]

To be updated. Throwing large pieces on plaster bats reduces cracking issues.

A potter friend once made fun of me for using a mirror. But no matter how much I improve, I don’t think I’ll ever stop using a mirror when I throw and trim.

I use X-acto blades all the time, some modified for specific tasks like carving porcelain or scraping glaze off of feet. I’m not sure if it’s all part of a vast X-acto conspiracy, but it seems that a lot of people don’t know that these blades can be easily & quickly sharpened?  While there are a […]

I’m sure that using a garden watering can for pouring glazes is a common technique, but when I came up with the idea I thought I was a genius 🙂 The design of a watering can ensures a constant, strong stream of liquid during pouring that is perfect for glazing. Bubbles are reduced since the […]

I’ve finally gotten a new low-fire electric kiln. This kiln is designed to fire up to 1000°C, so it’s useful only for on-glaze enamels and bisque. Total cost was 2900RMB, which is about $420USD.

I have a couple “wet boxes”.  These are plastic bins with lids into which a layer of plaster has been poured.  The plaster is kept wet in order to maintain humidty, slowing (if not stopping) the drying process. However, I haven’t used the wet boxes in a long time.  I’ve found it much easier and […]

This page is in progress and will cover my kiln and firing.  For now it is just a place to store my notes.

I’m not sure if double-edged safety razor are still available in the West, but here in Jingdezhen they are an essential trimming tool.  These razors are thin, sharp, and most importantly flexible.  Great for wheel-trimming details on small forms, or for scraping hand-built objects.  The most used brand is Flying Eagle.  I get the more expensive stainless […]