The difference a great kiln cycle makes.
I’ve just started firing in my kiln at home, and it’s a whole new world—an entirely different side of pottery. There’s a science to it: learning how to load it properly, how to set the right cycles, and how every choice impacts the final piece.
I have a Skutt kiln, and I absolutely adore it. I splurged on the Touchscreen Controller, which is fantastic. It comes with built-in cycles that make things easy… or so I thought. On my second cone 6 firing, the kiln gods were not kind. My beautiful peacock bowls came out covered in blisters. I had used the exact same technique I always had, but until now I’d only fired these pieces in the studio where I take classes.
I was crushed.
I reached out to Jill, the owner of the studio, and she was so kind. She suggested I talk to Tom, the kiln master at Railyard Arts, to see if we could figure out what went wrong. This studio has been such a gift to me. They give so much support, generosity, and sharing of knowledge. I can’t speak highly enough about them.
Sure enough, Jill and Tom examined my bowls, went over my firing schedule, and shared their own cone 6 program so I could replicate it at home. I came back and created my own custom cycle on the Touchscreen Controller based on their own schedule.
Today, I opened the kiln to find a perfect firing. Absolutely gorgeous results. My bowls came out exactly as I’d hoped.
I have Jill and Tom to thank, and the kiln gods to praise. I couldn’t be happier.