Pit Fire Pottery In Your Backyard | NO Kiln!

[@tinkerandthink]

If you are interested in another way to fire your pottery in your backyard, check out this simple gas kiln you can make: kzbin.info/www/bejne/joXLaWmGp72Ur68

[@peterhughes5732]

Thanks

[@damlasminiatures2526]

I use microwave kiln and so far very happy with it but I make miniature pottery mostly so it's easier

[@cecilesepervier1]

@@damlasminiatures2526 how do you proceed?

[@zamleejoel]

What percentage of grog should I add.

[@LifeOfNigh]

We started raku firing in my 2nd year of fine Arts pottery class, and I have to say, it was my least favourite of the whole 4 years. LOL. But I'm a bit of a control freak, and hated not having control over the colours and textures. my style is sgraffito, not really workable with Raku.,

[@punkydoggear8172]

We had some Native American potters come show us how to make pottery their way. I was in 4th grade... 45 yo now. They had us rub the pottery with a smooth rock and I remember they burned our pottery in a dug pit behind the school. My mother still has my pot. It is the most beautiful color I've ever seen.

[@archkull]

That's so wonderful. My school did something similar when I was a kid, (Not native americans though, I am not in America). Unfortunately my mother chose to use it as an ashtray and it disappeared a year or so ago, over a decade after I'd made it someone probably broke it :(

[@EKA201-j7f]

I also like to use the back of my fingernails like they use the rock, "burnishing" it.

[@arianaink100]

The smooth stone is called a varnishing stone they are any flat stone typically river rocks or smoothed quartz. and are used to finish the surface of ceramics. clay is platelets, stacked and parallel ontop of eachother and between them air and water molecules. it’s good to condense the surface by smoothing it, think of buffing a surface of a car with wax, you’re filling in microscopic gaps to get something foe the goal of it being more resistant to damage. Smoother =finer surface= microscopic protection. It also looks shiny and pretty And pockets and scratches in ceramic is decorative because gashes and holes on a surface are just habitats for bacteria to grow if not well maintained

[@ZerqTM]

ah was gonna mention that they do that in africa too i think... its and old technique used in a bunch of places probably... i mean its kind easy to re-discover...

[@jegr3398]

That's awesome. The 80's were a great time to grow up.

[@ekosh6266]

In the past non vitrified pots were used to hold water. As it leaks through the pores and evaporates, it cools the water inside (a lot) so it's perfect for cool water in hot climates and no electricity.

[@tinkerandthink]

I love this--one of those things that makes sense when you hear it, but not something I've ever thought of before! I'm definitely going to try this out some time this summer.

[@vineetashekhawat3150]

Still done in India

[@Ninasim123]

❤ widely used in Brasil known as "Filtro de barro and "moringa"

[@baibalowther2503]

Melt beeswax, and rub it onto the pots as you take them out. This gives a wonderful, soft lustre or sheen to the work, especially if it has been burnished. Great work. Your video is succinct, easy to watch and learn from. Cheers from an old potter in Australia 🙏

[@Goldenhawk583]

Does it also provide a filling in of the pores, so that the items can be used for food making/ eating from?

[@baibalowther2503]

So far as I know, the carbon trapped within the body of clay fired to a high enough temperature that it “ rings” when you flick it should be okay food wise. The beeswax does absorb into the pores, so can be used for eating, drinking. In Latvia there is a heap of potters who make reduction fires black ware, and they do the beeswax thing. Cups, bowls etc. burnishing can disappear at higher temperatures, so the wax can replace that sheen to a degree. Hope this helps, in any case, worth a try!! Cheers 🌈

[@Goldenhawk583]

@@baibalowther2503 It helps a heap, thank you very much:)

[@justinweaver7543]

I have even taken low fired burnished wear and applied beeswax to the pieces while heating in my oven. Pure beeswax is quite durable and I have used some of those bowls every day for over ten years.

[@archkull]

@@justinweaver7543 did you refinish with beeswax in those decades? Because even if it is durable I doubt it wouldn't need regular refinishing. Even wood needs to be re-waxed.

[@lakshmirane2412]

The calmness in this video..no music...no anxiety.. just peace..I love it❤️🌻

[@thelittlelenora]

I as well 🥰

[@anveshavyas450]

I think I love him ❤😂😅😅

[@PseudoPhlegm]

I like your approach and screen presence. No frills or click baiting nonsense. No over the top fake personality. A genuine representation of you and your knowledge/ experimentation. Thank you for being sincere.

