Ancient Copper Made Me Fire It THREE Times! | Glaze Firings 6, 7 & 8

Glaze Firings #6, #7 & #8 | Chasing the Elusive Ancient Copper Sparkle Sometimes getting the glaze result you’re chasing takes a little persistence… or in this case, three firings! In this video, I’m continuing my quest to bring out that beautiful metallic copper sparkle in Ancient Copper. My original firing program was simply running too cool, so I made some adjustments and decided to refire several pieces to see if I could finally coax out the finish I knew was hiding in there. Firing attempt #2 brought an entirely different problem. I forgot to open the kiln room window for proper ventilation, the room climbed to over 99°F, and my Skutt controller went into protection mode. The kiln shut down before reaching my intended peak temperature of 2190°F. Lesson learned: apparently the kiln likes a little fresh air too. 😂 So… back to the drawing board. For firing #3, I adjusted the peak temperature again, this time to 2215°F — and finally… SUCCESS! The Ancient Copper came alive with that gorgeous metallic copper color and sparkle I’d been chasing. I felt a little like a leprechaun who finally found the gold at the end of the rainbow. 🌈✨ There were mishaps, refires, plenty of experimenting, and some really pleasant surprises along the way — which is pretty much the reality of pottery. Every kiln opening teaches me something new. Thanks for coming along for another adventure in the Carpe Diem Pottery studio! If you enjoy pottery, glaze experiments, kiln openings, and seeing both the successes and the things that don’t quite go according to plan, please like, subscribe, and follow along. Carpe Diem Living Enjoy the moment. More About heatwork check out Sue Mcleod’s Website below: https://suemcleodceramics.com/do-you-put-witness-cones-in-every-firing/ For additional firing examples, testing, and discussion about AMACO Ancient Copper, visit the AMACO Cone 5–6 Glaze Forum on Facebook. AMACO Cone 5–6 Glaze Forum Specific Ancient Copper / Copper Float Testing Post: View the Copper Testing Post Note: You may need to be logged into Facebook and/or be a member of the group to view the post. A Note About AMACO Ancient Copper Ancient Copper can be a beautiful glaze, but it can also be extremely sensitive to the firing schedule. In addition to applying the glaze appropriately, Ancient Copper tends to perform best with a very specific firing program, little to no soak at peak temperature, and a relatively fast cool. Small changes in heatwork can make a surprisingly big difference in the final copper, bronze, red, or metallic effects. For more testing, photos, firing schedules, and real-world results from other potters, I highly recommend checking out the AMACO Cone 5–6 Glaze Forum on Facebook. There are some excellent Ancient Copper discussions there, including testing comparing new Ancient Copper, old Ancient Copper, and Mayco Copper Float at Cone 6, refired Cone 6, and Cone 7. The testing shown here reported particularly strong results from the new Ancient Copper and Copper Float at Cone 6 and Cone 7. Important disclaimer: Glaze results are never completely universal. Clay body, glaze thickness and application, placement within the kiln, firing rate, and the actual heatwork achieved in your individual kiln can all affect the outcome. Two kilns programmed to the same temperature can produce different results—which is exactly why witness cones and testing are so valuable. In other words: use other potters’ results as a starting point, not a guarantee. Test, take notes, use your cones, and learn what Ancient Copper likes in your kiln. https://carpediempottery.com