ATX Kiln Club Firing Rules

Please be sure to read these rules in their entirety and agree to these terms before joining ATX Kiln Club.

Clay Bodies & Glazes

  • Commercial clay bodies and glazes only. No wild clay, reclaimed mixes, or homemade glazes.

  • Members must know with 100% certainty the cone rating of the clay and glazes they are using.

Firing Temperatures

  • We plan on firing regularly to cone 05 (low fire) and cone 5 (mid fire). 

  • Occasional luster firing available at Cone 019 – availability will be based on demand.

Preparing & Transporting Work

  • No organic materials can be present on pots being fired. This damages the elements. Examples are: paper, macaroni, leaves, etc.

  • Work must not be more than 1/2” thick. This helps avoid explosions.

  • All work must be bone dry BEFORE being brought in for firing. Exploded pots put everyone’s work at risk so please be sure your work is dry and bubble-free.

  • All bottoms must be free of glaze. Waxed is best! No stilts or racks will be used.

  • Members are responsible for packing their work carefully for transportation. We recommend using bubble wrap or corrugated paper. Keep in mind that green ware is especially fragile!

A Note on Mixed Totes

  • Keeping the content of our totes in one firing temperature helps keep us organized and makes accidents easier to avoid. If you need to include more than one firing temperature in your drop off, we ask that you request an additional tote for your work ($20 deposit required). You’ll then drop off two totes - one for each temperature - each with a completed firing slip. Thanks for your undersanding.

Risk and Responsibility

  • Members will be responsible for the cost of any damage caused by user errors such as incorrect glazing, mistaken clay body, etc. Any costs beyond the initial deposit amount must be submitted by the member within 30 days, and the deposit must be replaced before firing again.

  • Members accept the risks to work associated with community firing. We are not responsible for damage to your work that occurs as a result of another maker’s work. (Example: if your neighbors pot explodes and damages yours.)

  • Greenware and bisque ware can be very fragile. We will do our best to handle everything with care BUT we are not responsible for items being broken.

Expectations

  • Turnaround time: We plan on firing as often as the kiln is filled. Right now, we expect work to be finished and ready for pickup within 1-2 weeks from drop off. We will do our best to update the expected wait times as we go along.

  • Results: Pottery is unpredictable by nature. Small differences in temperature, atmosphere, etc. can make two identical pots turn out very differently! We are not responsible for the reasonable and expected variances that happen during firing.

  • Neighbors: Firing a variety of clay bodies, glazes, etc. means that there can be possible unexpected reactions going on inside the kiln. This is the nature of community firing, so please be ready to accept the results! Having more precise control is an advantage that comes with owning your own kiln.