Kiln Opening 9/27/2019

There are so many things that impact a firing, such as off gassing of nearby pieces, placement in the kiln, heat distribution, and age of the thermocouple. All these factors affect the clay and glaze differently, so every firing and each piece is unique. This makes every kiln opening a surprise.

Greg and I were going camping, so I timed the bisque firing for the Fall themed agateware to be cooled the morning we were leaving. When I opened the kiln, my excitement deflated. Six pieces exploded during the firing as a result of tiny air bubbles in the clay. As the air heated up it expanded but there was nowhere for the air to go, so the clay literally explodes. This throws pieces of bisqued clay everywhere, which can damage other ceramic pieces in the kiln. 

Wedging the clay prior to throwing gets rid of the air bubbles, so I didn't wedge the clay enough. When I inspected the base of one of the exploded pieces I was able to see some of the tiny bubbles (see picture below).

I always wedge longer when working with stains but this time it just wasn't enough. Not every firing is successful, but having the opportunity to learn and improve my technique is.