[@tinkerandthink]

But did you SMASH THAT LIKE BUTTON??!? Haha thanks for the appreciation 🙏

[@pomegranatepip2482]

I don’t know hey………. I think his left eyebrow is fake. It’s drawn in…….

[@Cristina97]

Thanks for the video. In eastern europe we absolutely use unglazed pots for cooking. The only rules are to keep them submerged in water for at least 30mins before cooking in them, and to never clean them with detergents. Usually with metal sponges or salt rubs. Never had an issue.

[@03dinatale]

As a ceramic major I can say you’ve approached this in the most accessible wonderfully educational way! Would love to see more 😊

[@sam.nothanks]

Wait. Ceramics is a major?! What do you study? Like historical/ archeological? Or the art/ hands on/ sculpture ? Or some other variation im not even aware of. (Actually very interested lol)

[@amyeff7279]

@@sam.nothanks admissions.wvu.edu/academics/majors/ceramics many universities have programs.

[@sam.nothanks]

@@amyeff7279 great. Thanks. But I'm actually not going to check out that link. Im not American, and I was actually asking what a cermerics major does. Not bc I'm interested in taking the course, but bc, as a 40 yo adult it wasn't common (in my country 20+ years ago)

[@amyeff7279]

@@sam.nothanks thanks for sharing. Yes, it's a major and while all universities don't have programs besides art and art history there are also engineering programs. I know of one program where ceramics artists have even gotten involved in conservation projects for wildlife creating durable nesting cavities for birds.

[@megankaczmarczyk]

@@sam.nothanks at my university our ceramics classes involve some lectures about history but most of it is creating art from clay. Every project we do is different. Sone projects are for functional objects like cups, bowls, or plates and other projects are for more sculptural pieces. My university gives us glazes to paint on our pieces but we can buy our own glazes from a clay store. We have hand building ceramics classes and ceramics classes that uses the potter's wheel. There is a lot of variety with clay.

[@Brainhoneywalker]

Excellent lesson!! Items for color in firing: seaweed, banana peel. hemp twine, eucalyptus leaves, copper shavings or small wire scraps.

[@justinthiessen7266]

"I'm not an expert by any means" and then proceeds to teach me more in 18 minutes than my art teacher did in 5 years

[@gulaliface]

Yeaahh...hahaaa..

[@VespertilioGiganticus]

You don't pay attention to your teacher, thats why.

[@justinthiessen7266]

@@VespertilioGiganticus not all teachers are good at their job. Just like not all idiots who reply to comments on KZbin are as smart as they think.

[@VespertilioGiganticus]

@@justinthiessen7266 I agree.

[@200stars5]

Ha same, I have a degree in ceramics and this video is super helpful

[@aprilclark3720]

I love this... I teach High School Ceramics and am honestly considering leaving this for students to watch when I am out. Nice job.

[@tinkerandthink]

Thanks! You’ve got my blessing 😂

[@BoobooSnafu]

I did ceramics at both college and university level, and wish I'd seen this video first. He really does cover all the basic understanding one needs to understand the whole process. I mean, were never taught the process behind the firing....and to this day, I cant work out why. We just handed stuff to our teacher to fire . I think this is concise and to the point .....and adds reality - things do break . I wish my teachers had been able show a video like this .

[@donnachandler1891]

I have shown this video to my HS Life Skills students. They LOVED it!

[@annanicholson5309]

Yes!

[@samTollefson]

Back on the commune in Western WV in the 70's we fired local clay in a similar way using sawdust. There were many mobile sawmills that worked in the area and we would gather large burlap bags of sawdust and dry it out on plastic tarps, it was a mix of hardwoods but largely oak which gave beautiful earth tones to the fired pots and plates. The pottery was stacked in the greenhouse to dry for months over the summer than we built dry brick kilns spacing the bricks an inch or so apart for airflow during the burn. Everything was stacked on a layer of sawdust, each item filled with sawdust and layered with more sawdust and pottery ( about 3 maybe 4 items high) finished with about 6" of packed sawdust on top. We would start a fire on the top and let it burn to coals and spread the coals around evenly to get all the sawdust burning than cover the brick pile with tin roofing so it would just smolder. Started in the morning it would often smolder all night and into the next day. the whitish clay would take on all different beautiful colors. I don't remember a lot of breakages although there were some. Thanks for bringing back those old days. Great video!

[@michirhythm]

Hey Sam...what commune did you live in t WV? I am a potter born in WV. Always fun to learn something new about where I grew up.

