Great stuff. You showed your whole journey of how perseverance leads to experience and skill. Loved how you reaped the benefits of putting a foot on the pot as well as navigating the tricky business of kiln regulation. The small square matt black foot really elevated the lovely shape and the finish was gorgeous.
I’ve found your videos about building your own Raku kiln to be absolutely wonderful. Extremely helpful and well done. I’m inspired to try this myself. Cheers.
Pre-service Art teacher here! I’m about to start student teaching, and I never had the opportunity to learn raku, let alone any sort of ceramics! My ceramics course ended abruptly due to a building fire, and I had just finished throwing my first piece ever. Never had the chance to fire it ☹️ This video has been a great crash course! I’m doing some research to inform myself, and I’m glad I came along this video ☺️ thank you for sharing!
Thank you. Years ago i built a raku kiln but used square wire mesh. They call it hardware cloth here. Attached the matt to it in a circle. Made a lid with the same system with a 2" hole in the middle. The base was fire brick and the shelf sat on fire bricks inside. I never had a pryrometor to check temp. Just looked in the vent hole for the color. Burried the pot in hay covered by dirt then uncovered after a while and sprayed the open ares with water to freez the color changes. Worked well. The next one i build will be like yours. Thank you
Great perseverance on the adjustments to your set up. Re paper in can, let it burn a bit before closing the can, I think you may like it. Also shhhhhhhh another technique is to close the can for 15 -30 seconds and then slightly lift the edge of the bucket, burping the pit for a second or two, then seal it. With enough sawdust, it won’t crack but you may get a nice blue. Your green is excellent. I wonder what glaze? I haven’t achieved such a green. Temp is important, can you see the glaze melt inside the kiln? If you can , watch what it does as it melts, bubbles, and settles to a gloss on glossy glazes. 🙏
Hi Lesley thanks for showing the learning curves of using a raku kiln. just a word about turning off the burner first before the gas cylinder .I have been advised to ALWAYS TURN OFF THE CYLINDER as pressure can build up very quickly at the burner valve and/or the gas regulator and cause serious problems to these part of the equipment if this is not done. i hope this is helpful John
Hi there, thanks for that suggestion. I haven't had any issues yet with turning off the burner, but what you say makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the heads up.
Thank you so much for this kiln idea. I am just starting pottery. I am most interested in hand building low fire, similar designs to the native Americans in the desert Southwest. I didn't really like the traditional pit fire idea, and updraft kilns are hard to regulate. THIS kiln design is easy to build, inexpensive and can be regulated nicely. Brilliant!! Thank you so much for the inspiration!
I’ve only taken part in two raku firings, today being the second, so I’m a novice. We were also having trouble reaching the right temperature when a seasoned raku veteran suggested we put on a chimney. We had a piece of galvanized tube available and it worked wonders! Thank you for making this video and the one of you building your kiln! Tons of valuable information for when I make my own kiln :)
Thank you for sharing your journey. I just completed building my first Raku kiln after getting back into pottery after too many years away from it. I performed my first firing a couple of days ago, but only to 1250F because I was doing horse hair and thought it would be a good temperature for a first firing. I wasn't sure at what rate I should let the temperature climb, so I really appreciate you sharing and explaining about quartz inversion along with the notes you made on the time and temp.
Hi there. Thank you for sharing YOUR Raku experiences with us. I enjoyed the way that you presented your issues and the action taken to resolve them. I also have built a fibre lined brick Raku kiln. I fire copper glazes also, among others, and have a few suggestions which I believe will help to improve your results. Increase the reduction from about 900c onwards. This can be done by closing the "damper" slightly more. The temperature rise will be slower but the reduced atmosphere enhances the colours. Use finely shredded newspaper in the post-reduction phase. Straw works well too but you need to have a lot of reduction and production of carbon during this phase of the process. Pots will crack during the Raku process due to thermal shock, it's a natural occurrence. I hope that you will find some value in these comments. Good luck with your future firings.
This was very helpful. One of the struggles in pottery is trial and error. That goes with making the pottery, glazes and firing raku and normal firing etc. it can get frustrating when one has to just trial and error and record. This helps a lot do to the fact you have already eliminated the oops for others. I will say it’s nice to see you share the adventure, most don’t
Really great video thanks for all this information. I only smoke fire at present but find one of the really useful things to burn is shredded paper and a good way to get rid of all the confidential stuff you’ve shredded. Lovely pots!
Thank you so much for documenting the whole process and discoveries along the way. I'm excited to eventually do this in my own yard. Just a health note: Be careful when using galvanized metal such as this as heated galvanized metal gives off toxic fumes.
Thanks a lot for your nice videos! This one was not just exciting but also useful and showing your own careful and loving attitude to ceramics and all this work. I am really glad that i watched and learned from you. My best wishes to you!!!
Love your videos, they encouraged me to buy a similar type of kiln which is brilliant to use. One thing that I have found is, if the finished pot is disappointing I've refired them, put them in reduction again and had really good results. I've done this several times with better results.
