94. Glaze Kiln Unloading. Great to be back! Fantastic results Amaco Celadons, Mayco and Terracolor

So this is my first Glaze kiln unloading in 10 Months and I have to say my MoJo is back. Enjoy.

[@lorrainecliftonceramics]

It’s always so disappointing when it doesn’t work out. Loved your moon jar with the glazes - stunning!

[@Mariede425]

off subject but my son used to race on his motorcycle much like the photos you have hanging up in the back of your studio ;-) kept my heart in my throat at every turn for sure!

[@lenmey1]

You are so special! Thank you for your videos!

[@ivonne9984]

Love how you show and experiment with glazes. Thank you for sharing!

[@lindadance8846]

Lovely to see you back ,just said to my grandaughter , thats one of the people who kept me going through covid when i was at home alone .

[@LoisHook]

Thankyou so much for your kind words.

[@denisenoble4010]

The bowl is beautiful 😍 😊

[@lindaking8035]

Nice to see you back Lois. That purple bowl at the beginning was beautiful.

[@bluelotusdesigns8168]

Lovely video. Thank you

[@LoisHook]

Your welcome.

[@debifoster5386]

Lois, so good to have you back!! Those last 2 pieces-gorgeous!! Please do a video on how you achieved that layered celadon look on the flowers 😊

[@janlewis9099]

Welcome back!!!! Talented students.. Would putting kiln sand on your shelf help to avoided the large platter from cracking. The flowers do look great

[@LoisHook]

Yes this is what I’ve been told and what I will do next time. Thanks for the advice.

[@Mariede425]

SO VERY GOOD to see you back Lois....hoping to see very much much more from you!

[@Allsystemsaredown]

Always nice to have a Rossi poster in your kiln room! I've had some good results in repairing cracks with epoxy and then applying gold leaf over the repair in a kind of cheat's kintsugi. Making a feature of the crack is easier and more effective than trying to make it invisible. For me anyway...

[@LoisHook]

That’s exactly what I’m thinking. Also the second one I have done I will fire and doctor !! Thanks for your advice.

[@donnahoyer5787]

I never fire my large platters or flat pieces on the bottom shelf. Someone told me not to. Usually on the top shelf. I’ve had good luck with that. Love it that you’re back always enjoy your videos. Lovely piece that cracked. Too bad. Maybe put some sand under it so it can move easier during firing. I saw you using sand in your bowls. Going to try that one myself!

[@LoisHook]

Thankyou for that. I have used sand between bowls as Simon Leach showed on a video and all well the bottom two bowls in that video cracked. I’ve never had that issue ever. So I put it down to I did a medium fire and I should have done a slow fire.

[@joeswampdawghenry]

Slow kiln it love

[@joeswampdawghenry]

I meant slow fire... It is a lovely piece

[@sheilacarroll3981]

When I do large prints in clay I put something underneath to cushion and slightly make form round out. I save my waded up sheets of old phone books as they get softer with use. By not making my printed forms not flat it seems to make them stronger with far less cracking. Beautiful work. Glad you’re back

[@LoisHook]

I think I need understand that further. Do you mean when you work on it it’s not on a piece of wood you have a cushion under. Or are you inabout when in the kiln. I did another one that cracked but stayed hole in bisque. It also had pulled up at the edges so the edges were slightly raised. Should I have put it on sand in the kiln ?

[@micheledickey4066]

Lois if you put down some sodium silicate powder on the kiln shelf under any flat piece it is like little ball bearings and allows it to slide around while firing. I’m sure you know this but the pots expand and contract while being fired and the silicate allows it to do that so it won’t crack. I’m so sorry this happened but my gosh the piece is still amazing and I love your attitude about being able to do something with it. All of the pieces are amazing as always!!

[@LoisHook]

Thanks for the suggestion.

[@jimsabo5832]

My LED lights change the appearance of some glazes. For example, in daylight, satin oribe looks greenish blue, but under the LED's, it looks pure blue.

[@pamdorneman888]

Nice! Perhaps put a layer of kiln sand on the shelves before putting in big flat pieces. It helps for them to move while firing. I'm sure someone else could explain it better

[@CarisseH]

I was about the mention the sand also. I'm glad I read the comments first. I've had to learn about the silica sand the hard way. The sand works well with anything flat and plates too.

[@LoisHook]

Thanks to both. I have bucket of sand for this purpose. Simon Leach uses it between bowls etc when bisque firing. Should have thought.

[@DebraUyesaka-qx1qs]

Did you remember the black glaze with white crystals? So pretty as the last pieces, hate when they crack. I’ve been using Bondic, with the blue light to cure. Works great

[@LoisHook]

Thanks for the advice. - re the glue. Will look it up. Mayco Night Moth is the glaze.

[@margotpenney8608]

Glad to have u back can u not put gold inlay in and the crack, that Japanese technique? Flat things need to expand and it couldnt , kiln wash?

[@LoisHook]

Kiln was was there though shelves needed sorting. I’ve had suggestions to put sodium silicate on the shelf. Next time.

[@edelgyn2699]

Just discovered your channel. I applaud you bravery for doing so much experimentation and sharing with us when things didn't work - that's invaluable so we can all learn, thanks. Looking at your shelves you seem to have a lot of small jars of ready made glazes. Do you not find that very expensive? Also do you plan to stick with commercial glazes or will you concoct your own? I can see that mixing your own glazes would take considerable time to perfect...

[@LoisHook]

I want to do chrystaline glazes. So that would work. I have only just go the space that I cope concider my own glazes. That is another step with a lot of learning. Having so may glazes gives me so May choices when it comes to layering. I must admit the painting in is a pain but the reward is always brilliant.

[@edelgyn2699]

@@LoisHook Thanks.

[@edelgyn2699]

Just for feedback and for others starting out with their own home studios... I'm still experimenting with glaze firings. It dawned on me why some newish potters exclusively use either Mayco or Amaco glazes - it's easier to get consistent results. My first glaze firing featured a mix of glazes from various sources and the firing temperatures were slightly different despite all being cone 6. I aimed for a temperature that should have suited all the glazes, but only a couple of pieces came out looking decent. So I now have different schedules for different batches of glazes. I've learnt a lot by the mistakes/experimentations, but my relatives are wondering when their promised gifts will be ready... Hah, and there I had visions of me concocting my own glaze recipes - it's obviously going to be a lengthy process.

[@lynneyoung800]

I did a bowl with the obsidian and Smokey merlot and where the Smokey merlot was on top of the obsidian it all went like orange peel. Was really disappointing.

[@LoisHook]

Never had an issue. Is May be the clay or the temp it was fired.