Sandra’s Ceramics Studio Firing Services Hills District

FIRING SERVICES HILLS DISTRICT

Firing Services Hills District – Sandra’s Ceramics Studio offers firing services for your pieces in the Hills District. Located in Fiddletown, a stones throw from Dural in the Hills District Sydney.

FIRING COSTS

Firing costs are calculated based on the weight of each piece prior to firing.

The basic firing cost is $12 per kilo. If a single item weighs less than 1 kilo, there is a minimum firing charge of $12 for firing the piece.

Our kiln measurements are 500mm High x 460mm Deep x 450mm Wide. Our kiln shelves measure 400mm x 400mm square. Please ensure your pieces fit well within these parameters.

We conduct standard oxidation firings only. And we are equipped to do the following:

  • Bisque firings at 1000 degrees Celsius
  • Earthenware Glaze firings at 1040-1080 degrees Celsius
  • Mid-fire Glaze firings at 1220 degrees Celsius
  • Stoneware Glaze firings at 1280 degrees Celsius

Full kiln hire is $150 per load. Our experienced team will undertake the kiln loading & unloading.

All firing charges are to be paid in full in advance of the firing taking place. Please allow 2 – 4 weeks for firing.

Firing Services Hills District

IMPORTANT FIRING GUIDELINES

In an effort to keep other people’s work safe & protect our kilns from damage we

WILL NOT fire the following:

  • Any wet pieces.
  • Pieces that contain paper, metal, wood or any other foreign materials.
  • Glazed greenware – (clay that has not been bisque fired first). This can be extremely hazardous to the kiln & the pieces in it.
  • Heavily grogged clay bodies such as BRT.
  • Any pieces with glazed bases – as they will stick to the kiln shelf during firing. (Please discuss low-fired earthenware items with our team before glazing.)
  • Any solid or extremely thick clay items as they are likely to explode if they are more than 5cm thick. This is really important as we do not enjoy clay explosions!!

We reserve the right to decline firing pieces we believe are likely to damage our equipment.

CREATOR’S RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Please SIGN all of your pieces with your name or unique mark which you will need to make known to us so that all of your pieces can be identified for collection.
  • If your pieces are hollow & yet fully enclosed please poke a hole in your piece to prevent it from exploding.
  • Please DO NOT GLAZE PIECES TOO CLOSE TO THE BASE. We like to avoid glaze drips with a passion!! Glaze drips are an awful & costly consequence of glazing too close to the bottom of an item. Not only do the drips damage the kiln shelves but they can also damage other people’s work too. Please become familiar with the glazes you are using & be aware that some glazes will flow & drip more than others, especially if you apply them too heavily. Always strictly follow the glaze manufacturer’s instructions. If your pieces do drip glaze onto the kiln shelf – depending on the level of damage you will have to pay a damage fee. This can range anywhere from $30 – $150 depending on the extent of the damage.
  • Please bring your own boxes & packing materials to transport your items. Clean shredded paper in a clean box is our best recommendation for transporting your items.
  • Please do not leave your boxes behind. If you do, they will be added to our recycling.
  • Please do not touch, handle or move another person’s work.

DAMAGE & COST

  • It’s inevitable that things go wrong sometimes & every effort is made on our part to ensure that your firing & that of your fellow creators is fired safely & efficiently. We rely heavily on the information provided to us by you with respects to the firing temperature requirements for your clay & any glaze applications. As such we cannot make any guarantees with regards to your final results. Ceramics can be a very unpredictable medium and unforeseen calamities can & do occur. We strongly advise that you thoroughly test out your products & give yourself ample time to complete any set projects you have in mind.
  • In the unfortunate event that kiln shelves are damaged due to incorrect firing temperatures being given or glaze drips occurring etc. Based on the extent of the damage you will be charged a fee ranging from $30 – $150 per damaged shelf. Further to this, if your work damages the interior of the kiln, or the elements inside the kiln need to be replaced as a result of your piece inflicting damage, you will be required to pay for that damage.

GLAZING SERVICES

  • If you have never glazed ceramic items before, we highly recommend you take advantage of this service.
  • Costs are assessed based on the size of the piece & the type of glaze selected.

FIRING DROP OFF & COLLECTION

  • Please contact us via text or email to arrange a firing drop off time.
  • A firing form with your contact details & information about the clay & or glazes used will need to be completed.
  • Your items will be weighed.
  • Full payment of the firing will be required before the items are fired.
  • Upon completion of your firing you will be notified via text message whereby collection details will be arranged.
  • Items not collected within 3 months will be donated or recycled.

FIRING FORM

Please download and fill in our Firing Form – You are required to bring it with you when you drop off your items.

 

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