The pottery pieces you fired in the Raku kiln, were they greenware or were they fired once already? If they were greenware , what kind of glaze did you use?I really enjoyed how you presented all the pitfalls and how you remedied each one. It’s definitely a learning process and really appreciate you sharing this cool journey. My son and I built a Raku kiln in the backyard based on your sawdust kiln, first firing was a success, second one not so much, lol. Learned a lot by doing. Thank you for your inspiration and I am hooked and we are enjoying this journey. I am a Tapestry Artist and have been influenced by my mom who made ceramics and pottery. Firing number 3 will take place soon. I will definitely take what I have learned from you and apply this new knowledge and very excited to see what happens. Thank you so much, love and light. From James Nightingale in Canada 🇨🇦
Thanks James. I'm glad it was helpful. I bisque fire my pots first. I know that you can bisque fire in a raku kiln, but it would take ages, and I don't want to stand outside for that long!
I followed your making Raku Matt glaze and love it. Loved this video also, but I am looking for the glaze recipe for this one. The copper is beautiful or are they commercial glazes
Thank you for posting this video. I'm in the process of ordering items to make my own Raku kiln but would like to know what type of thermocouple you use please (there seem to be many different types). Thanks again.
Great video, I know next to nothing about pottery and I'm looking into making some simple slab or coil pots for bonsai and your kin video is very informative. Couple comments on it though, i do have experience with ceramic fiber insulation and it can be dangerous to run a forge (or kiln in this case) using uncoated ceramic fiber. The blast from the burner can knock fibers loose and breathing in the fibers can be really bad for you. Not asbestos bad but still not good. Consider lining it with a thin layer of refractory cement. One other thought, the trash can you used looks to be galvanized or zinc plated, if the zinc ever starts to burn off please be very careful, zinc oxide can be very bad to breath and can cause metal vapor fever.
Hi there, thanks for your message. I'm glad you found this helpful. Yes, you're right about the ceramic fiber. I've actually lined the kiln out with body soluble fiber which dissolves if inhaled. And yes, you are right it's galvanized steel. My understanding is that once the kiln has been fired a few times that the fumes burn off and are no longer an issue. That is, what I've been advised at least. But you may know more about that than me. I'd be interested to hear what you think. I always fire outside and wear a mask.
I have seen several of your excellent videos, in one of them I saw a recipe with copper, a question your pieces are made with a recipe of yours or you buy the pasta, greetings thanks for sharing!
I want to know this, as well. Your videos are SO helpful! However, I don't see a discussion of adding the pyrometer. I looks as if you drilled a hole on the side & stuck it in, but I surely would like a discussion of that! Thanks!
Hello! So I'm working on a project and I want to build a kiln. I saw your previous videos on how you built it and seeing everything that happened in this video as you experimented with the firing I'm wondering if I should make a few changes to my plans. Also, do you have any recommendations for certain kinds of clay or glaze? Also also, what is that claw thing that you use to take the pieces out of the kiln once they're finished? I'm just trying to figure stuff out right now. I'm sorry if my questions are scattered.
Hi PJ, thanks for your comment. I use raku clay, the one that I use for these pieces is ashraf hanna, which is a raku clay. I'm also using raku glazes here by Mayco, you don't have to use raku glaze. You can raku other low fire glazes. The thing I lift the pieces out with is are raku tongs. I bought them in the UK. Where are you based? I can try to find a link for them if you like. They are heavy though, so if you aren't in the UK they might be expensive to ship...
You can put your tank into a metal bucket with it half full of Luke warm water. This will keep the tank from freezing up and the tank pressure will stay up as well.
You've probably adjusted things since making the video, but here's a few things that might help. Line your trash can more fully so that the pot is nested into paper, not just surrounded by a couple of layers on a bare bottom. Add a layer of wet paper to the lid so that when it's put on the can, it seals more fully. When you put the pot into the paper nest, push the side paper down over the pot to cover it, then put the lid on quickly.
Hi, great video thank you. We are looking at learning pottery and have provisionally booked a taster course, but when this will happen we don’t know due to the current restrictions. Anyway obviously we are complete novices and I think I’m going to build a kiln like yours as we are going to do a bit of hand building while we wait. My question is and it may be a daft one but are all your pieces bisque fired prior to putting in the kiln. If so is the glaze added after the bisque firing? Like I said this may be a silly question and it may be an unwritten rule that raku requires bisque firing, if you don’t ask you don’t know. Thanks
Hi Paul, your question isn't a silly one at all. Yes, I bisque fire all my pieces before I put them in the raku kiln. Basically, I bisque fire them, then apply the glaze. Then I raku them. I bisque fire in an electric kiln. I know that some people bisque fire in raku kilns. I'm sure this is fine, but I'm not sure I'd want to stand outside for 8 hours whilst I bisque fire in my little DIY kiln. I'm in the UK and it's always cold and rainy in the UK in the winter, so bisque firing outside would be grim. Good luck. Let me know how it goes.
