Need Help Firing a clay pot?

Question

I want to make clay pots but I don't want to use a kiln. What other ways are there. Can you use a chiminea to do it i need help???? I really don't want to use self hardening clay

I want to fire over 500 degrees

Answer 1

You can absolutely use a lot of things--but to differing degrees of success and ease. NEVER do any of these things inside or near/on flammable objects.

You CAN dig a pit in the ground load it with combustibles, put your pots in, cover with more combustibles, cover it with earth (leaving holes for air to encourage/ensure combustion), light it (use your holes), and wait until it all burns out and cools COMPLETELY.

You can do the same thing on a much smaller scale with a round, metal barbecue (you know, the kind on three legs with a domed lid...) but it can't usually be used for BBQ again! Use the vent for more or less combustion.

Or on an even smaller scale, you can use metal buckets with metal lids--just make sure you've got a method for air flow, but not too much that will lower your temperature. Get the industrial kind--they have them all the way up to 50 gallon drums.

However, especially if you're a kid, or a teenager--get help from someone with experience. This is not safe or easy stuff. Your high school art teacher or community college are great resources. Art people love to talk about their craft and will be willing to help you out if you really want to learn.

Have you ever thought about taking a class in ceramics? You'll learn a great deal about what works and how to do extraordinary things for the rest of your life--all for a small fee. Really, you sound like you would like it. And anyway, if you want to make permanent ceramics, you should learn how to make them the right way.

All my best to you in you experimentation! Vive la ceramics!

Answer 2

if you wish a succesfull firing then a kiln is the only answer, you could if you do not have access to one build your own firing oven ,these are wood burning kilns made from the clay as is your pot, commonly called beehive kilns a circular base of rocks a flue and build your fire beneath place your pot on saggers made from rock light your fire after sealing in ,keep stoked with wood, wait for at least 12 hours, break open your oven from the top. good luck. LF

Answer 3

If you are planning to start on your woodworking project, this isn't something you should use, it's something that you would be insane not to. Go here https://tr.im/zw44i
Truth is, I've been a carpenter for almost 36 years, and I haven't found anything like this for less than 10's of thousands of dollars.

Answer 4

You can use your oven. I don't know what temperature or for how long...

Maybe something you can look up.