Using a pottery kiln at home

[@vicki1141]

I very much appreciate how thorough this video is. Your instruction gives confidence to a beginner like myself. LOVE the pink glaze.

[@kencoxdesign]

I'd love an electric kiln someday but I don't have the space for one. Instead, I've made a gas kiln out of an old dryer drum and fire outside with a BBQ grill propane tank. I'm limited to cone 05 (maybe 04 on a good day), but that lets me do raku, and I've managed to get good consistent bisque firings using the same setup - about 90 minutes of gas and then 9 hours of cooling which sounds bonkers but works perfectly with my bowls ringing like bells. I'm digging my own clay too, so it seems I'm doing everything in the hardest way possible (and having tons of fun in the process). Your raku videos were a great help getting me started.

[@ThePotteryWheel]

Amazing that you are doing all so completely DIY :-)

[@kencoxdesign]

@@ThePotteryWheel It started as a COVID lockdown boredom relief project and ended up taking over a good portion of my garage. I did some ceramics in college and always wanted to get back into it. Now I come home with little bags of wild clay from wherever I travel, which is a really fun souvenir.

[@alisn.7998]

Excellent and very useful information. Thanks.

[@GinaBsStudio]

Love the pottery. It’s beautiful

[@pamboone4458]

Thank you for the valuable information! And the cups are beautiful!❤

[@ThePotteryWheel]

Thanks Pam :-)

[@Skarande-1]

For me, very helpfull. Thank you for this video.

[@janettewilson5368]

Super informative video…thank you for sharing ❤

[@ThePotteryWheel]

Glad it was helpful!

[@PaulByrne-ev2zm]

Very interesting.

[@joyceradesca408]

Hi, thank you very much 😊, bye !

[@G-nb6mb]

Hey there. I’m new to clay, but I’m interested in doing jewelry; and found out that metal clay is a thing. The problem is that I have no idea how to go about making a mini electric kiln without exploding or electrocuting myself in the process. And I don’t really know how to make one that would be at a stable temperature for however long the firing would take. Any advice, or maybe a video on safely firing metal clays at home? I’m not sure how big the difference between regular clays and metal clays is.

[@wendydee3007]

I've just bought a plug and go kiln and I'm vey nervous about using it! It still has the plastic wrap on. I'm sure I'll get accustomed to using it eventually, I just need to work out how to set a program and pluck up the courage to do that first test firing :o) Thanks for your video.

[@ThePotteryWheel]

Hi Wendy, it is nerve wracking. You may find some vidoes on youtube about how to set it up and program it. Good luck! Let me know how it goes :-)

[@wendydee3007]

@@ThePotteryWheel Finally. It's been a bit nerve wracking as I live in a rented house and put the kiln in a bedroom, I had to buy big sheets of fire board to protect the floors and walls. (We're looking for somewhere to rent with a garage). So I worked out how to do the test firings and finally yesterday managed to do a first ever bisque firing. Everything has shrunk more than I expected, so it's a big learning curve, but otherwise seems okay. Now I have to get to grips with small scale glazing, or no one will have any christmas presents - I'm cutting it fine it's the 21st December! Thanks for your videos, I'm sure you have a glazing one :o)

[@thevagabondonwheels4918]

So I have an extra room in my basement that has two windows and an outside door (walk-up). The room has a dedicated door and is large enough, honestly, to hold several kilns and also as a dedicated sub-panel near by for electric (used to power some large power tools that needed 220V). But you have me concerned about fumes. If I put a large fan in one of the windows to draw air out of the room while the kiln is firing, do you think that would be sufficient? The room would not be used for anything else other than probably a little miscellaneous storage away from the kiln.