[@samTollefson]

@@michirhythm I was one of many from the DC suburb of Wheaton, MD. Our place was outside of Middlebourne, WV in the Northwestern part of the state, South of Wheeling and north of Clarksburg. It was called Marjorie Run. I bought a couple of other places in the area in the early '70s. It was a really beautiful place, there was not strip mining or mountain top removal in Tyler or neighboring Countys, although the timber people did a good job of tearing up the land. It was hard to find work unless you were related to someone local, I was lucky because I started a construction business and made my own work. There was a Japanese potter in the area I would see at craft fairs that made really nice stuff, I can't remember his name but recall he lived in a place that had free gas and it cost him nothing to fire his kilns, I think He got his clay locally also I bought a piece or two from him whenever I ran into him, I have one of his first porcelain pieces, He didn't want to sell it but we were kind of friends and he remembered that I always bought pieces from him. What part of WV are you from? [e-mail]

[@tomkinsky771]

@@samTollefson Thanks for all this background info Sam! Recently retired at 56, I am looking for fun projects to throw myself into and as pottery has always appealed to me, making pots and stuff is at the top of my list! Videos like this, and helpful commentary like yours, give me great insight and ideas!. PS I am a caver as well, have been to WV several times from my MA home for caving. Love Franklin, WV, great caves there, as well as Greenbriar area!

[@tigq1430]

Hi Sam Hi Tom. Western NC here. Come check out John C Folk Schook in Brasstown NC. They have a great assortment of classes. Also, the area & its surroundings have abundant of outdoor activities. ✌

[@ServantKing72]

Fire Safety Tips, Make sure the pit is 10 feet + away from all structures and trees, also make sure the ground you dig your pit in is not made up of roots, debris and other in ground burnable materials, you can have ground fires happen in certain areas, be mindful that just because you are in a hole, that doesn't mean it is fire proof!

[@ingozingo626]

Another tip is if you have a hose, spray the surrounding ground and trees so they won't catch if things get a little wild

[@mirrage42]

And fire can travel out of sight under ground via old vegetation, then flare up away from the starting point.

[@celestesantos7103]

I have loved and worked with ceramics for most of my life and coming from Africa, I especially love traditional methods of making and firing. I am so very pleased to have come across your caring and clear guidance aimed at those who are attempting these beautiful old and creative methods. All too often details are skimmed over and small but important considerations and proceedures are left out, leaving learner to discover the hard way and often disheartened. Thank you for putting in all the extra effort and info. Parabens! from Portugal

[@ClaLu]

Oh yes, I'm from Chile and here is how it's done by treasure women that preserve the traditional techniques like Quinchamalí and Pomaire, personally I enjoy using them a lot more than other more "sophisticated" utensils...From a sensory point of view the sound of this ceramics is so much gentle ❤️

[@Lowlitstudio]

Hugely appreciated this video. My dad was a well known artist (he taught pottery at a few different colleges and university) eventually the silica dust from all his years doing pottery gave him COPD. He died in 2017. I didn't know him well and never had the chance to learn from him, and so I'm learning now. When he was dying, and I was scared to lose him and all his knowledge he told me to learn "from KZbin"

[@StolenSweetroll64]

I don't think I can do any of the steps required in this process without my neighbors calling the cops on me, but this was very informative and it seems like a fun and rewarding hobby.

[@Kayenne54]

Digging that rectangular hole would have been my neighbour's first red flag. 😁😁 And then looking shifty...

[@lburg3780]

So true!!! 😂😂😂

[@mikedumas2101]

Very cool, going to add it to the list of a 1,000 other things I would like to do.

[@womanzuzu9688]

Lol

[@wigglesworth3717]

Wow, I’ve been looking for a video like this. I have a vain of natural clay here in the mid-Willamette Vally in Oregon. This stuff is weirdly clean and fires into a dark burgundy color with sparkles. My friend made a small sculpture from it and fired it in a small dental kiln and I was very surprised it looked so refined. Thank you for the data, I’m all in!

[@lyrebird9749]

Hi, did you end up firing any clay ?

[@ViKee010]

Those bowls tell a story and it’s a better one than if they had been teased from the earth with all the latest gadgets. You are a natural teacher. Thank you for imparting your wisdom. 👍🏼🤍

[@meadowclaybrook2675]

Wow you have teachers witching your videos and teaching them a thing or two.. probably about their approach to teaching.. good job!

[@theterminaldave]

Went into this video not expecting much, was pleasantly surprised! Good pacing, nice delivery, no excessive filler, and even a payoff of seeing the fired pots at the end. Very cool. Subscribed!

