Ceramic Reduction Fire Definition

Most pottery professionals don t like to describe it especially to a persnickety chemist.

Ceramic reduction fire definition.

In traditional ceramics reduction firing requires a specially designed fuel fired kiln that restricts the flow of incoming air so there is enough to burn the fuel and no more in some cases it is restricted so that is actually less than enough to introduce carbon into the atmosphere. It is the lack of oxygen in the last part of the process that is critical for the desired effects. It is bisque fired and then glaze fired. A reduction environment is an enclosed space with a reduced amount of oxygen.

This may not sound like things that will affect your pottery but it can. A reduction atmosphere occurs when the amount of available oxygen is reduced. Usually this consists of a metal garbage can with combustible materials inside such as newspapers saw dust leaves or pine needles. Fuel burning kilns give the artist control of how much or how little oxygen enters the firing chamber and when.

Reduction firing is typically done in a gas or other fuel burning kiln since the corrosive effects wear out the elements on an electric kiln. The reduction firing process almost as a standard the process of reduction is described with some degree of equivocation no matter where you go or in which ceramic setting you work. Reduction firing is the exact opposite of oxidation firing. Ceramic work is typically fired twice.

In reduction firing oxygen is prevented from interacting with the glazes during glaze maturation. Firing converts ceramic work from weak clay into a strong durable crystalline glasslike form. The piece is inserted into the garbage can and the lid put on. If you want more time in reduction without more heat work reduce the amount of fuel you may also need to reduce air intake and close the exit flue or damper even more so that the kiln is soaking rather than gaining heat.

This is done by adjusting the fuel in a gas kiln or by adding organic material such as in raku. Reduction causes most ceramic materials such as your glazes to melt faster. An oxidation atmosphere has plenty of oxygen for the fuel to burn.