SIMON LEACH - Kiln opening !

[juneyb01]

Simon I love going over these older clips with you reminding me of things and as a bonus you are very nice on the eyes. Why do you prefer to look like grizzly adams in the new clips.  haha

[Dean600]

The more we give the more we receive; I've been potting some years, --always can refine my throwing, I sometimes leave too much clay at the bottom side wall; probably a common mistake, afraid the wall will collapse, I guess. I'm throwing porcelain clay; , it "sags",--- falls , faster then stoneware doesn't it ? Thanks so much , from Canada

[laugust5]

Simon,

May I please have the plans? Thank you! lbaemail-2011@yahoo.com

[cafluffull]

i'm so impressed by how uniform your GP bowls are. I'm trying to get all of my bowls the same so I can stack them, but it's hard going. :D

[GlassyARTmuse]

Beautiful work, I wish we could fire glass like that! Unfortunately with glass only one shelf can be used- directly under the elements . thanks for sharing

[maryxyz123]

Your videos are a great help to me, I have a kiln which I have fired four times. I am finding out the hard way how to do it! On my last glaze firing (1270c) I had a near disaster, when the top shelf split in 2 and the pots collapsed on to the pots below. I packed the kiln very carefully with three props on each level. What did I do wrong and how can I prevent it happening again? Thanks

[KILLER2289]

its like christmas i loove oppening the kiln like oo treats cherio mate

[potteryworks]

simon i very much enjoy your videos. i try to see them as many of then as possible.. i have even tried a few of your designs. i very much enjoy the openings of the kiln.. is the kiln you show your own design? i have been wanting to build a small reduction kiln, would you be willing to share the design? or where i may get the plans...thanks woody

[goofy1233]

Thanks for bring us along for the experience of your firing. Some friends of mine call the kiln firings the "magic box" because you never know what specific kind of glaze is going to come out, maybe a rabbit in a hat. thanks a ton mate!

happy potting

[bluebeccah]

I am a beginner potter. I've taken a couple of informal classes with a retired art teacher. Unfortunately, he would fire the pots from all of his classes at the end of the week, so I have no experience at all with the actual firing process. I've recently been given two electric kilns by my aunt who used to do ceramics. Does anyone have suggestions for books or websites that would help me get started on firing my own work?

[unaportenia]

Hello, first time I see one of your videos. I loved it. I enjoyed the way you speak, i am not english speaker, and you are so clear! i'll see them all when i have some time. Thank you very much and congrats for your beautiful work!

[muserwood]

I just discovered your videos Simon, I like your video-side manner and LOVE your work. I'm an artist also (see my art vid), thinking of adding ceramics to my list of muses. My quest is 2-fold, 1. Do U recom the propane Kiln?If so, could I also get the plans ? OK 3-fold,And could U suggest a good book for starters ? Thanks much and have a great day.

[sleachpots]

Hi - send me your email address & I'll email some plans to you of this design. SL

[enslaver]

the hanging flowers are great.

[RakuBlue]

Hi again, do you have plans for your kiln you could pass on please?

Great pots!

[sleachpots]

send me your email address & I'll send you some basic plans . SL

[sloth1982]

I would love a email of this plan as well I will send you my email. thanks for all your time MR. Simon >casey

[JMHerbert1]

I'm thinking of building a kiln. How much propane do you use per firing?

[sleachpots]

about 10 kg in my kiln fot a glaze firing. SL

[jonathanb921]

Great video Simon. Beautiful work and great tips.

[marcozepp]

Hello Simon, thanks for all your wonderful videos, they are so enlightening. The kiln-opening videos are my favourite, so exciting to watch new work being revealed.

I was wondering if you ever re-fire any of the pots you're not 100% happy with? Sorry if this has been asked before!

[sleachpots]

Sometimes I have fired again pots , but generally I dont .'Touchup' second firings dont seem to ever make the grade from my experience. SL

[marcozepp]

Thanks for the reply..I've not had very much success with that either.

[sanderson32]

What happens to the "disappointments"? Do they get sold as well?

[PotterInCanada]

Hello Simon, I was at the market a while ago selling pottery and some of my customers told me they had Leach Pottery. I couldn't believe it. I took my pottery students to their house and held GP bowls with the celedon inside, a larger jug and a soup bowl with the side handle. I have a few of Bernard's books from the 50's and it made me tear up to hold these amazing pots from so long ago and far away.

[whatleymattu]

i got some clay from an inlet at the San Antonio river, and i have made a couple sculptures and one was a head, but i made it solid , and it cracked and fell apart, and i made a small one, with a paper inside, and i think i made it to thin and it cracked apart, is there something that im doing wrong, do i need to kneed the clay more. please let me know . thanks.

[claymoma]

Hi Simon, Beautiful work as always but I truly love the "jugs". What is the gray colored glaze you used on the inside?

Warm regards as always from Debbie in Florida

[Annemasque]

Just loved the change of colour of the oxidized pot(pitcher?)

Annemie

[joealanouf]

simon. i realy dig your jugs. i made one today, but i forgot to bring it in befor i left because i spend too much time flerting with teh girls . i also made a eard bowl. looks cool. oh yeah its wild how your last name is leach and you use a leach wheel and your a potter. it was in the cards it seams.

[longbeforedawn]

Lovely! Just Lovely!

With the oxidization patch in the bottom of your kiln, do you have an air leak, do you think?

You kiln look well used. Perhaps it has developed a crack?

Awesome. I can't wait until I build my own kiln.

[Redshift21]

I really enjoy seeing the end results of your work, thank you for sharing and keep on making these video's they're so much fun

[leeuw666]

Nice !!!

Gerda

[torched61]

Simon, you said you fire this load to a hard con 9, about how long does it take your small kiln to achieve a completed firing?

Erik

[torched61]

Simon, you said you fired this load to a hard cone 9. about how long does it take you to complete that in your small kiln?

Erik

[CharlesEaton2008]

As all ways, great work and a great video. hope to come next year.

[txjoker]

Simon:

Will you refire that small, white, experimental pot from the bottom shelf? Perhaps you can slightly heat the pot and reapply the slip. Wouldn't hurt anything, especially if only an experiment.

Cheers!

Chuck

Houston, TX

[sleachpots]

No I will not as it will not take any slip as it is now hard fired & vitrified, so would be a waste of time.cheers SL

[paintball227]

In all your experience firing peices, have u ever had some of your pieces explode from air bubbles?

[sleachpots]

I have had pots explode in a glaze firing but its usually been because I have had some 'raw' pots in there as well mixed in & it was they, that exploded. In bisq firings I have had pots explode ,usually because the wall thickness was too much or I had rushed the pots to get them in & they were not 100% dry.I think its the moisture ,turning to steam that explodes pots , more than just having an air bubbles !? SL

[credenza1]

Gorgeous pieces. Thanks.

[mudpuppy61]

Loved the 'undersea' glaze on the cup! That was my favorite. Your celdadon glaze must not run at all to be able to stack them in a glaze firing like that. How do you get parts of the kiln 'oxidized' when it's a reduction propane kiln? I get confused over the two.

[tita27566]

Simon:

Thanks a lot it was great video in each detail.

E.-

[sleachpots]

Esther - hi - yes I thought you might enjoy that one !! keep practicing !..SL

[AlfredoFIbarra]

Simon! Fab Firing! Just like X-Mas!!