@@ThePotteryWheel Thank you for replying, i kind of guessed it may need bisque firing. I'm in glorious Manchester and can fully understand you're lack of enthusiasm for standing outside for eight hours, and of course i would imagine it uses quite a bit of gas too. I'm wanting to get into making little plant pots as i collect succulents so presumably id need to find somebody local and rent kiln space. Is this something you know anything about? I'm curious as to the cost of renting kiln space really as I'm guessing it's not cheap, then of course enabling me to raku fire my own pots. Thanks again.
@@paullongworth9607 If you are in Manchester you will definitely be able to find someone with a kiln who will bisque fire your pots for you. Your best bet is a local pottery supplier. They often rent kiln space. It's normally not to expensive to get stuff fired. You can check out my article on finding a kiln service here for ideas if you like....thepotterywheel.com/10-easy-ways-to-find-a-pottery-firing-service-near-me/
Hi, I really enjoyed watching your video which I have just found. I carried out my first Raku firing three days ago and had the same problem you refer to as regards not reaching the target temperature for the glaze maturity point, so your suggestions for a fix were really helpfull. Thankyou. Your safety tip for lighting the burner away from the kiln is good and I will adopt that practice. I noticed on one of my pots that where a pot was licked by a flame from the burner it produced a great iridescent change of color. One of my next firings will be with pots that have not been bisqued as I dont have an electric kiln. If youv ever done that , it will be interesting to hear of your experience? Best Mandy P.S. what is your first name?
Hi Mandy, thanks for your message. I'm really glad the video was helpful. I haven't bisqued in the raku kiln. I know that people do it. I did see a video on youtube with someone bisque firing in a diy kiln. But it was one of those square mesh kiln designs. I can't remember the name of the person who filmed it. If I can find it I will send you a link. It was a good video I seem to remember. Let me know how it goes if you try it, Lesley :)
Good job, your on your way to better raku pieces. Use porcelain clay if you want to prevent less cracking problems. Porcelain can handle the extreme changes better.
Hi Hardi. Raku firing is a quick process. It usually takes me about 45 -60 minutes to get to temperature. You can go quicker than that. With this kiln, I can get up to temperature in about 20-25 minutes. But I tend to go a bit slower than that deliberately to avoid cracks.
Hello, there is a little dial on the head of the propane burner which you can turn to adjust the size of the flame. If I want the kiln to get hotter, I just increase the size of the flame. Hope that helps.
Hey Lesley, thank you so much for your videos and advise! I have just a question, would you recommend to put a second layer of ceramic fiber in the walls as well? Or do you think it wont improve the conservation of heat on the inside at all? Thank you so much!
Hi Jordi, I think it depends on the size of the trash can you are using. If I had double lined the walls of mine, it would have made the inside chamber way too small. If you get a bigger trash can, then probably double lining it is a good idea. I think I'm going to build a bigger one next time, and I will most likely put two layers of ceramic fiber on there. Good luck!
@@ThePotteryWheel Thanks for answering :) It's more or less the size of yours. I'll put double layer then, I don't need that much space. Can't wait to see your new videos ;)
@@ThePotteryWheel ok sounds good. It gets up there in temp pretty fast! That made me nervous so,, like you, thought pacing it slightly may keep casualties to a minimum. Thanks again!
I'm REAL new to pottery and find this to be so amazing. My question is, can you fire in a electric kiln and do anything to create the Raku look? Probably a stupid question, so forgive me in advance for my ignorance 😬
Hi Chelle, that's such an interesting question, I think you're asking whether you can get a raku looking glaze in an electric kiln, without actually doing raku, have I understood right? My honest answer to that question is that I don't know. I know that if you fire raku glazes in an electric kiln and they don't go into reduction, they can look a bit boring. But I'm not sure if you can replicate the look without actually doing raku. I'll look into it, I'd be interested to know too. Good luck with your new pottery venture!
@@ThePotteryWheel yes, I guess that was what I was asking, I actually didn't think of it that way, but yes. I've always appreciated the Raku finish, but have been afraid of the process. Your set up looks like something I could do...but will watch and learn first. Much respect...
@@chellegriggs If I can find an answer for you I will let you know. And yes, I was a bit nervous when I first used the kiln, but after a while it gets a bit less stressful. I say give it a go...!
Hi Mattie, yes, you can raku fire different kinds of clay. Some cope with the shock of being taken out of the kiln when hot better than others. You may just have to experiment with the clay you want to use and see how it copes. Let me know how it goes :)
Hi there, the clay has been bisque fired so it won't dissolve in water. But it's still a bit porous, a bit like brick, so you couldn't use it as a vase or for food or drink.
I’m curious: the pieces which did not reach their full potential with the Peacock matte glaze, would you ever re-fire them to enhance the glaze? Are they simply lost forever? Seems like a sad waste. What’s the best way to redeem them?
Hi there, I have tried to refire pieces that were underfired, and it doesn't really work too well for me. It is sad, but I just chalk it up to experience!
This is awesome! I have recently just started my pottery journey and I am currently trying to build a hot enough kiln to do stoneware and ash glazes. I don't think I can get to a high enough temperature though with a brick kiln so I may try doing raku instead. Do you think raku firing would be feasible with a wood burning brick kiln?
