Ashes to Ashes - DIY Ash Glazes Revisited

This is the second video I have made about Ash Glazes. I find them interesting because anyone can make them with ingredients they usually have laying around. In this video I demonstrate a few new things I am experimenting with. If all goes well, I will make one more where I use different colors and see how the turn out. If you want to watch the first video about DIY ash glaze go here: • Simple Ash Glazes . To see how I used oxides for coloring slip look here: • Coloring Clay Slip . If you enjoyed this video, please hit the like button and please subscribe to my channel. Thanks, Capt Mike

[@mosseyw]

I really enjoyed your straight forward approach and clear instructions, I’ve learned a lot more here than in all the other KZbin videos I’ve watched on this subject. Thank you and please keep it up 👍

[@CaptMike]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@jaroslawnoworyta3626]

thank you God, I found this channel...you are such a passionate artist!! dropping here by, was a huge inspiration for me to play the game with this stuff ash...

[@CaptMike]

Thanks for watching!

[@joefinn9565]

Hi C M, many thanks for performing a trial run for me . I’ve tried to replicate same today with some success. What I discovered was that when I capped with a clear piece larger than the underneath pieces this worked, however I then got a border around the dichroic and the clear top piece showing around the edges. This required cold working and then fire polish . My firing Specifications are as follows 3 + minutes @ 450 degrees C warm up, then 600/700 C for 3 minutes and then 850 C max for 3 minutes . Thanks again.

[@ermanevcil]

Straight to the point.. Each time i am searching for the glaze chemistry online, it seems like solving a puzzle in the dark. You gave me some more courage to keep on with my research. Thank you very much.

[@CaptMike]

Thanks for watching. Let me know how your ash glase turns out.

[@gsmckee00740]

I love your no nonsense approach!!

[@CaptMike]

Thanks!

[@kadensmike8190]

Very useful research, thanks!!

[@kadensmike8190]

That jug is handsome, nice work.

[@retrohale_camp]

Absolutely Amazing Video !!! I REALLY admire Yours samples !!! So INSPIRING !!! ThankYou extremley !!! Thanks To You Mike i believe i can do it Too !!! ☺👌🙏

[@CaptMike]

I know you can. Thanks for watching my video!

[@yakamo]

awesome video thank you!

[@CaptMike]

Thank you for watching.

[@ermanevcil]

this is a great tutorial !

[@CaptMike]

Thanks for watching!

[@doodybird5766]

Hi Capt. Mike, I love your videos, thank you so much! I haven't been tinkering around with pottery a year yet and I am self teaching since there are no places to learn that are close by. I want to build a wood fired kiln and I've been very curious about glazes the old folks used and you have really helped me understand a lot about wood ash glazing. Have you ever done anything with salt glazing in a wood fire kiln or do you just stay with electric kilns? The pieces you've made are beautiful. I love that jug!

[@CaptMike]

Thanks for the kind words and for watching my video. I have not tried salt glaze yet as all I have access to are electric kilns. There are glazes available (cone 6 and above) that mimic salt glaze pretty good. I know it is not the same thing, but sometimes you have to go with what you got.

[@indahpratiwi4308]

I like the bottom left black

[@handmadepottery2135]

Thanks for sharing. Did you sieve the glaze, I imagine that would sieve the ash out.

[@CaptMike]

I have not sieved the ash glaze before. As you mentioned, I was after the larger lumps of material. As usual, if you want a uniform glaze you could sieve the larger pieces out. Give it a try and let me know how it turns out.

[@nikolathegreat1526]

@@CaptMike did you glaze fired or unfired pottery?

[@CaptMike]

@@nikolathegreat1526 I fire most glazes to their recommended cone. In the case of the ash glaze, I fired them to cone 6.

[@MrSudut]

@capt mike do you burn to biskit first then apply the slip or from beggining? Thank you for sharing

[@MrSudut]

Thank you @captmike may I know what cone you use to firing? I heard that ash glaze only for cone 10. Can we do it on cone 6?

[@CaptMike]

Yoshie, I usually fire to cone 6 with the ash glaze in this video. Thanks for watching.

[@joefinn9565]

Hi Capt Mick, why does my dichroic cabochon have a residue of dichroic shimmer on the top of it after firing it in my microwave oven ?.This happens even though I’d have the dichroic facing down or capped with clear . Looking forward to your reply. Thanks.

[@CaptMike]

Joe, I was going to suggest capping with clear, but you have already tried that. What COE glass are you using? Try firing for a little less time. Maybe just enough to get the smoothness you need. I'll fire a piece tomorrow and see what I get. I use COE 90 usually.

[@joefinn9565]

Hi C M, many thanks for your prompt reply . I’m using COE 90 ,I’ll try your suggestion and ramp up the heat faster . Thanks again.

