Raku Firing at School in an Olympic 18" Natural Gas Kiln

This video is a video I shot to demonstrate and explain the raku firing process I use when firing the raku pots for my students at Mason High School in Ohio. I shot this as an informational video for my colleagues who will be teaching the raku lessons with me and also in a few years after I retire!
Things I cover that are essential:
Keep FIRE SAFETY EQUIPMENT CLOSE AT HAND! You will see a fire extinguisher hanging on the wall near the kiln.
All pots should be dryfooted (no glaze on bottom)
My kiln is natural gas, and gets to temperature in 20-30 minutes. For delicate pots, I preheat the pieces before cranking up the flame to full force
I use sacrificial bisque patties under the pots to protect the shelves
PULL LONG HAIR BACK!!! (I keep mine up in my hat during this because it is cold outside!
Flame should be a blue flame with yellow tips. This is the cleanest flame that burns hotter.
Use protective raku gloves
Use only non-noxious smoke producing reduction materials, don’t use plywood dust, treated wood dust, plastics, etc as the fumes produced could be dangerous. I use only straight woodchips, sawdust, leaves, or paper
When dousing in water, be sure to keep the opening of the pot facing upward to prevent pressure build up
Appropriate clothing and footwear are a must for protection from all involved participants.
All pieces get scrubbed well to remove the messy soot
I use metal containers for reduction
I keep a bucket of water next to the reduction chambers to douse and stop the reduction.
Soft glazes can get marred when placing in the woodchips. Try to allow the coppers especially cool a bit closer to darker red - slightly beyond red-orange before picking up.
My favorite pottery supplier is my local one:
I recommend Cornell Studio Supply in Dayton, Ohio
8290 N Dixie Drive
Dayton, Ohio 45414
Fax: [phone]
Tel: [phone]
[e-mail]
cornellstudios...
Feel free to call- they are super-helpful! Tell Erin or Lynn I sent you!!
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In this video, we made our pots out of the Standard Raku Body (259), a nice midrange firing stoneware - yet heavily grogged to withstand the raku firing process.
I am a public high school ceramics teacher at William Mason High School in Mason, Ohio. (Mason is currently the largest high school in Ohio!) As a potter, I have been working in clay for over 30 years, and I have been teaching for over 28 years, the past 20 have been specifically teaching high school ceramics. I love what I do! I have my own studio in my home basement, where I work on my personal pottery for my Etsy site; www.etsy.com/s...
I started my KZbin channel to make videos to help my students if they are absent and miss a demo, or if they would like to explore more advanced techniques independently. I have been amazed to reach such a wider audience than my own students!
Please subscribe to my channel if you would like to receive channel updates, or would like to learn more about clay and studio processes!

[@katekaniff5987]

Thank you! Your students are so fortunate to have you!! So are we as followers of your KZbin channel! Truly a gift!

[@karenzahoruk511]

"The kids were told to wipe their bottoms" It's amazing to watch you. Great informative videos. Excellent productions on your channel.

[@KaransPotsAndGlass]

Glad you like them!

[@andromedastern8812]

What a wonderful christmaspresent! Thx for sharing your work and this proces! I'm an psyciatric OT and I did a big cup-project with my clinical patients this year. Can imagine how much Work you put in this! Hope you can enjoying the Holidays. Greets from Germany

[@heididerksen8227]

Hello Karen Just wondering can you use an electric kiln to do raku firing.

[@heididerksen8227]

Or do you have an information where I can figure out how to try that

[@KaransPotsAndGlass]

I know some people may- but the extreme temperature shock when opened could cause a lot of stress on the elements. I’ve never done it personally, as my kilns are far away from my exterior door, but if there’s a will, there’s a way! 😉

[@heididerksen8227]

@@KaransPotsAndGlass thank you very much and your video was very interesting truly enjoyed that.

[@lynnenewell6812]

Thank you so much for these videos. I am working my way through them and find them very clearly explained processes with the reasoning behind l plus love seeing the examples of finished products.

[@jamesbingham4538]

Gotta love the ergonomic design of those tongs, great video

[@mariapapademetriou6169]

I really enjoy your videos…just wanted to advise you to wear a mask when opening the reduction buckets…after many years of teaching raku, I am now suffering from quite chronic asthma…please protect yourself…I can no longer do raku, which is heartbreaking as it is my favorite form of firing…..warmest regards🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@KaransPotsAndGlass]

Thanks, Maria!! I did start that during the pandemic- and that’s one thing I intend to continue!! Best of luck to you, and thanks for sharing your story!

[@TheCeramicRepairStudio]

Really interesting, such a great skill as well as fun. 💕🍀

[@allenfitz1]

Great work. I learned a verry diffrent method when i attended classes at the Center for Creative studies here in detroit. We fired the pices then buried then in straw and coveren them with dirt. After a while we slowlew uncovered them and as the colors started to flash from the reintroduction of the oxygen we sprayed them with water fo freezer the colors them in to a bucket of water to cool then into the sink after cool enough to touch for a clean up. Thank again for the vidios. Im always learning from you.

[@holliet89]

I love Raku firing! Thanks for the video!

[@tracyholmes9605]

fantastic Karen!

[@shuvalassaf]

I would use air tight reduction chamber, if smoke comes out of the lid it's not air tight. Also a thermometer would be nice, as a teaching tool for testing how the temperature changes the glaze.

[@pamboone4458]

Awesome!❤️

[@djenny22]

Muito obrigada por compartilhar 😍👏👏👏🙏🙌🕊️💚

[@ludouglas1]

Hi karen, a question - do the pots touch each other in the combustion bins and would the glazes stick together/

[@KaransPotsAndGlass]

Good question! I try not to let them touch, as if they kiss, they can transfer some accidental color. As they get cooler, touching isn't an issue, but can be problematic at the beginning when I first take them out!

[@ludouglas1]

Thanks so much, Karen xx

[@noemep8453]

Obrigado,mas a filmagem n não mostrou muito.

[@KaransPotsAndGlass]

What did you want to see which I didn't show or explain?

[@MichelAngelaRavenscroft13a]

Generous