SIMON LEACH - Results of firing !

[yourroaddog]

is that glaze fron the wood ash?

[disisdkat]

Feeling way too much envy. These are gorgeous. I think you need to fire in an electric kiln for awhile to have a better appreciation for the lovely reduction you have gotten.

[leolava]

OMG brilliant work.

[SwGkentuckyC]

Hey Simon, do you or have you ( i assume you have) done any wood firings? I personally think the ash glaze from a wood firing would look good on your work. Just my opinion, love the vids

Nick

[CarlaHerren]

The video made up for the waiting. Thanks for your time and effort :)

[expatjon1]

watch out for the heavy ones! i think a outer wall would cut down the firering time then fill the space betwean the walls with wood ash for insulation

[mimdesigns1]

Hi, Simon! Even somewhat oxidized, there is more dimension to the pots than electric fired, which is what I've got going. None of this staying up overnight to electric fire, the kiln sitter's got my back on that. No seeing flames, either, it's all very clean and dry. Very convenient, electric oxidation, and nice for suburbia. But not too exciting. Your way has more life in it! Thanks for the update on firing results- All the best! Mimi in NJ

[post2dennis]

Hello Simon,

After you give your pots to the fire god who knows what will come out of the kiln. I think your pots are all great and very beautiful. I also understand what you mean about getting to know the kiln. Each one has its own personality. I find that dancing naked around the kiln during reduction helps a bit ; )

Again thanks for your great videos. We (your online students) appreciate you and all your effort to show us how to be better potters.

[joannemayoh]

Been really looking forward to the opening! Thanks for another great video - I'm inspired each time I see your work - thanks from Jo in Australia!

[tripanfal]

I do notice your celadon lacks the normal 'punch' your other pots have. My biggest problem with that brown Standard Ceramic clay you use is bloating. I can't imagine you had any of that though, it was a nice, slow firing.  I like the pots though, I'm sure you will sell them all.

Warm regards

-Chris

[smathewspots]

Simon - Great pots!! I have been anxiously awaiting the opening. I especially like the wood ash and your brush work. The oxidation does leave some of them looking like they were just not quite finished. Would be nice to see what that glaze and kiln can do. Could you fire them again and attempt to get the reduction you want? This has been quite an adventure for you and for all of us watching. Thanks a bunch - Skip

ps - I burn my fingers every single time I open my kiln :)

[cafluffull]

I generally like the shiny look more on my pots so I thought all of your pots were wonderful.....

[kroraven]

I think you have some wonderful pots there;-D Looking forward to the next firing;-} Good luck! Karen

[pensandcalls]

Man, if you don't want them, I'll set out tomorrow for New York and take them all back to Georgia! I, like many of the others, would be happy to have them come out of my kiln like that!

[Sorka42]

Even if you aren't too pleased with how they came out, i think they are quite lovely. The toasted ash looks wonderful. Thanks for sharing.

[wphlea]

It's amazing how your disappointment came through in the video in the first few seconds! We followers are really getting to know you well! As for the pots, I would be pleased to have any one of them in my home. Thanks also to all who commented, I learned a great deal about reduction as a result. As for you Simon, KEEP PRACTICING, you will get the hang og it!

[mcscaz]

You have some great pots there - the wood ash toasty ones are stunning. lot of the bigger pieces seem to have worked very well. I'm a fan!

[hazlex10]

HI Simon,

I Hope you are well.

The firing looks good to me, some nice pots. There are always going to be few that are not as expected I guess? Feel free to put a teabowl to one side. The wood ash looks nice.

Will catch up soon - let us know if you intend to visit in the next few weeks. The offer still stands.

All the best

James and Samantha

[guywolff]

The fit looks great Simon . It is such a clean kiln .. AND the shelves didnt fall apart so thats good . Congratulations . Just a bit more flame licking out on the last two cones . All the best , Guy

[joealanouf]

i agree. i personaly dont care for that perticular look though it did look nice one alot of them. the casaroll . that small bowl on the ground.pritty intresting. though i thought you whoul dhave doun a soda fireing in it. that takes some practice and tinkering.

[claymoma]

SIMON.... They're beautiful....I would be beyond happy if my "stuff" turned out as well.