[@yaronimus1]

wonderful video. if you use wooden pallets, make sure they are marked HT (Heat Treated) and not MB (Methil Bromide) which is toxic.

[@theundomesticatedmom6440]

I used to be a skilled artist with pottery when I was a kid and had access to unlimited clay and a kiln. Waited my whole adult life to get a kiln, I don’t want to wait anymore. Hoping to make some pieces in my backyard (even if it blows) without a kiln.

[@marshallkohlhaas80]

stop waiting what you what in for!! ahhhahahaa

[@agatelicker1095]

So... How'd it go!?

[@EKA201-j7f]

So did you do it? I wish I could. As things open up more, I sure am going to try.

[@matthewgryczan8560]

Excellent video! You explain all of the most important aspects of pit firing in clear terms with great DIY images. You've anticipated what viewers will need to know for them to try it for themselves. Great job!

[@merryhunt9153]

I will never be a potter, but I enjoyed learning all this. As a birdwatcher, I'm intrigued by the bird I can hear in your yard.

[@vanessapuhlmann1721]

Literally HOW did anyone press thumbs down.. I'm 2 minutes in and LOVE this so much. Thank you thank you for all the super useful, easy to digest info!

[@HawkMan96001]

Great video. You're a calming teacher.

[@migalito1955]

Fabulous. As a painter I always like to try other art medium but without necessarily breaking the bank. I had no idea you could achieve a durable firing with a pit fire. This allows for lots of potential without lots of expense.

[@rubyfirefly2582]

Wonderfully presented! Thank you so much. So much dry grass so near the fire pit did make me nervous though. I would recommend that if people try this to clear an area 5' - 10' wide around the pit in case of sparks. All it takes is one spark to hit a dry piece of grass and bye-bye neighborhood!

[@zaneslocombe8008]

Beautiful! It is almost like sitting round the fire with your ancestors and they left a gift behind of a magnificent piece of pottery.

[@bazzahughes1]

beautifully taught, i'm a beginner and found this completely informative. well done.

[@AtomicShrimp]

Fantastic video - I love your calm, clear explanations

[@gilmag1348]

Any suggestions for cold weather? Like Chicago winter?

[@Hope_IsNotMyName]

Sir, you are everywhere. I tip my hat to you.

[@feedingmysoul7195]

Agreed, it was very well made

[@18IMAMGODINA]

Mr. Barrister John Barosa?

[@elliotsimpson-rooke917]

skunk

[@Sherlonkah]

I'm a retired art teacher. This video is well done and informative. Hope you do more that's ceramics related.

[@judgeworks3687]

we used to wrap copper wire around the pot and stuck orange peels and other things to cause different colors on the surface (after the firing we removed the wire- the organic stuff burned off).

[@ElliottRodgers]

Fascinating and on a side note ; In shot near end of video Tilly has amazing colours.

[@bronzeladdy53]

This is just right. LOVE the low tech angle because it says 'you can do this' and mistakes are ok. And, MAN that big pot is a beauty!

[@RoxyRaccoonEyes]

the gorgeous pottery you've made resemble your gorgeous kitty. coincidence? I think not. carry on

[@becky3930]

Hello thank you for your time, Wanted to share my story. First I am an artist and work in different medias. Love clay! I had a new septic system put in. My yard is mostly red clay, Northern Minnesota fyi I have refined blue clay from Oregon. Anyway I had the septic guys save me out the clay. My pile is about 15 foot high and40 feet around. LOVE CLAY again thank you!!!!

[@ntanner77]

Excellent video. I love the useful information delivered in a simple and straight forward manner, without all the fluff. Well done.

[@katewelsh3328]

I love that you drop science on us, improve our vocabulary then humbly make something stunning all like, “what, I’m cute?”

[@helenefagan4896]

Thank you so much for this video, just what I was looking for. I learned more from you than from a Raku course I had taken in the past.

[@alimay1011]

Hands down the most instructive and least annoying video on raku pottery for "anyone" that I have seen. I have been marathon watching pottery videos as have been sick and want to get into it when I am better, so my comment is not BS. You have simplified things but also explained the meaning of terms so well. Congrats and thanks

[@eclosion8000]

This video was extremely helpful as someone whos new to both ceramics and pit firing, thanks for the informative video!

[@tinkerandthink]

So glad I could help! Hope you have fun with it. And please share your process and results!

[@peggyhuhn4549]

Thank you so muchI I wanted to run outside and start digging the hole....but I'll have to wait as I had total knee replacement.....You made everything very clear that even I could understand! Thanks, again!!

