Cleaning:

Can I clean the seams while it is still wet?

It is possible to clean the seams while still wet but you need some very soft brushes and practice. With mini dolls, it is quite easy to do the fine cleaning with a soft wet brush and just the finish cleaning after soft-firing.

How long does the greenware need to dry before I can clean it?

Greenware must be throughouly dried and preferably soft-fired before cleaning. At least 3 days or more is necessary for the porcelain to dry.

How do I clean greenware?

Cleaning greenware in an unfired state is dangerous to your health and really messy. It is best to soft-fire it first ( cone 020 - 018) and use the wet cleaning method. You can get results as good as dry cleaning or better using the wet method and a bit of practice.

What is SFGW?

SFGW is short for Soft Fired GreenWare. It is greenware that has been fired to cone 020-018. This hardens the porcelain slightly. You can still cleaning after immersing it in water for about 15 minutes. SFGW is less delicate than regular greenware, though you still need a light touch. By keeping the greenware wet, you avoid the dust which is harmful and messy.

How do I clean SFGW?

Get a bucket or tub which will hold enough water to cover your sfgw. Fill it with warm water and set on your worktable. Slowly immerse your greenware pieces in the water, allowing the air to escape slowly and not letting the water go "glug" into the pieces. Let soak for at least 15 minutes. Leaving it longer won't hurt it. While the greenware is soaking get the following equipment ready: foam pad, towel, grit scrubbers, pink scrubbie, exacto knife with new blade, detailing tool, finger tools, soft tips, diamond bits, screw for deepening grooves, gloves, eye gauge, eye bevelers and any other tools you have found handy. You do not need all these tools at the beginning as you can do a fine job of cleaning with just a pink scrubbie, the exacto knife and the eye gauge and bevelers. The other tools just make the job easier.

If you are cutting the eyes, do it first. That way if you chip an eye or crack the piece, you haven't spent all that time on the rest of the head. (see eye cutting in the techniques section)
Gently scrape the seams and then in small circular motions, rub the pink side of the scrubbie over the seam lines until you can no longer feel the seams. Clean the rest of the greenware with the white side of the scrubbie ( smooth side) or your finger tips to remove any flaws or nicks. Using the detailing tool and soft tips detail the finger nails, and toe nails and put back any details that were lost in the cleaning process. Let dry slightly and check under a good light or natural sunlight for any scratches you might have missed.

What is the advantage of SFGW vs Greenware?

Porcelain is made up of a lot of silica. This fine powder is deadly to your lungs. It settles in your lungs and the body cannot get rid of it. It can cause permenant health problems. By wet cleaning soft fired greenware, the dust particals are suspended in the water instead of getting in the air for all the breath.

Firing:

What are cones and witness cones?
Witness cones are large cones you go on the shelf to verify the firing temperature.
cones or jr cones, go in the cone sitter. As the kiln comes to the correct temperature they bend and shut the kiln off.

What cone do I use for a bisque fire?
Depending on your kiln you would use a cone 6 or 7 for a true cone 6 firing. Some kilns fire hot and need just a cone 6. Most require a cone 7 to get to the cone 6 temperature.

What cone do I use for a china paint fire?

China paints can be fired at cone 017, 018, 019 depending on the colours. Usually cone 018 is a fairly all purpose setting. Some reds may fade slightly at that cone, so you might need a cone 019 for the final firing.

How many times can a piece be fired?

How many times do you want to fire it? Multiple firings will not harm the porcelain. You might want to fire your reds in later firings as some of those colours might fade. You can fire a head 8 or 10 times without harming it.

Can I put my pieces right on the shelf?

If you are firing bisque, you MUST have your shelves kiln washed. Porcelain will fuse to anything not kiln washed during a bisque firing. Kiln wash is hydrated alumina that you mix with water and paint smoothly on your shelves.

How do I use prop?

As porcelain comes to cone 6, it turns to a liquid state. As it cools, it vitrifies - turns to a glass like solid. During the firing you must place your pieces in such a way that they won't collapse during the molten stage. Most heads can be placed on a light layer of kiln sand on the kiln washed shelves. Should-plates, shoulder heads, some legs and bent arms will need to be supported in some way. This is where prop comes in handy. A small bit of prop place in the cavity opening or under a bent hand will prevent sagging. The first time you fire prop, it will expand slightly. In subsequent firings, the prop will remain the same.

How do I use sand?

Sand is sprinkled on the kiln shelves to provide a slipper surface for the porcelain pieces. This is needed because the porcelain will shrink about 15% during firing. If there is no sand under the pieces, they can catch on the shelves and this causes warping.

Do I fire with the plug holes open or closed?
It depends on your kiln. Usually one hole is left open to allow ventilation. Sometimes this causes cold spots in the kiln. Then it is better to fire with all peep holes closed. Firing with ventilation often gives "truer" paint colours and less fading.

How long does a bisque or china paint fire take?

A bisque firing can take anywhere from 4.5 hours to 10 hours.
Paint firings can take anywhere from 2 - 5 hours.

How long before I can open the kiln after a fire?

WAIT until your kiln is completely cool. Opening the kiln while still hot can cause thermal expansion of the pieces and thus lots of breakage. While it is sometimes frustrating to have to wait the extra time, it is much safer.

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