What's Included

Classes & Workshops

• Bisque and glaze firing for class and workshop pieces is included within the limits outlined in your course description.

Open Studio

• Bisque firing is included with open studio day passes, punch cards, and memberships

  • Initial bisque firing only. If you need to re-bisque, additional fees will apply

• Glaze firing is not included and will incur a separate fee 
   

Firing fees

• Glaze firing is priced by volume using the firing grid in the studio – all fees must be paid before placing items on the carts to be fired

  • The use of studio glazes is included in the firing fee. You may use your own cone 5/6 commercial glazes, but there is no discount for using your own glazes

• For large pieces, production work, or full kiln loads, please speak with a staff member for custom pricing

• Cookies used during firing must be included in the measurement of the piece and must be larger than the widest point of the piece

• Students, members, and punch card users are welcome to fire up to ten small test tiles for free (up to 2” each)

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For a full kiln load, please contact us for pricing.

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Preparing Your Work

Before placing items to be fired on the designated carts, always ask the studio monitor for help if you need to get around or move another person’s work, especially with greenware. Touching another maker’s work without permission is prohibited in the studio.

All work submitted for firing must: 

• Be bone dry (Bisque)

• Have your name or maker's mark clearly visible- unmarked work may be considered abandoned and is subject to donation or disposal (Bisque & Glaze)

• Have a clean, dry foot free of glaze (Bisque & Glaze)

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Glazing Requirements

All glazed bisqueware that is ready to be fired needs to be measured and checked by a studio monitor and then placed on the appropriate cart in “kiln ready condition.”

To protect kiln shelves and other artist’s work:

• Glaze must stop at least 1/4" above the bottom of the piece

• If glaze extends closer than 1/4" from the bottom, a cookie is required

  • Cookies must be supplied by the artist

• Double-dipping is permitted, but overlap areas should not exceed 1/3 of the piece

• All glazed work must be measured and approved by a studio monitor before being placed on the glaze firing cart

  • Kiln techs have final say on which pieces are approved for glaze firing and have the right to refuse firing any piece that appears likely to run, stick, or damage kiln furniture

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Firing Liability

We make no guarantees as far as finished pieces (bisque or glaze), as ceramics is an inherently unpredictable process. Our staff is dedicated to protecting your work and exercising caution when loading and unloading kilns. If our staff causes damage to your work and it is clearly not a result of poor construction or the maker's error, we will leave you a note and welcome you to repair your piece and resubmit it at no additional charge. 

 

If you are experimenting with glazes or know your glaze may run, please provide cookies (flat ⅛” - ¼” thick pieces of bisqueware) to place under your work to protect our shelves. The cookie should be at least ¼” larger than the widest area of your piece.

We do not usually permit the use of stilts or wads. If you have a project that requires stilts or wads, please speak to the studio manager or studio owner, for special permission before you purchase or use them. 

 

All Hands Pottery Studio is not responsible for:

• Cracking

• Warping

• Glaze defects

• Pinholing

• Crawling

• Bloating

• Breakage

• Color variation

• Other firing-related issues

 

If a glaze run or material failure damages kiln shelves, kiln furniture, or studio equipment, the artist will be responsible for repair or replacement costs.

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Outside Work

We do offer firing services for pieces made outside the studio if they meet our requirements! Separate charges will apply for bisque and glaze firings.

 

We require the following for outside work:

• Clay body information or manufacturer label – we only accept midrange cone 5/6 stoneware and glazes

• Glaze information or manufacturer label

  • We sometimes grant permission on a case-by-case basis for the use of different clay bodies or glazes

 

If we cannot verify materials used outside the studio, All Hands Pottery Studio reserves the right to refuse any piece that may pose a risk to the kiln or other work.

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Turnaround Time

Pieces will be fired as soon as we are able; however, firing schedules depend on kiln capacity, maintenance, class schedules, and overall studio volume.

 

Our average turnaround time is 7-14 days for bisque firing and 10-14 days for glaze firing. Plan your travel, art shows, and gift-giving accordingly as we cannot guarantee completion by a specific date.

 

If you need a particular firing turnaround, please discuss the matter with the studio manager or studio owner to see if arrangements can be made.

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Pickup + Storage

Finished work should be picked up promptly.

 

Pieces left beyond the studio's designated holding period of 30 days may be donated,

recycled, or discarded at the studio's discretion.

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Additional Firing Policies

• We do not currently allow glass fusion in our kilns. 

• We do not accept pieces for “single-firings”. We always fire greenware in our bisque kiln, and only place bisqueware into our glaze firings. If you place greenware on the shelf to go into the glaze firing (with or without glaze on it), we will either fire it in the bisque kiln and then in the glaze kiln or we will reject the piece for the maker to place onto the correct shelf.