[@blakedblake6143]

Great Video. I like the way you approach teaching. You broached many of the pitfalls of such a technique and told us WHY that cant happen, not just the dos and don'ts. That gave me a better sense of what's really going on in the fire and in the clay and that makes me happy. Please, would love to see more like this. Now Ill go watch another. :)

[@chrisallen1934]

Thank you for this super informative video. Thank you for not tarting it up with music and goofy graphics. I’m trying to imagine my neighbors not calling the police as I dig a large pit in my backyard…but you know, Idaho seems way more laissez faire. I envy you the freedom to play and experiment in your own back yard and I hope you’ll share more ideas here.

[@kennethstensrud669]

A tip, use a large terracotta pot turned upside down, and stack your pottery inside, build a huge bonfire above and around this pot, and let burn for about 12 hours.... or if you are able to, get a couple of sacks of cinders to burn the pottery with.

[@nowirehangers2815]

I was wondering about just this the other day!.

[@bhartley1024]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saggar

[@lesliehowells]

Would a saggar prevent some of the wonderful coloration associated with pit firing?

[@kennethstensrud669]

@@lesliehowells probably, it is designed to protect the ceramics inside. But a small gap would let smoke etc in and perhaps colour your goods.

[@govindamparamanandam1]

Thanks for breaking down the details with such simplicity.

[@tomkinsky771]

Helpful instructions, thanks! Looking forward to trying something like this as an early retirement project. And a big thank you as well to all the helpful comments people have added, suggesting various safety tips and other materials to add colors, etc.

[@delijahify]

Wow. Amazing explanation. Everything you need to know about pit firing delivered in 17 minutes. Great job!

[@delijahify]

Some additions.. - Some woods generate different lower and other higher temperatures when burning. Beech and Oak for example is good to reach high temperatures. - I usually burn my stuff for 4 hours (full on) - If you want to have a pot that can contain water, you have to polish the inside of the pot (with a smooth surfaced tool like a spoon or a polished stone). The smoother the surface, the higher the chance that the pot will be waterproof

[@tinkerandthink]

Thank you!

[@jennynelson170]

GREAT video! Beautiful pots. I'm inspired to try this.. thank you for explaining so clearly and calmly.

[@tinkerandthink]

Let me know how it goes when you try it!

[@mebrowneyedgirl]

I love how your finished pot has the same colours as your cat 😊

[@Elletaria-t5s]

You are a really great presenter of information, I have been interested in learning more about pit firing. This was really clear and helpful! Thankyou for this video!

[@samanthacooke8098]

Brilliantly informative,narrated with clarity and no fakery, such a refreshing attitude ❤

[@juliasartmark2828]

Excellent description of this process! I've done trash can firings with some success, but this gave me more details and info for what was actually happening to the clay, and how to get colour variation.

[@frankligas2249]

Thanks for the video. Love what you are doing. Suggestion: Don't start with pots, bowls or dishes. Start with bricks. Bricks are 100% functional. You can make all you want, and you will never run out of uses for them... like building a pit-fire kiln, or a pit-fired drying oven, or... a pizza oven. Look at an average brick and you will see huge pieces of grog. That's structural. When you get to the point that you are ready to start making pottery, follow this wisdom; pottery is old. There was a woman in Africa that lived in a village known to have been making pottery at that location for 33,000 years continuously. That simple, humble woman was a living archive. Seek these people out. Celebrate their connection to our past. The oldest pot shard I have seen is said to be 1.5 million years old and came from South East India.

[@loisruane2636]

Beautiful pottery it has a natural look to it that isn’t found in thrown pottery! Gorgeous ❤️

[@johnmorales7415]

Thank you for your hard work and patience this was the most informative comprehensive video on this subject I've seen thank you

[@chrisdunstan9701]

Hey there, we are in the bush, off the grid. We are trying out several methods using our slow combustion Metters No.2. Drying and colouring. After drying the pots, we place them in the oven and start the fire. After an hour or so with the stove going flat out they are removed from the oven using welding gloves and placed upside down on the cooktop with the element removed. It helps in the pot is just larger than the cast iron element. This way they are hot and the smoke colours the inside of the pot, and the integrity of the stove burning is kept. Firing. Let the fire die down so there is coals to sit the pot on. I use a stringy bark to make a layer for the pot to sit on, also I fill the pot with small bits of bark that will burn. Then build the fire up around the pot with light, dry hardwood and stringy bark. I can get the pots to white hot in the firebox. Keep it going hot for an hour or so and then let it cool down overnight. Works a treat!