Hi there, I haven't ever tried raku firing with a wood burning brick kiln. In principle, provided you can get the pottery out of the kiln when it's hot, then I don't see why not. But it might help to ask someone who uses a wood burning kiln. There are quite a few videos on youtube about wood firing, have you checked them out?
@@kipholder8577 It depends what you are making. If you are raku firing, a raku clay is good, as it's less likely to crack when you fire it. I'm using Ashraf Hanna raku clay here. Stoneware clay fires hard and is quite tough. What are you making?
@@kipholder8577 if you aren't firing it, definitely use air dry clay. You can buy pottery clay that's reinforced with fibre. It's sometimes paper fibre, sometimes nylon. But either way the fibre makes it much stronger when it dries without firing. Just search for air dry clay and choose a colour that you like.
@@paulkendeffy8893 That's exciting. Let me know how it goes. I will put the firing schedule in the video description in a moment. I managed to find it. Not a huge amount of information and the temps are in C rather than F.
All of that glass/ceramic wool that isn't rigidized or coated in refractory cement gives me the willies. That stuff is suspected to be a carcinogen, not nearly as dangerous but similar to asbestos - perfectly safe to work with as long as it isn't broken into fiber form. I know a lot of people do it this way, but it doesn't seem worth the risk to me.
most useful raku explanation on youtube.
Great, glad you found it helpful :)
Great stuff. You showed your whole journey of how perseverance leads to experience and skill.
Loved how you reaped the benefits of putting a foot on the pot as well as navigating the tricky business of kiln regulation. The small square matt black foot really elevated the lovely shape and the finish was gorgeous.
New to your content (and like many others in your comments section) I applaud you for your efforts to detail in your videos.
I’ve found your videos about building your own Raku kiln to be absolutely wonderful. Extremely helpful and well done. I’m inspired to try this myself. Cheers.
Just watched this for the second time, and it’s one of the most comprehensive and valuable videos I’ve seen.
Love the final results! Very beautiful!
Saved me a lot of hair. Cheers Lesley. Toby (Scilly)
Pre-service Art teacher here! I’m about to start student teaching, and I never had the opportunity to learn raku, let alone any sort of ceramics! My ceramics course ended abruptly due to a building fire, and I had just finished throwing my first piece ever. Never had the chance to fire it ☹️
This video has been a great crash course! I’m doing some research to inform myself, and I’m glad I came along this video ☺️ thank you for sharing!
I am very new at ceramics and this was the best video on kilns that I’ve seen (and I’ve seen plenty).
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you.
Years ago i built a raku kiln but used square wire mesh. They call it hardware cloth here. Attached the matt to it in a circle. Made a lid with the same system with a 2" hole in the middle. The base was fire brick and the shelf sat on fire bricks inside. I never had a pryrometor to check temp. Just looked in the vent hole for the color. Burried the pot in hay covered by dirt then uncovered after a while and sprayed the open ares with water to freez the color changes. Worked well.
The next one i build will be like yours.
Thank you
That sounds great!
Great perseverance on the adjustments to your set up.
Re paper in can, let it burn a bit before closing the can, I think you may like it. Also shhhhhhhh another technique is to close the can for 15 -30 seconds and then slightly lift the edge of the bucket, burping the pit for a second or two, then seal it. With enough sawdust, it won’t crack but you may get a nice blue. Your green is excellent. I wonder what glaze? I haven’t achieved such a green.
Temp is important, can you see the glaze melt inside the kiln? If you can , watch what it does as it melts, bubbles, and settles to a gloss on glossy glazes.
🙏
Thank you so much for this excellent guide on Raku - looking forward to kiln building and firing with confidence now....brilliant tuition. Well done.
Your well thought attention to detail are really helpful.
Thank you for your posts.
Hi Lesley
thanks for showing the learning curves of using a raku kiln.
just a word about turning off the burner first before the gas cylinder .I have been advised to ALWAYS TURN OFF THE CYLINDER as pressure can build up very quickly at the burner valve and/or the gas regulator and cause serious problems to these part of the equipment if this is not done.
i hope this is helpful
John
Hi there, thanks for that suggestion. I haven't had any issues yet with turning off the burner, but what you say makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the heads up.
Thank you so much for this kiln idea. I am just starting pottery. I am most interested in hand building low fire, similar designs to the native Americans in the desert Southwest. I didn't really like the traditional pit fire idea, and updraft kilns are hard to regulate. THIS kiln design is easy to build, inexpensive and can be regulated nicely. Brilliant!! Thank you so much for the inspiration!
Maria Martinez if you like southwest 🙏
Ah also when you learned to position the burner , you learned an important updraft kiln thing🙏
I’ve only taken part in two raku firings, today being the second, so I’m a novice. We were also having trouble reaching the right temperature when a seasoned raku veteran suggested we put on a chimney. We had a piece of galvanized tube available and it worked wonders!
Thank you for making this video and the one of you building your kiln! Tons of valuable information for when I make my own kiln :)
Great, I'm glad it's working well for you. It's a good idea, I might try that too :)
Lesley this was so useful you are my raku queen!
