RAKU FIRING - the CRAZIEST way to finish pottery!

[@BrokenArrowPottery]

Wow, nice set up and the results are great. Always good to have a friend helping with a Raku.

[@melrussell7830]

I always use water after I take the pots out hot from the kiln, to make the glazes crackle more and the glaze reacts even more amazing😊

[@benpatterson4452]

I have done that as well, but even blowing on them can accentuate the crazing/ crackling. I should add, and this is not something I thought or ran into prior to a recent workshop, but when quenching Rakuware, caution should be used if a piece has narrow opening, like a small necked vase. The steam pressure can explode pieces if they are submerged too quickly. I sadly broke a classmate's project this way, and I was being careful. This actually happened after taking them out of reduction. We took them out hotter than you might normally, because we were doing several consecutive firings, and needed the bins.

[@melrussell7830]

@@benpatterson4452 hello Ben, thank you for your reply. I’m certainly not an expert, but I agree that the the walls of the pot are to thin or to fat they will crack and I have immersed in water and and yes that can course breakages, but just spraying the hot pot can be better 😊

[@michaeldausmann6066]

When we fire Raku we usually don't use cones. Rather we watch the behaviour of the glazes . First they melt and you can see them go shiny. Then they usually bubble as outgassing occurs (eg on your bubbled piece) then the bubbles smooth over and it's time to open. Super fun way to fire. Your kiln setup is tight love the hinge design.

[@xeroart3852]

This the correct way to fire raku. This will produce the metallic effects if you know when to close the can lid.

[@benpatterson4452]

I took a Raku workshop recently and the instructor usd cones. Personally I use a pyrometer as a guide, but just use the look of the glaze to know when to pull the pots.

[@gb-qw4nk]

My professor saved the best for last and made raku our very last lesson.. I was so sad because I'd wished Id done more!! Can't wait to get back in class in the fall, watching this makes me even more excited :D

[@AJoyfulClayTutor]

Hi, LOVE these glazes! You are so entertaining! Do you have a video on your DIY kiln?

[@lindylittleton4183]

Love the new glazes and the finishes you got on your pots

[@jka4649]

You can use a butane torch on the not so good peices to try and enhance the color.

[@deniseyoung5385]

The Black Metallic is an excellent layering glaze. It reacts well with a lot of other glazes. It’s nice with Mayco’s Red Metallic, too. I’m a huge fan of the Spectrum Raku glazes because they have so much variety. I would love to come Raku with you sometime next time I get that far North (or if you come to Texas! 😁)

[@delswick9465]

Love Mayco, building a Raku Kiln! ;) Taking classes at STL Community College & specializing in Raku during fall class , can’t wait. Was planning to attend you AUG event but my dog was hit by a car & needs my care now ( recovery from dislocated him :(. ) . Love him to much to leave. So, next year I will be there, bummed but priorities. Have a great time, I’m sure you will be swarmed like a pack of bees (in a good way) .

[@nawillis6937]

Please put on natural fiber long pants when doing Raku.

[@seijianimeshi]

Raku is a lot of fun but somewhat terrifying. But it's awesome to see glaze results within an hour

[@shelleydoxtdator753]

You can use an old kiln and make a Raku kiln - so exciting!

[@xeroart3852]

Use an old round electric kiln. Take out the electric elements, leave the lid on, take/ cut the bottom floor bricks out, set up a square 2 layer brick bottom to set it on, leave a sm opening for the burner. Simple

[@JesLyn601]

So cool to watch! 😎🤩 Very excited that you're getting into this style as well! Absolutely love metallic sheens on ceramics! Are you going to experiment with other materials later on? Like leftover coffee grounds, sawdust, banana peels, horse hair, etc.; to see how they affect & interact with the glazes in different ways. So excited for that next Etsy drop!

[@xeroart3852]

Coffee grounds etc will not produce desired effects because of the REDUCTION atmosphere. Do not waste you beautiful pots

[@benpatterson4452]

@@xeroart3852 Coffe grounds could potentially be used on a naked Raku piece (Never tried it). I would imagine they'd have enough carbon to create a surface pattern.

[@denisenoble4010]

Love the bubble

[@shelleyennis4489]

Very different & cool. I really like the last one. Nice & bright. 🙂 Your boys are getting really big.

[@megangass5316]

One of these days I will make it to that part of the country!!