[@CaptMike]

@@joefinn9565 I ran a test today using COE 90 dicro on the bottom and COE 90 clear on the top. Both were 3mm. I fused them in a 1000 watt microwave by heating the kiln 3 times at 3 minutes and an extra 2 minutes to finish off the rounding. It came out as usual. Looked nice and shiney. Let me know how it turns out for you.

[@Vaishnavigopichander]

Can we add just wood ash + red soil + water to form a glaze. I'm a beginner and I badly want to glaze my pots.

[@CaptMike]

Most all soils have clay in them. If you sift the clay soil to a powder you will most likely have red clay. The red is usually iron oxide. Make a slurry out of the red dust wood ash (sifted fine) and water and test it on a fired to bisque object. Let me know how it comes out!

[@kennethyung545]

Hello Capt Mike, thank you for your video. They taught me a lot on pottery. I am recently try to make ash glaze myself. On 06:45 of this video, you said "almost white just by adding a the *fret*" I wanna search that online, but seems I got the wrong spelling May I have the answer from you, Capt?

[@CaptMike]

Kenneth, there are two types of frit. One is crushed glass in different sizes and is used in working glass. The one I refered to is an organic material used in glazes. Go here to read more:www.theceramicshop.com/store/category/7/9/Frits/ :

[@kennethyung545]

@@CaptMike thank you so much for your reply, Capt

[@CaptMike]

@@kennethyung545 Thanks you for watching!

[@crisfer22]

Are all of these done in reduction or oxidation? I really want to explore ash glazes, they are super interesting, but I only have access to oxidation firing right now.

[@CaptMike]

Christina, they are done in a regular oxidation kiln. The ash glazes are fired to cone 6, but if you have high fire clay it would be worth the effort to see how the glaze turns out at high temps.

[@crisfer22]

@@CaptMike Thank you Mike! I've actually only fired to cone 06 up till now, but I know they do mid/high fire at my center, I just don't know how high yet (we do Celsius, and cone equivalences are kind of a pain in a**, so I haven't learned them yet) We'll see how it goes, I've already gathered some almond tree ashes from my parents garden :)

[@DannyGu33]

Hello! Have you tested this ash glaze with cone 3 firing?

[@CaptMike]

I have fired it up to cone 6.

[@tordenoglynthorbjrnerlands7606]

Hei Capt Mike ,very interesting ,but One of the indigencies sounds like you say fret, can you tell me what it is?I mean can you write the name of the indigrens?

[@CaptMike]

Just blame it on my southern accent! I was trying to say "frit" or graded crushed glass.

[@tordenoglynthorbjrnerlands7606]

@@CaptMike Thanks now I get what you mean.I'm from Norway so I do not hear the difference in the accent.I will try this.

[@CaptMike]

@@tordenoglynthorbjrnerlands7606 I love Norway!

[@joelopezjl28]

Will this basic glaze work if you fire them in a wood fire pit?

[@CaptMike]

I don't thik the average temps in a fire pit will be hot enough, but give it a try!

[@joelopezjl28]

@@CaptMike i definitely will! I'm sure there's something out there for a low tem glaze perhaps a salt glaze idk, I just want to make cups and bowls here in el paso we have a lot of red clay

[@CaptMike]

@@joelopezjl28 Keep me updated on your progress!

[@robinsartsandcrafts6500]

Hi, I’m searching for information. I want to use my father’s ashes in a glaze. I’m curious if you, or anyone would have any info for me

[@CaptMike]

I have not done that, but I don't see why it's not possible. First, have you ever worked with glazes, any cone and if so, what cone do you wish to fire to? I would think that adding them (or some of them) to a simple ash glaze would not change the results much. What ever you do, make sure you sift any large particles out. If you are making an urn, then you could always put what you do not use in the urn. Let me know how it turns out or if you need more info.

[@robinsartsandcrafts6500]

I’ve never fired anything, but the only way to find out is to try. Thank you

[@aestheticenergyinc.9614]

i literally cook all my clay at 400 degrees in my oven what cone would that even be I'm a beginner also is it food safe like can I use this for cookware and mugs and such I'm broke and wish to know

[@CaptMike]

Here is a chart depicting each cone number and it's corresponding temps. www2.bellevuecollege.edu/artshum/materials/art/Husby/FiringTemperatures.pdf. Hope this helps.

[@aestheticenergyinc.9614]

@@CaptMike thanks

[@BogdanSecara]

Are the ash glazed pots safe enough to eat food?

[@indahpratiwi4308]

I really want to know too

[@AnnoyedDragon]

I'm curious about this myself. I've been watching those primitive technology videos, were they create things using materials in the environment, and how to make pottery food safe/waterproof using easily found/produced materials comes to mind. For some reason Google searches as to the toxicity of ash glazed pottery is rather vague.

[@ermanevcil]

As fas as i know, the ones which are not good to eat with are the ones with metallic components., Ash glazes might be ok to use for tableware..