Thanks! I'm glad it was helpful 🙂
Thank you for sharing your journey. I just completed building my first Raku kiln after getting back into pottery after too many years away from it. I performed my first firing a couple of days ago, but only to 1250F because I was doing horse hair and thought it would be a good temperature for a first firing. I wasn't sure at what rate I should let the temperature climb, so I really appreciate you sharing and explaining about quartz inversion along with the notes you made on the time and temp.
Hi there. Thank you for sharing YOUR Raku experiences with us. I enjoyed the way that you presented your issues and the action taken to resolve them. I also have built a fibre lined brick Raku kiln. I fire copper glazes also, among others, and have a few suggestions which I believe will help to improve your results. Increase the reduction from about 900c onwards. This can be done by closing the "damper" slightly more. The temperature rise will be slower but the reduced atmosphere enhances the colours. Use finely shredded newspaper in the post-reduction phase. Straw works well too but you need to have a lot of reduction and production of carbon during this phase of the process. Pots will crack during the Raku process due to thermal shock, it's a natural occurrence. I hope that you will find some value in these comments. Good luck with your future firings.
thanks very much for your suggestions Neil. I'm always experimenting, so I will try this out :)
This is so awesome! Thank you for sharing your knowledge, I'm so excited to try this some day!!
Excellent video!
Thank you for doing this..., It is a nice helping hand to building a kiln setup... 🙂
This video is a treasure! Thank you very much! I am going to build a raku kiln myself very soon and I will use all of these tips! Happy raku firing!
Thank you!
Really clear and helpful tutorial. I am new to pottery but you have inspired me to give it a go. 👍
I enjoyed this and your careful attention to safety 😊!
Good one for prolysis... plastic to disiel ,Im going to use it to heat up my prolysis chamber thumbs up to u
Wonderful, informative. I'm going to try setting my burner at an angle next raku. Thanks for sharing
In love with raku!
Me too!
This was very helpful. One of the struggles in pottery is trial and error. That goes with making the pottery, glazes and firing raku and normal firing etc. it can get frustrating when one has to just trial and error and record. This helps a lot do to the fact you have already eliminated the oops for others. I will say it’s nice to see you share the adventure, most don’t
Thanks Jason, I'm glad it helped. And yes, the trial and error doesn't seem to end does it?
Really great video thanks for all this information. I only smoke fire at present but find one of the really useful things to burn is shredded paper and a good way to get rid of all the confidential stuff you’ve shredded. Lovely pots!
Thanks Lynne, I'm glad you found it helpful :)
Thank you so much for sharing this journey :)
Thank you so much for documenting the whole process and discoveries along the way. I'm excited to eventually do this in my own yard. Just a health note: Be careful when using galvanized metal such as this as heated galvanized metal gives off toxic fumes.
Thanks Ember :)
Great video and much useful information !!
👏 brilliant! Thank you!
So informative, thanks for sharing your processes. Great video.
Thanks Nigel
Awesome video. Thanks!
Fantastic video! Thank you!
Great, thanks Marc :)
Thanks a lot for your nice videos! This one was not just exciting but also useful and showing your own careful and loving attitude to ceramics and all this work. I am really glad that i watched and learned from you. My best wishes to you!!!
Thanks 🙂
Love your videos, they encouraged me to buy a similar type of kiln which is brilliant to use. One thing that I have found is, if the finished pot is disappointing I've refired them, put them in reduction again and had really good results. I've done this several times with better results.
Sounds great!
An excellent video. Very helpful and informative indeed. Thank you ever so much!
Can I say 7:20, would be a beautiful bonsai pot! 😍
Beautiful ceramic
Great video, good on you for your great effort !!
Thanks for your comment - glad you liked the video :)
The pottery pieces you fired in the Raku kiln, were they greenware or were they fired once already? If they were greenware , what kind of glaze did you use?I really enjoyed how you presented all the pitfalls and how you remedied each one. It’s definitely a learning process and really appreciate you sharing this cool journey. My son and I built a Raku kiln in the backyard based on your sawdust kiln, first firing was a success, second one not so much, lol. Learned a lot by doing. Thank you for your inspiration and I am hooked and we are enjoying this journey. I am a Tapestry Artist and have been influenced by my mom who made ceramics and pottery. Firing number 3 will take place soon. I will definitely take what I have learned from you and apply this new knowledge and very excited to see what happens. Thank you so much, love and light. From James Nightingale in Canada 🇨🇦
Thanks James. I'm glad it was helpful. I bisque fire my pots first. I know that you can bisque fire in a raku kiln, but it would take ages, and I don't want to stand outside for that long!
Thank you. salute your can do.
Thanks! A lot of affection to show your art and your competence to everyone. How much color! How much Life within Life! Congratulations!
Thank you so much!
I followed your making Raku Matt glaze and love it. Loved this video also, but I am looking for the glaze recipe for this one. The copper is beautiful or are they commercial glazes
Hello, they are commercial glazes. I'll put a link in the video description so you can check them out if you like :-)
Thank you for posting this video. I'm in the process of ordering items to make my own Raku kiln but would like to know what type of thermocouple you use please (there seem to be many different types). Thanks again.