[@EverydayProjects]

Very cool ! My wife has done lots of conventional pottery firings, including wood-fired, but hasn't tried this one. I'm not a potter, but watching your video has inspired me to try this. When the weather improves, we're going to give this a go! New subscriber to your channel!

[@lizcraft17]

I have been searching for over a year for a thorough and clear explanation of Roku firing. Thank you!

[@Gothmogdabalrog]

I'm not a potter, but I know enough about fire to make a suggestion to get vitrification. Find a small fan of some sort (preferably with variable speed) attached to a length of ducting aimed at the base of the flames. Combine that with some charcoal added periodically and you should be able to get to the right temperature. Good ideas on the rest of it.

[@paulschmolke188]

Well, I have a huge yard and lotsa wood, mostly juniper, I also have a good shovel. There’s clay nearby if I’d go dig it out. The people that lived here centuries ago used this same stuff and I find bits of their pottery in my yard occasionally. Some is quite nice, some is just utilitarian, all of it is thought provoking. The Pueblo is called San Marcos and it’s within a mile of my house. They left no history and are largely unaccounted for except for their pottery. Maybe I’ll give it a try, I’ve made pots before but in a studio environment with all kinds of control. It’s fun but this looks challenging and the results can be quite nice as you’ve shown.

[@PeterSFam]

Well on the bright side for those that broke/cracked you can practice kinsuki

[@mabdub]

Your attitude and your values are refreshing. I'm especially impressed with the care and appreciation you obviously have for your talented brother, Jake Shane. I didn't know who he was but I went to his site to check him out and I enjoyed his music. I play classical piano music a lot but I also enjoy the likes of Tom Waits, a lot. Your description of your brother's musical style was spot on. His music is reminiscent of the other artists you mentioned but I can hear that he definitely has his own niche. Glad I came across your channel, I subscribed. I really liked the pottery you fired, especially the bowl. It reminds me of a beat up brown leather wallet I had for about 30 years until it became totally unusable, kept it anyway, it looked like my life, like your pottery, like your bowl. Thanks for sharing the videos. Take care.

[@peterwood8421]

#1. Pre-heating pots in your oven should NEVER be over 212F or 100C. This is the point at which water is driven off as steam, and it is the internal pressure of expanding steam that causes pottery to explode. This is especially true for smoother, finer-grained, un-grogged clays (grog opens the clay body and helps steam to escape). Thicker ware is most at risk of steam explosions, so dry it longer, but two hours in a 200F oven is plenty for most pots. Higher heat in your oven does not add any additional strength. There remains some chemically-bonded water that gets driven off at about 1100F, but your kitchen oven won't cure that problem. #2. Too much grog will reduce the plasticity of clay to the point where rolling coils may be difficult because the coils split or crack when bent. Grog stiffens the raw clay, but you can compensate for this by dampening your fingers, or by rolling coils on a sightly-dampened cloth-covered surface. GOOD PRESENTATION OVERALL!

[@TheDaybreakAngel]

Thank you for taking the time to share your expertise. Sewing lavender and nasturtiums today. First of the year is always so hopeful. ❤

[@janinetansey6289]

Beautifully executed instructional video. Thanks for making it. It may be something I will try someday because you make it look achievable!

[@StanislavG.]

8:25 - I hate to be that guy, but i have to correct you. That color gradient of clay comes from iron reduction reaction. The iron III oxide (red rust basically) in red clay is reduced to black iron II oxide by carbon (basically carbon takes one oxygen atom from iron III to produce CO/CO2 and iron II). Carbon soot would simply burn off at those temps. You can do a cool experiment (and another way of backyard firing) - take a metal trash bin (with a lid), put your pots in it, cover it and start a bone fire around it. After the pots are fired, open the lid, dump some carbon source in (what ever it may be), close the lid and wait some. The pots will turn jet black. Whatever, cool video! Keep it up!

[@tinkerandthink]

You're right that iron oxide (Fe2O3) can reduce in a clay body to a different form of iron oxide (FeO), but that's more of a mistake in reduction firings, called black coring, where the whole clay body turns black: digitalfire.com/glossary/black+coring. After a pit fire, if you break open a black-colored pot, it will still be the original clay body color inside. And you can get black coloring on any color clay body, not just red. It is trapped carbon, and if you did a pit fire where you created a reduction atmosphere for black color, but then opened things up for continued oxidation firing, that black color might actually burn off. That's why you leave the pit covered until the pots cool.

[@StanislavG.]

