# Ceramics dopers needed: Techie Question regarding firing **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 9, 2008, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramics-dopers-needed-techie-question-regarding-firing/448638 "2008-05-09T00:54:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramics-dopers-needed-techie-question-regarding-firing/448638/1 "2008-05-09T00:54:11Z")
Okay, I want to do something just plain weird. I’m thinking about including a light spattering of metal and salt rich solutions, like miracle grow or lime sulphur onto a cone 6 piece that I’ve made. I never got any techie-chem training on this in college and I can’t figure out if this will make my piece blow up, or do anything to the surface colors. So other than fumes (not an issue), and food safety (not applicable) is this a **Really Bad Idea** tm. ? Basically I’m trying to get a truly crazy volcanic look to the pieces, and they will not be glaze fired, but finished with a paste wax to protect them. I thought that the sulphur might accumulate on the surface and discolor the clay in the firing, but I can’t seem to find anything about it’s effects on stoneware. As for lime, I cannot find much of anything. ---
**Author:** ![Snowcarpet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowcarpet/32/257_2.png) [@Snowcarpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowcarpet)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramics-dopers-needed-techie-question-regarding-firing/448638/2 "2008-05-09T16:27:48Z")
I dunno, and I got the chemical training! I think that you would be glaze-firing by definition, adding salt = glaze. You should be able to get some bubbly cool crackly stuff with salts. Go for it, and take notes. You can always do test pieces and see what works. You may make a fricking mess out of your kiln shelves and furniture. You may blow things up. In fact, the largest explosive mess I have ever seen involved a salt-fire kiln (the shelves cracked and buckled and everything crashed.) But hey, my pieces made it out okay ; ) The metals will likely make a change in color, somehow. ---
**Author:** ![Snowcarpet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowcarpet/32/257_2.png) [@Snowcarpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowcarpet)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramics-dopers-needed-techie-question-regarding-firing/448638/3 "2008-05-09T16:38:35Z")
Try looking here for more ideas: [http://www.potters.org/category128.htm](http://www.potters.org/category128.htm) and: [http://www.potters.org/category140.htm](http://www.potters.org/category140.htm) and a lava glaze: [http://www.potters.org/subject34565.htm/](http://www.potters.org/subject34565.htm/) ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramics-dopers-needed-techie-question-regarding-firing/448638/4 "2008-05-09T17:22:36Z")
Well worst thing happens, I’ll blow up the piece. Screw it. I’m going for it. I’ll be sure to write down the components in the additives and take it to a normal cone 6 bisque firing and see what comes out. The piece is made old crappy leftover clay anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Snowcarpet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowcarpet/32/257_2.png) [@Snowcarpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowcarpet)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramics-dopers-needed-techie-question-regarding-firing/448638/5 "2008-05-09T17:29:29Z")
Good luck! Blowing things up is part of the process. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramics-dopers-needed-techie-question-regarding-firing/448638/6 "2008-05-09T17:44:07Z")
[QUOTE=Snowcarpet] Good luck! Blowing things up is part of the process. [/QUOTE] As long as no one else is sharing that kiln for this firing. 🆒 Those are safety glasses. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramics-dopers-needed-techie-question-regarding-firing/448638/7 "2008-05-09T17:45:56Z")
Allright, I painted the figure with a 25% solution of Lime-sulphur on both the burnished and unburnished portions, layering it heavily on certain areas, and single coated on others. I think I probably ought to single fire this thing in case it makes a mess, but It ought to be interesting to see how it affects the clay in a bisque firing. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramics-dopers-needed-techie-question-regarding-firing/448638/8 "2008-05-09T17:47:29Z")
[QUOTE=Telemark] As long as no one else is sharing that kiln for this firing. 🆒 Those are safety glasses. [/QUOTE] No worries, I have position as the head instructor at the facility, and can pretty much do what I’d like. I’ll run it later next week and see what comes out.