Great video, I know next to nothing about pottery and I'm looking into making some simple slab or coil pots for bonsai and your kin video is very informative. Couple comments on it though, i do have experience with ceramic fiber insulation and it can be dangerous to run a forge (or kiln in this case) using uncoated ceramic fiber. The blast from the burner can knock fibers loose and breathing in the fibers can be really bad for you. Not asbestos bad but still not good. Consider lining it with a thin layer of refractory cement. One other thought, the trash can you used looks to be galvanized or zinc plated, if the zinc ever starts to burn off please be very careful, zinc oxide can be very bad to breath and can cause metal vapor fever.
Hi there, thanks for your message. I'm glad you found this helpful. Yes, you're right about the ceramic fiber. I've actually lined the kiln out with body soluble fiber which dissolves if inhaled. And yes, you are right it's galvanized steel. My understanding is that once the kiln has been fired a few times that the fumes burn off and are no longer an issue. That is, what I've been advised at least. But you may know more about that than me. I'd be interested to hear what you think. I always fire outside and wear a mask.
I wonder if you can make a similar kiln with steel sheets set up in a box like shape with all the insulation you have made.
I have seen several of your excellent videos, in one of them I saw a recipe with copper, a question your pieces are made with a recipe of yours or you buy the pasta, greetings thanks for sharing!
Hi there, in this video I am using commercially produced glaze. They are from the Mayco raku glazes range. Hope that helps :)
thanks for answering!
Love your video, very informative. Would you mind sharing this glaze recipe please? Would be much appreciated.
Hi Michelle, it's actually a glaze by Mayco called Peacock Matte
Oh Brilliant, Thanks
Thank you making these incredibly helpful videos . But I do have a question . Do you bisque-fire your pieces first before you raku glaze fire?
Hi Lex, yes, I bisque fire first in an electric kiln. Glad the videos are helpful!
Beautiful. Where did you purchase the Peacock glaze or what is the recipe ? Great videos.
Thx.
Great video - thanks for sharing! What make of thermometer do you use please? Thanks!
I want to know this, as well. Your videos are SO helpful! However, I don't see a discussion of adding the pyrometer. I looks as if you drilled a hole on the side & stuck it in, but I surely would like a discussion of that! Thanks!
Grwzt video, thank you
Lovely video. Two questions:
1. What cone temp. do you fire your bisque?
2 . Is there a reason you do not quench the hot fired pieces in water?
hello 🙂 I bisque fire to cone 06, and I don't quench them as it reduces the chance of them cracking.
ESA PIEZA SE PUEDE USAR CON ALIMENTOS O CAFE?
Hi, I just love these colors. What is the glaze recipe? to make shiny raku at lower temperatures
This is so interesting! Did you bisque fire these pieces first and then glaze? Do you bisque fire at home? If so, how?
Sorry for the very slow response! Yes, I did bisque them and then glaze them. I bisque fire in an electric kiln. Hope that helps :)
do you bisque fire in the Raku Kiln you made? Or do you bisque fire in like an electric kiln first? Thank you
I bisque fire in an electric kiln first
@@ThePotteryWheel Thank you
Brilliant!, thanks :)
Hello! So I'm working on a project and I want to build a kiln. I saw your previous videos on how you built it and seeing everything that happened in this video as you experimented with the firing I'm wondering if I should make a few changes to my plans. Also, do you have any recommendations for certain kinds of clay or glaze? Also also, what is that claw thing that you use to take the pieces out of the kiln once they're finished? I'm just trying to figure stuff out right now. I'm sorry if my questions are scattered.
Hi PJ, thanks for your comment. I use raku clay, the one that I use for these pieces is ashraf hanna, which is a raku clay. I'm also using raku glazes here by Mayco, you don't have to use raku glaze. You can raku other low fire glazes. The thing I lift the pieces out with is are raku tongs. I bought them in the UK. Where are you based? I can try to find a link for them if you like. They are heavy though, so if you aren't in the UK they might be expensive to ship...
I was curious - how much propane is used in a firing? Also could the kiln be used for stoneware? I have only had work fired for me in college.
Thamk you. So helpful.
You can put your tank into a metal bucket with it half full of Luke warm water. This will keep the tank from freezing up and the tank pressure will stay up as well.
ESAS PIEZAS SE PUEDEN USAR PARA ALIMEBTOS?
You've probably adjusted things since making the video, but here's a few things that might help. Line your trash can more fully so that the pot is nested into paper, not just surrounded by a couple of layers on a bare bottom. Add a layer of wet paper to the lid so that when it's put on the can, it seals more fully. When you put the pot into the paper nest, push the side paper down over the pot to cover it, then put the lid on quickly.