@@tinkerandthink Well, i wouldn't call it a "mistake" to be honest. It is employed quite purposefully in many traditional pottery (from mesoamerican "Tierra Negra", to Japanese "Raku", to countless traditional African styles). Of course you are right in that the carbon soot will impair a black color to your earthenware, but that's not the effect you generally desire (i'll explain below) and that's not exactly what you got on your red clay samples (though partially true, there are soot spots on them no doubt). So lemme tell you my angle and why i think the sooting approach to pottery is incorrect (opinions, of course, may differ and are indeed like assholes) 1. From an aesthetic point of view. If you look at your white clay samples, you'll notice the staining looks quite differently from the red ones - it is less gradual, more sharp. It looks like a stain basically, while the red clay ones have these nice smooth transitions, like a wash of dark color. Very reminiscent of African pottery. But that's not really important in the practical sense. 2. The practical sense - I'm making traditional eastern clay cookware - tajins, kazans, cooking pots, whatever. I don't want soot on the inside of my cookware, plain and simple. It will partially wash off in the seasoning process, and like, people would simply not buy my stuff if it's stained (and we'll full circle to the aesthetic point, because people are like that, they like neat stuff). Look into the "Tierra Negra" stuff, it's absolutely gorgeous and my best seller so far :)

[@aryanahartwell3801]

Well done, my man, well done. Very clear, precise and understandable explanation of all the different chemical processes clay goes through in firings.

[@sonofeloah]

I have watched enough videos on this subject and offered similar suggestions that some tried and found worked really well. First, you obviously want the fire to get hotter. This can be done by running some steel pipe into the bottom of the fire pit and placing rocks and or fire brick loosely and over the open end of the pipe. It would help even more if you can get enough elbows to cause the pipe to curve around the walls of the fire pit on its way down to the bottom. And a low-pressure blower into the pipe so the air is heated and fed into the fire from below and thus make a very high-temperature fire. Second, the japanese wood fired their pots to make them all the way black, both outside and inside. As the carbon not only helps to seal the pots, thus making them even more watertight, it also bonds into the clay and makes it stronger, more durable. Now, what I came up with is the use of saw chips produced by a chainsaw. Or get woodchips from a local arborist who has a chipper and use those wood chips. Of course, they need to be very dry. The pots are filled with the chips before building the fire over the pots. That way the oxygen is driven out very fast and the wood smolders into ash and thus released the carbon that is now trapped inside the pots and as the fire gets hotter, one can get that carbon to evenly coat the inside of the pots. This is also a similar method for melting metals which is what I do as for the type of fire pitting you are doing. If I can fire melt steel or cobalt, then surely you can fire fuse your pots.

[@tinkerandthink]

A hotter fire will vitrify the clay, making it stronger and more durable (unless you're using a low-fire clay). The advantage of this kind of pit fire is its simplicity, and the interesting coloration that results. These pots are decorative, and so they don't really suffer from not getting hotter. But you're right, there are lots of design principles that can be employed to make a hotter fire. The downside is they require more knowledge, planning, materials, and often space. Some day in the future I'll likely make videos showing some of those processes, but for now, this kind of primitive pit fire is a process that does what it does and works as intended. If someone wants to fire glazed dinnerware to cone 10 in their backyard, they'd better build a kiln.

[@sonofeloah]

@@tinkerandthink: Actually, you could run such a pipped airflow to raise the heat of your pit with the same pit you are using right now and it would be a vast improvement. It also would allow you to glaze the pots.

[@drqazlop]

Very cool. Thanks for the video! I'll be taking a look at more of your videos! Some thoughts: When I was traveling in Nicaragua, I saw some people making rough pottery cooking vessels. I don't know what these used as a kiln or if they were sort of pit fired. They seemed quite porous and I don't think there was any glaze or coating applied, but they cooked with them on simple rocket style stoves (also made from clay). I recall it being explained that rice water would be applied. I suppose the starch fills the pores so that it holds water.

[@maurad5378]

Enjoyed this. Had a couple pits in my back yard years ago and found the process very satisfying.

[@lyzhimua1886]

Thank you so much! i've learned a lot. i got attached from my first pot, tried to fire it in the bbq grill and it exploded. Hope i can do this this time

[@tinkerandthink]

Pretty much how my first attempt went, too! You've got this 👍

[@sunnysuzanna]

this creative proces and your calm voice is like meditation to me! Love it.

[@ellie1creative]

Great tutorial thanks really clear guidance. Been wanting a guide to how to do this. One thing I’m curious about, I saw traditional pots fired this way in New Mexico made by Felipe Ortega. Beautiful pots! He does use the final pot for cooking beans, and also for bowls and cups to use. Totally fine and safe. I think this is because the clay is micaceous , which may mean it’s less porous when fired.

