Glazing Area
Glazes are kept in alphabetical order from left to right. Please help us keep the area organized so glazes are easy to find.
Surfaces, tables, lids, and buckets should be kept clean, and floors mopped.
Due to the fact that we are a community studio where many different glazes and combinations are fired in our kilns we do m not have the capability to properly test work to ensure it is “food safe”. We do however guarantee that all of our in-house glazes are lead free, one of the main ingredients that leads to non food safe glazes. Other issues such as pinholes and pocketing alongside cracks are areas where bacteria can harbor and leaching can occur.
If you want to check for leaching, a lemon wedge can be placed in the piece overnight. Discoloration of the piece or lemon wedge is a sign of leaching and the wares should not be used for food consumption.
Preparation for glazing
Wipe down work surfaces to ensure you are working on a clean surface.
Make sure your hands are clean before handling your bisqueware. Lotion and body oils will act similarly to wax and keep the glaze from adhering to the surface.
Collect your bisque fired pieces and clean them with a damp sponge to remove any dust. Dust will keep the glaze from adhering properly to the piece.
Wax work and allow to dry before glaze application.
Glaze Selection
Uptown Clay offers a selection of dipping glazes and underglazes for students and members. Your instructor will provide you with more details regarding our glazes.
Our test tile wall in the glazing area showcases our in-house glazes. Our test tiles have a black line of underglaze, a full single dip, then a second dip on the lower half to show coverage. We are trying to start adding hydrometer readings to the back as well as any information on how the glaze runs or reacts.
TIP: You may want to create your own set of test tiles for glaze combinations you are interested in on clay bodies you are using. There is no charge for firing test tiles.
Glaze Application
Help minimize glaze contamination.
Glazes should be covered when not in use.
Two glazes should not be open near each other.
Only use clean tools.
Students are not allowed to remove any slips or glazes from the building or alter glazes or slips in any way. Students should NEVER add/or remove water from glazes. If you suspect a glaze is thicker or thinner than it should be, notify your instructor or studio tech.
We do not recommend doubling up glazes on the lower half of pieces as it could result in glazes running and sticking to the shelves.
If one chooses to use a runny glaze or double up a glaze on the lower half of a piece we recommend wiping with a damp sponge before the application of the first glaze layer.
There will be a $15 fee per grinding of shelves for pieces that run.
After glazing, clean the base to be sure it is free of any glaze at least 1/8 inch from the base of the piece.
To note
Full buckets that have been recently made may be a bit on the thin side as it takes more water to dissolve the ingredients.
Buckets that are less than half full may be on the thick side. Instructors or studio techs can gauge whether water needs to be added.
Cleaning Your Work Area
This is a community space and you are required to clean up after yourself and leave your area cleaner than how you found it. Wiping down any surfaces you have touched that have become soiled. All tools should be cleaned and returned to where you found them.
Glaze Firing
Once you have glazed and cleaned your piece, it is ready to be placed on the Glaze Firing shelf.
Pieces should be entered into your kilnfire account and placed on the glaze fire shelf.
Firing Service
We bisque fire at cone 04 and one glaze fire at Cone 6 .
We charge .03 per cubic inch per firing.
Refires are an additional .03 per firing.
The minimum cost per firing is $1.00.
The minimum height/width/depth per piece is 1.5”.
The firing process takes between 1 to 2 weeks to be completed.
Uptown Clay is not responsible for any damages that occurred to pieces during the bisque or glaze firing processes.
Users are responsible for any damages to the kiln, kiln furniture, other potters' work, or for any necessary shelf grinding resulting from firing drips.
The studio will keep completed pieces for one month after the firing
To fire with us, you will need to set up a kilnfire account.
Kilnfire
Step 1: User Self Sign Up
https://uptownclay.kilnfire.com/new-user
Once registered for an account we assign the appropriate tag, notating your firing service. After we have applied your Firing tag you will be able to sign up for your first firing.
Step 2: New Firing Fee Sign Up
https://uptownclay.kilnfire.com/first-fire
Once you’ve been assigned the appropriate firing tag you will be able to start firing. The first piece you fire will require you to set up a payment system by uploading your CC info or uploading funds to your account.
Stilts/Cookies
We are trying to avoid stilts as most of our issues with glaze firings results from toppled pieces on stilts. We do have some backer board and softbrick available.
Pieces that may run should be loaded on softbrick or backer board, It is easier to remove or grind down if pieces run.
Kiln furniture is not appropriate to use for stilts.
Needs Attention Shelf
We have a learning shelf where pieces that are damaged or not acceptable for loading in kilns are placed.
Any pieces not properly cleaned will be placed on the “NEEDS ATTENTION BEFORE FIRING" shelf for you to clean/fix later. You may also find your piece on this shelf if pieces of glaze chip away before the firing, or our staff loading the kilns deem questionable in any way.