Hi Kzoo, thanks for that. Yes, I do generally use more paper these days. Though I didn't know about using wet paper on the lid, so thanks for that :)
Hi, great video thank you. We are looking at learning pottery and have provisionally booked a taster course, but when this will happen we don’t know due to the current restrictions. Anyway obviously we are complete novices and I think I’m going to build a kiln like yours as we are going to do a bit of hand building while we wait. My question is and it may be a daft one but are all your pieces bisque fired prior to putting in the kiln. If so is the glaze added after the bisque firing? Like I said this may be a silly question and it may be an unwritten rule that raku requires bisque firing, if you don’t ask you don’t know. Thanks
Hi Paul, your question isn't a silly one at all. Yes, I bisque fire all my pieces before I put them in the raku kiln. Basically, I bisque fire them, then apply the glaze. Then I raku them. I bisque fire in an electric kiln. I know that some people bisque fire in raku kilns. I'm sure this is fine, but I'm not sure I'd want to stand outside for 8 hours whilst I bisque fire in my little DIY kiln. I'm in the UK and it's always cold and rainy in the UK in the winter, so bisque firing outside would be grim. Good luck. Let me know how it goes.
@@ThePotteryWheel Thank you for replying, i kind of guessed it may need bisque firing. I'm in glorious Manchester and can fully understand you're lack of enthusiasm for standing outside for eight hours, and of course i would imagine it uses quite a bit of gas too. I'm wanting to get into making little plant pots as i collect succulents so presumably id need to find somebody local and rent kiln space. Is this something you know anything about? I'm curious as to the cost of renting kiln space really as I'm guessing it's not cheap, then of course enabling me to raku fire my own pots. Thanks again.
@@paullongworth9607 If you are in Manchester you will definitely be able to find someone with a kiln who will bisque fire your pots for you. Your best bet is a local pottery supplier. They often rent kiln space. It's normally not to expensive to get stuff fired. You can check out my article on finding a kiln service here for ideas if you like....thepotterywheel.com/10-easy-ways-to-find-a-pottery-firing-service-near-me/
@@ThePotteryWheel very informative thank you.
Thanks for your video !I made my own raku kiln too and would like to get the copper effects : do you have a special recipi ?
Brigitte (France)
Brigitte, I'm sorry for the slow reply! In this video, I'm actually using a raku glaze by Mayco called Peacock Matte.
Hi,
I really enjoyed watching your video which I have just found. I carried out my first Raku firing three days ago and had the same problem you refer to as regards not reaching the target temperature for the glaze maturity point, so your suggestions for a fix were really helpfull. Thankyou. Your safety tip for lighting the burner away from the kiln is good and I will adopt that practice. I noticed on one of my pots that where a pot was licked by a flame from the burner it produced a great iridescent change of color. One of my next firings will be with pots that have not been bisqued as I dont have an electric kiln. If youv ever done that , it will be interesting to hear of your experience?
Best
Mandy
P.S. what is your first name?
Hi Mandy, thanks for your message. I'm really glad the video was helpful. I haven't bisqued in the raku kiln. I know that people do it. I did see a video on youtube with someone bisque firing in a diy kiln. But it was one of those square mesh kiln designs. I can't remember the name of the person who filmed it. If I can find it I will send you a link. It was a good video I seem to remember. Let me know how it goes if you try it, Lesley :)
Can raku glazes be applied to porcelain pots?
Yes they can :)
Good job, your on your way to better raku pieces. Use porcelain clay if you want to prevent less cracking problems. Porcelain can handle the extreme changes better.
Thanks for the tip Rob
Love Your efforts. Just for interest. How long is a gas bottle lasting your firings?
Thanks Peter. A gas bottle this size will last about 6 or 7 firings.
Halo, how long the ceramic burn in the kiln? Thank's
Hi Hardi. Raku firing is a quick process. It usually takes me about 45 -60 minutes to get to temperature. You can go quicker than that. With this kiln, I can get up to temperature in about 20-25 minutes. But I tend to go a bit slower than that deliberately to avoid cracks.
What do you use for heat source and control temp
What do you mean , or what do you do exactly, when you say to keep it at the high temp you Adjust the flame? How do you adjust the flame? Thx
Hello, there is a little dial on the head of the propane burner which you can turn to adjust the size of the flame. If I want the kiln to get hotter, I just increase the size of the flame. Hope that helps.
What Size Propane Tank Did You Use?
I hope my husband will be willing to have a rake kiln. He doesn’t want a electric kiln in our house because of the cost.
And? Did he?
Hey Lesley, thank you so much for your videos and advise!
I have just a question, would you recommend to put a second layer of ceramic fiber in the walls as well? Or do you think it wont improve the conservation of heat on the inside at all?
Thank you so much!
Hi Jordi, I think it depends on the size of the trash can you are using. If I had double lined the walls of mine, it would have made the inside chamber way too small. If you get a bigger trash can, then probably double lining it is a good idea. I think I'm going to build a bigger one next time, and I will most likely put two layers of ceramic fiber on there. Good luck!
@@ThePotteryWheel Thanks for answering :)
It's more or less the size of yours. I'll put double layer then, I don't need that much space. Can't wait to see your new videos ;)
After the adjustments you made, how quickly a were you able to reach temperature? Thanks so much for the video, it’s an invaluable resource!! ❤️
I try to pace it a bit and it normally takes about an hour. Glad the video helped!