[@daezhanehunt3841]

As a beginner this taught me a lot within a short period of time. Very cool

[@BlueDingo555]

I used to work at Shapes Of Clay in Graham Wa and still have many pieces that I’ve made. Great video on the firing process,I didn’t know it could be done without a kiln… I’d love to make a few more pieces…

[@shampakonar3758]

Just came across and watched your fascinating post, thank you 🤗 They look really good👌

[@debrhodes7021]

Really nice explanation...very clear and approachable. Love the coloration you obtained on the round pot with the small hole. Any updates since you first made this video? Love to see an update if your down for it. Also, I wonder how native peoples achieved the high temps needed to make their pottery items. Thank you!

[@honeymw009]

Hey there, I'm from India and pit firing is quite used a lot here by the craft potters and I did this in my college days, it was some experience doing pit firing. We used dried cow dung as a fuel as they burn slowly and temperature doesn't rise quickly. I remember my teacher used coloured polybags and salt for getting colours in this firing. Keep up the good work. 🔥

[@wild-radio7373]

Great tips on the polly bags and salt!♡ thank you!! :)

[@hendrikjewarmerdam1163]

Love that you think your pot matches the cat. Pleasant slow, very informative video to watch. I'm gonna try it soon!

[@pyrostar69yt]

Excellent video, I too have been experimenting with homemade pottery. I love how much you explained in this video.

[@coreenalbertsen1764]

Great tutorial! I’d be willing to give this a go. Your explanation is understandable. For that, I am grateful! Thank you~ Great color on the big pot! Love that black!!!

[@thelittlelenora]

I love the colors pattern of your pot, plus it matches your kitty, so special!

[@samwilbur6155]

Thank you so much for sharing this process and explanation very well done and beautiful pots! I was thinking at the end "it matches the kitty"! Then hear you say the same thing haha! Time to get pottering!

[@oacartg2183]

You have you have answered questions I didn't know that I had I've been playing with pottery for 40 years now and I don't really do pitfires I have done them but you've given me you've inspired me thank you I'm going to take what you've shared and put it into practice thank you

[@babyrob0t]

So lovely. I’m just getting into pottery, starting with air dry clay :) thanks for sharing I hope to do this one day when I have a house with a yard 🥰

[@MataH1]

Great explanations and perfect video, no music, nothing useless, great to wtite up the technical words, thanks!

[@solveigas4899]

Thank you so much for the video! please keep making more on pottery, you are so good at explaining stuff!

[@ThePurpleFlower]

Thanks

[@tinkerandthink]

Thank you! 🙏

[@lucretiaonutube]

Brilliant... Wish I had a patch of ground to try this out in!!

[@sbein305mia]

I’ve been dreaming of just about everything you discuss on your channel for about two years now and just moved into a new home where I am also dreaming of collecting wild Clay and building a pit in my backyard to fire them. finding you today feels like finding a missing key❤

[@tinkerandthink]

That's awesome! I hope you'll share your progress, and reach out with any questions!

[@Before_my_eyes_forget]

I’m going to start doing this in my backyard as well… I’ll let ya know how it goes as my backyard is full of red clay .. I much prefer your method over throwing on the wheel and kiln ….cant wait to learn more from you

[@lesliehowells]

Thank you so much for this. Your explanations are clear and incredibly informative.

[@Beardqt]

This is one of the most concise and well thought out videos about clay I've found so far in the recommended world tour

[@tinkerandthink]

High praise! Thank you

[@IonOtter]

If you want to make your pots waterproof and usable for cooking, save corn cobs and dry them out completely. Then put them inside the pot, just before putting them into the fire. They'll generate a greasy smoke that will coat the inside of the pot and seal it.

[@nowirehangers2815]

Thank you. How do you know this?

[@defaultanimations1053]

Hey, I don't know if you will see this, but I followed you method, and it worked great! Although it is a little exhausting, especially in summer heat. I did use dirt instead of metal to make the reduction atmosphere and I used somewhat wet weeds which made bunches of smoke. I currently have 4 great looking pieces of pottery without spending 2,000 dollars on a kiln. Thanks very much for putting this video out, I will definitely use this method again.

[@krazedvintagemodel]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and showing how this can be done. I now have a better, though basic, understanding which I hope to use making jewelry components.

[@brycejohnson3347]

Beautifully filmed and easy to understand! Thank you for this incredibly helpful video