Warm (still hot here)regards from Debbie in Florida

[sloth1982]

Finally I was having trouble waiting for this.

[shelsel0115]

Simon, I think they turned out quite lovely. I would be proud to put anyone of those in my house! How much longer are you going to be in the states?

[ClayThrower]

I can relate! Maybe that draft was just too strong. I have the same burners on my kiln, but nowhere near the draft. Mine is quiet. Maybe that just sucked in too much air.

[mudpuppy61]

I know you're not pleased with the glossy celadon glaze but I think many of the pots came out quite lovely! I especially like your wood ash pieces with the oxide accents. Doing my first wood firing next weekend and I can only hope for some pieces as nice as your's!

[tnorton314]

Simon, what specifically will you do next firing to ensure reduction? Any special method?

I'm sorry your work didn't fire the way you'd hoped, but I think that the wood ash pieces still came out beautifully.

[0emk1]

I would be VERY happy with those results Simon! More Christmas than Halloween  :-)

[quickhalfpint]

Was the kiln opened too soon??

Robin

[lindaboozer52]

...eagerly waiting to see gas kiln results....

[juneyb01]

Hello everyone. Could someone explain 'oxidized' do you mean the glaze came out cloudy, or the wrong colour or something else. Thank you.

[ClydeB3]

Oxidation: A firing where there is either no combustion occurring (electric kiln) or where there is sufficient oxygen in the kiln to allow the fuel to burn cleanly. The atmosphere of the kiln (oxidation, or reduction) dramatically affects the resulting clay and glaze colors, for example; copper in oxidation is green (as is copper oxide) in reduction it becomes red (more like copper metal).

[ClydeB3]

Reduction: A situation where too much fuel is introduced into the kiln to be able to burn with the available oxygen, consequently oxygen is 'stolen' from the pots in the kiln, it affects the clay and the glaze color. A good example is iron, which changes from Fe2O3 to FeO, even the tiny amount of iron present in porcelain changes it hue from a creamy color in oxidation to a slight gray blue in reduction.

[danielsolowiej]

Maybe the black at the base with iron oxide comes from the volatilization of carbide of the mounting plates. Plates are new?

[danielsolowiej]

Dear Simon, variety is the beauty. I like. I think the lack of reduction was already noticed when you removed the caps on backwards, it wasn't a big flame there. I think in this type of oven, you will do reduction, after the cones fall and continue to 800 º C, you will shut the records of primary and secondary air of the burners and then go closing the fireplace damper until the birth of the flame. I think there are many holes in the brick of every wall. Perhaps a full seal as the anagama ?

[stevebootonceramic]

Hi Simon

The pots at the rear of the kiln look a litle more reduced maybe the air is getting in through the front/door.....still some good results though .. the wood ash seems to be successful. would it work in an electric firing??

regards

steve

[ceibhfionn2]

little explenation: oxidation doesn't 'happen' in a kiln, oxigen is al around us in the air, also in a kiln. To get a reduction in a kiln you would have to close the kiln to prevent oxigen/air from getting in. The fire wil use up al the oxigen and when there is no more oxigen left the fire wil look for other places to get oxigen....in the pots and glazes. This wil change the colors of the claybody and glazes.

[ceibhfionn2]

Hey Simon,

to bad you had to little reduction, the celadon doesn't look as 'alive' as usual.

However, i do love the ash sprayed pots! The colors on the grey claybody come out beautiful!

looking forward to another firing! :-)

[MarksPottery]

Not knowing about kiln work much yet I was wondering the same about the kiln, the cracks. Does it affect it during the cool down or just during the heat up stage. You had it right at the last in reduction

[clearvision5]

How would the oxygen get into the kiln? In a past video I saw the kiln glowing through the cracks..could that be it? I did like the forms very much, also like the wood ash :)

[ChumleyWhiplash]

Okay, well maybe the glaze isnt the greatest it could be, but I really like how the ash spray came out - lovely and warm. especially the casserole. Maybe go with a glaze that doesnt require as much reduction as your regular gaze?

[rmajjam1]

Explain Oxidize, hwo did it happen in the kikn and how could you have avoided doing it?

[brettbeatnick]

As soon as you said your first "well" i knew you were not pleased. Chin up mate, you'll get he knack of it. To repeat your adage, keep practicing!