[@michaellyons5208]

I was sorta kinda in your neck of the woods mid July. That would have been a fun day to be there, I've not done raku for a few years now. Some great results.

[@sherrihaight2724]

Neat kiln build!

[@deniseyoung5385]

Nice Raku kiln! Did you build that? I love Raku. I do a mini Raku using a microwave and it gets the same results as regular Raku, but works well for miniature pots and jewelry. I hope to get a large Raku kiln like yours soon, but I have used ones that belonged to the local college for a dozen years or so and it just never gets old!

[@sjldfilms5126]

Flaws can be fun. Lovely work!

[@Ryuko123]

What was your propane usage during that firing? I’m building my own Raku kiln right now! Super excited.

[@alanbain5779]

Deffinatly want to know how much propane was consumed

[@Jonthepotter]

It was less than 1-2 % of the big propane tank that I have , so not very much !

[@brendenkoontz4614]

How small of a tank do you think you could get away with?

[@xeroart3852]

@@brendenkoontz4614 you can use a 5 gal tank, good for 2 firings. Smaller the raku kiln = less propane used. Avg about 2 gal a firing.

[@brendenkoontz4614]

Robert thanks dude! I appreciate it lol that feels a lot more feasible!

[@sdavis7916]

Thanks for being so inspirational!

[@cynthiaknox2131]

Do you have a video on how you built your raku kiln? The design is awesome with cracking it open vertically as well as making it portable on the trailer. I would love to build one for my studio. It's hard to tell in the video what the interior/exterior walls are made of. Please advise?

[@mcoy2027]

Did your son totally flash us at the 5:08 mark? Anyway, love raku pottery and your outdoor kiln. Back in the day we used to dig a hole to fire everything and then throw the pieces in cans filled with leaves, brush, dried grass, and sometimes even dried sh!t. Miss those days.

[@Floodbait_117]

I love pottery I took a course 8n collage and l2 was Raku so I never got to do it but I really want to get back into it

[@sarahlyev]

Would love to see different combustibles for the raku fire - maybe different combustibles with the same glaze. Also would love to see videos of you mixing glazes and using less store bought glazes especially for raku!

[@benpatterson4452]

I've tried many things over the years from newspaper, dried leaves, corn husks and wood shavings/ dust. They all do something slightly different to the surface, but nothing terribly dramatic.

[@xeroart3852]

Try using leaves that have oil in them.example: eucalyptus leaves will leave behind the imprint of the leaf on the glaze due to the oil present in the leaf

[@scarletroulette6747]

I just had an idea 💡 If you find yourself in a funk making the same thing to sell, how about making clay cookies. Make the outside with a cool handle and then line the inside with a flexible spongey foam . And people can stick their beers or pop in the clay pot and have a handle and drink in style.....try one atleast. Would ya.?

[@jimchapmaniii1779]

john the potter is "THE" potter!

[@lindaespinalfermin9838]

LOOOOOVE IT! RAKU IS THE BEST!

[@gheeghee4869]

Hi Audeince!

[@ambero8726]

I had no idea raku wasn't food safe!? Any idea why?? Thank for showing us this little slice 🍉 of pottery life. Till next time ☕

[@xeroart3852]

Not food safe because the reduction that occurs in the kiln and trash can brings metallic and other materials to the surface of the glaze. Citrus acid foods are the worst because it absorbs those materials into your food and into your body.

[@ambero8726]

@@xeroart3852 wow, thanks :)

[@benpatterson4452]

It's not just the glaze leaching, but also the combination of the glaze crazing and underfired/ unvitrified clay body. The quick cooling causes the glazes to craze, which means that food or drink would seep into those tiny cracks. Then on top of that, Raku clays are purposely underfired, so they can resist thermal shock. An underfired body is porous, and the food and liquid would then seep into the clay body. This would be very unsanitary. *However*, with Traditional Raku tea bowls (Chawan), they do drink from them, and even use leaded glazes. The reason they can do this is because rigorous, thorough washing is part of the tea ceremony, which gets rid of metal residue and bacteria, and the tea is drank relatively fast, so it can't pick up those things. On top of that, a tea ceremony is not an everyday thing, so exposure is minimal.

[@ambero8726]

@@benpatterson4452 thanks for the information, I've always been fascinated by the look and interested in what is going on to create this style/practice. Loving learning more about it.