@@ThePotteryWheel ok sounds good. It gets up there in temp pretty fast! That made me nervous so,, like you, thought pacing it slightly may keep casualties to a minimum. Thanks again!
I'm REAL new to pottery and find this to be so amazing. My question is, can you fire in a electric kiln and do anything to create the Raku look? Probably a stupid question, so forgive me in advance for my ignorance 😬
Hi Chelle, that's such an interesting question, I think you're asking whether you can get a raku looking glaze in an electric kiln, without actually doing raku, have I understood right? My honest answer to that question is that I don't know. I know that if you fire raku glazes in an electric kiln and they don't go into reduction, they can look a bit boring. But I'm not sure if you can replicate the look without actually doing raku. I'll look into it, I'd be interested to know too. Good luck with your new pottery venture!
@@ThePotteryWheel yes, I guess that was what I was asking, I actually didn't think of it that way, but yes. I've always appreciated the Raku finish, but have been afraid of the process. Your set up looks like something I could do...but will watch and learn first. Much respect...
@@chellegriggs If I can find an answer for you I will let you know. And yes, I was a bit nervous when I first used the kiln, but after a while it gets a bit less stressful. I say give it a go...!
@@ThePotteryWheel Pode sim...
Awesome video! , could i use this kiln set up to fire normal low to medium temp clay? i mainly want to do plant pots
Hi Mattie, yes, you can raku fire different kinds of clay. Some cope with the shock of being taken out of the kiln when hot better than others. You may just have to experiment with the clay you want to use and see how it copes. Let me know how it goes :)
You are amazing
Does it make the clay waterproof at that temp also by using that Rakuten glaze ?
Hi there, the clay has been bisque fired so it won't dissolve in water. But it's still a bit porous, a bit like brick, so you couldn't use it as a vase or for food or drink.
@@ThePotteryWheel what kind of clay does one need to use for food/dish machine safe pottery ? And at what Temps should they be fired ?
Great to see your kiln working. I'll be making my own now. Do you have links to material for building your kiln?
Hi there, good luck with making your kiln. I've linked to most of the materials in this post thepotterywheel.com/how-to-make-a-raku-kiln/
I used an oil drum,...seems to work ok
Nice lustres
I’m curious: the pieces which did not reach their full potential with the Peacock matte glaze, would you ever re-fire them to enhance the glaze? Are they simply lost forever? Seems like a sad waste. What’s the best way to redeem them?
Hi there, I have tried to refire pieces that were underfired, and it doesn't really work too well for me. It is sad, but I just chalk it up to experience!
TOP!
This is awesome! I have recently just started my pottery journey and I am currently trying to build a hot enough kiln to do stoneware and ash glazes. I don't think I can get to a high enough temperature though with a brick kiln so I may try doing raku instead. Do you think raku firing would be feasible with a wood burning brick kiln?
Hi there, I haven't ever tried raku firing with a wood burning brick kiln. In principle, provided you can get the pottery out of the kiln when it's hot, then I don't see why not. But it might help to ask someone who uses a wood burning kiln. There are quite a few videos on youtube about wood firing, have you checked them out?
Good crack fix it with lacquer and gold more value kintjusu
Can you post a link to insulation you used?
where are you based? I bought mine in the UK
It's not a crack... It's character! ;) hehehe
Hello! What is the glaze you are using here?
It's Mayco raku glaze - peacock matte and copper metallic...
Can you recommend the some clay products that dry up very hard and ridged
Hi Kip, do you mean, a particular kind of pottery clay?
Yes
@@kipholder8577 It depends what you are making. If you are raku firing, a raku clay is good, as it's less likely to crack when you fire it. I'm using Ashraf Hanna raku clay here. Stoneware clay fires hard and is quite tough. What are you making?
Im making some squares 1ft by 1ft inch thick for a art project. Im going to let it sit one week to harden im not going to use fire
@@kipholder8577 if you aren't firing it, definitely use air dry clay. You can buy pottery clay that's reinforced with fibre. It's sometimes paper fibre, sometimes nylon. But either way the fibre makes it much stronger when it dries without firing. Just search for air dry clay and choose a colour that you like.
I love your roses look great
Can you share your time and temp chart?
I will try to dig it out and put it in the comments. Not sure where it is, but will dig about....
Thanks I built the kiln from your video and have my Raku clay ready! I’m collecting as much info as possible!
@@paulkendeffy8893 That's exciting. Let me know how it goes. I will put the firing schedule in the video description in a moment. I managed to find it. Not a huge amount of information and the temps are in C rather than F.
Thank you!!
Thanks for posting the time and temps. I see the preheating is fast but will try what you did and see how it goes!
All of that glass/ceramic wool that isn't rigidized or coated in refractory cement gives me the willies. That stuff is suspected to be a carcinogen, not nearly as dangerous but similar to asbestos - perfectly safe to work with as long as it isn't broken into fiber form. I know a lot of people do it this way, but it doesn't seem worth the risk to me.