[@Thegoodwitchpottery]

So cool, I’ve always wanted to try this!

[@laurasprague6473]

Info.- for your “bubbles” in glaze- Steven Branfman, Raku Vase Steven Branfman, Raku Vase Traditionally, the maturity of the glaze is determined visually. The kiln is opened, and the pot surfaces are examined for complete glaze melt. If mature, the glazes will appear wet and reflective. I strongly recommend using a pyrometer in conjunction with this technique, noting the temperature at which maturation occurs. After a few firings, you will need to look only at the pyrometer to determine unloading time. There is some medical evidence that prolonged or repeated staring into a red-hot kiln can damage vision. When examining the pot for complete glaze melt, look for bubbles in the glaze, as these can mar an otherwise perfect pot. Even if the bubbles burst when the kiln is opened, unsightly craters will remain. Bubbles are almost always present on my pots because I fire rapidly, so I simply assume their presence, and take steps to remove them. To accomplish this, partially open the kiln just long enough to drop the temperature by 200°F or so (I give it about a 10-second count). Close the kiln and bring the temperature back up to near maturity. Give it a couple of minutes for the craters to heal. If you have clusters of bubbles, you may have to repeat the procedure.

[@pumpkinspicepie3000]

Oh, sick.. is there any way to put like a clear food safe glaze over that effect, omg

[@tobywollin8978]

Question: do you absolutely need to use 'raku glazes' when you raku fire? Could you use the regular glazes that you usually use or is it a case of their not working at the temperatures in a raku kiln?

[@michaeldausmann6066]

Yep, is a low temp firing and using reduction to get colours so usually custom glazes

[@xeroart3852]

You can use regular low fire glazes. But choose only opaque colors if you want color to stand out on the black clay body background

[@veronikazwerger9334]

Hi There, when i do raku, i put them in water, right After the sawdurst/pit or what ever you call it. Dose someone else do that too? This will stop the Potts from "reoxidation"... (if that makes sence. ) So, glowing hot pott from fire into pit, After 15-20min out of the pit into water.

[@salemn4559]

I just went to their mayco website and they don’t deliver in my country 🥲

[@desirekwatson]

how long did you leave it in reduction

[@focusedforwarddivorcecoaching]

Great video! What clay body do you like to use for raku?

[@xeroart3852]

Best to use a clay body with sand, sand and grog for large pieces because they will withstand the temperature cooling shock that could crack your pot

[@focusedforwarddivorcecoaching]

@@xeroart3852 thanks! I was looking more for brand. Since he uses Mayco glazes I wonder if there's a clay brand that tends to work well with their glazes.

[@xeroart3852]

@@focusedforwarddivorcecoaching Mayco low fire glazes work with all low fire clays available from clay company's. Don't know what state you are in. I am in calif the clay mfg's here are: Laguna clay and Aardvark clay. Both have a Raku clay body. If you do not want glaze crackles in your regular glaze firings use only low fire clay with low fire glazed. I am a retired ceramic engineer thinking about starting a website blog to answer questions on all types of ceramic techniques, formulas etc.happy to help

[@benpatterson4452]

He uses Continental Clay's Raku body. That's what I use as well and it works great. Most clay supply companies have some type of Raku body, but you can also use any high fire clay, or even mid-fire. It just needs to be a clay that is underfired at low fire temps. Having grog in it can help resist thermal shock, but isn't required.

[@focusedforwarddivorcecoaching]

@@benpatterson4452 perfect thank you!!!

[@kathysanchez5945]

Awesome!!!

[@carinapotts2806]

How much propane did you use?

[@galleryphotogenie4999]

Dude a white or turquoise with crackle is the bomb...the Mako? not so much

[@dennisjamescabil2060]

You’re a genius. Wish to buy your pots.😁🙏

[@alimustafa7680]

If they are not dinner ware safe then why make mugs

[@toniesolomon]

If theyre not food safe anymore after firing what can u use them for?

[@teresamsanchez7307]

Decorative items, they normally won't hold water for very long will weep and cause damage to table tops.

[@a.katherinesuetterlin3028]

@@teresamsanchez7307 So using them as planters for flowers still wouldn't work that well? 🤔

[@runcamyt]

Is Raku fired pottery foodsafe?

[@runcamyt]

Aaaaaaahhh! Self-owned... he just answered my question!

[@jlarts]

What makes it non food safe out of curiosity?

[@sirsteamtrain7913]

I think it has to do with the clay and glaze still being slightly porous

[@xeroart3852]

The reduction atmosphere in the kiln and trash can wil bring glaze materials to the surface. You dont want food to come in contact with toxic materials. Any food with citric acid will quickly absorb more toxicity from the glaze. A mild Poisen in your food

[@corpsehound]

There’s two parts to why raku is generally not food-safe: 1) The raku glazes tend to crack, pit, and crawl, which creates spaces for bacteria to hang out and avoid your best efforts at washing the pot. 2) The raku glazes often use metal oxides, such as copper, chrome, and manganese, that are toxic. Normal kiln firing, whether in oxidation or reduction, will lock the metal oxides in the glass forming part of the glaze and prevent leaching (usually, but not always-that’s why even non-raku glazes are tested for leaching). Raku firing does a poor job of locking the metals into the glass, and so water, or moist food, or anything with an acidic character will dissolve the metals from the surface of the glaze and then you will ingest the toxic metals. A person could use a glaze with no toxic metal oxides and that doesn’t crack, pit, or crawl and raku fire it, and then the pot would be food-safe. So there’s nothing about the firing itself that makes a pot unfit for use with food; but without the metal oxides that create the wonderful iridescent colors, and the crackling, pitting, and crawling and so forth that give each pot a unique character, there’s really no reason to raku fire a piece.

[@pastora-Rita_Menezes-eCristo]

AMEI

[@donnieangelle4141]

sweet raku kiln!. Did you build the kiln yourself? or did you purchase it?

[@xeroart3852]

That kiln is homemade. Good design but needs a slight improvement

[@juanbermudez8762]

muy bueno el racu, mas pesimo el uso de la manta de esa forma, mejor informate con respecto al cancer que provoca las particulas de manta en los pulmones. lamentable pero a futuro vas a requerir oxigeno para respirar.

[@xeroart3852]

Metallics did not show because you may have not reached glaze maturity and it seems you let the kiln cool before unloading. You should unload quickly for full Metallics effects on a pot. More people more tongs. Poor firing

[@Jonthepotter]

I am definitely not an experienced raku potter , I am still learning and looking forward to improving on every firing! Thanks for your comments , I will try to unload quicker and possibly fire hotter as well! Just trying to get better and share my experience:)

[@patriciaandjeffbryantandcr8260]

@@Jonthepotter , probably less pieces per firing and the reduction cans closer to the unloading area will reduce the excessive cooling down of the pieces. walking way around the kiln cools them off more and promotes the oxidized (blue) color vs the metallic. effect. try squirting / splattering some motor oil on the surface will produce a localized reduction effect.

[@benpatterson4452]

@@Jonthepotter The bubbly one was definitely underfired. That's why I always go by the looks of the surfaces before pulling the wares. Most if not all the glazes bubble like that when they are near maturity. They smooth out after that and look "Wet". That's when they should be pulled. Cones will tell you the heat work of that specific spot of your kiln, but you may have some cold spots. You may need to upgrade your burner. Ceramic suppliers sell venturi style burners specifically for Raku kilns. Don't worry about the issues, you'll figure it out. The instructor I had for a recent workshop had done numerous firings and we still had some issues with glazes not turning out, and we all had to troublesboot.

[@incendi4ry]

As of right now, there's 4 thumbs down. Lol why? Salty people

[@xeroart3852]

There are thumbs down because he knows the steps but he has no real experience doing Raku. Kiln design is not made well, his firing shows no experience, he let the kiln cool before unloading, his pot examples were poor, underfired. Those thumbs down are from experienced Raku potters.

[@benpatterson4452]

@@xeroart3852 At some point we are all inexperienced Raku potters, potters and humans in general. As I said in another comment, I did a workshop, where the instructor had done numerous firings. The very first one we did, had some underfired wares at the bottom. We troubleshot the problem, which was bad air flow, and it solved the problem. Experienced potters still have pots flop, explode, glazes run, etc. We never stop making mistakes and learning from it.

[@xeroart3852]

@@benpatterson4452 get to know your kiln and you will never make firing mistakes. A formal education in ceramic and glaze technology does not hurt. Knowlege in kiln building will help to troubleshoot homemade kilns.

[@tompots2]

Happy accident