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successful tips &

techniques for
raku firing

how to raku and select

raku pottery clays, glazes,
kilns, and combustibles
This special report is brought to you with the support of Olympic Kilns.
Successful Tips and Techniques for Raku Firing:
How to raku and select raku pottery clays, glazes, kilns,
and combustibles.
Raku firing is exciting and fun. Whether you’re raku firing in your own studio or taking part in a group raku firing at a school,
workshop or community center, raku offers many rewards. Raku firing is one of the most exciting processes in ceramics.
After you place your pottery into a hot raku kiln, the anticipation builds as you wait for that final moment when the intense
heat begins to melt the raku glazes. When you remove the pieces, you can feel the heat and hear the pings of your red hot
work rapidly cooling, then it’s into the raku combustibles for a round of flame and smoke. Many surprises await you as you
clean the surface and reveal the wonders of raku pottery.

How to Raku
by John Ramer Sherrill
Raku pottery is tremendously popular. The wide range of raku glazing and raku firing methods,
and the surprises that come from every firing hold the interest of potters everywhere. While
many achieve consistent results, many potters as well as students have been unhappy with
their raku attempts. Here is a rundown of the basics you need for success at firing raku.

Raku Clay
by Bill Jones
When deciding on a suitable raku pottery clay, your chances for success increase with bodies
specifically formulated or adjusted for the raku pottery process.

Buying a Raku Kiln

by Steven Branfman
There are many configurations for raku kilns—top loaders, front loaders, top hats, car kilns, and clam
shells. Here’s a brief overview of what you need to know to buy the raku kiln you need.

Raku Kiln Design Revisited

by Jim Wylder
While the natural variation of raku firing can be appealing, learn how to gain more control over your
raku kiln and its fired results with these simple kiln design updates.

Pop Goes the Slip! Naked Raku

by Charlie and Linda Riggs
Naked Raku gets it’s name because an outer covering of slip falls off during firing leaving the
naked clay body behind. Discover what’s underneath by trying out Charlie and Linda Riggs’
naked raku techniques.

Nature Inspired Firings

by Sinéad Glynn
Want to up your raku game? Try the ferric-chloride firing technique–a unique alternative firing
process that involves dipping and pouring ferric chloride onto fired clay. This technique is often
used alongside other bare clay techniques and produces a wide variety of surfaces.

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 Raku Kiln Design Revisited
by Jim Wylder

Even out the temperature and glaze melt for repeatable results in your raku kiln by adding a muffle-kiln
inspired combustion chamber.

The recycled raku kiln has been around for a long time, with variations both sides. The teeth on the hole saw were wearing down fast, so I
as countless as the potters who fire them. Moving bricks around, cut all 9 holes only about 1⁄8-inch deep on both sides initially so that
messing with the burner settings, and adjusting the chimney opening the saw would seat on the next pass. Once both sides were drilled
is fun, but eventually, you just want consistent results. to 1 inch deep, there was still 1⁄2 inch of brick in the center that was
The result I wanted was an even melt on my sensitive two-step not drilled because the hole saw didn’t reach any further. I chipped
naked raku glaze. I had been getting over-melt on one side and under- the material out from both sides of the hole with a screwdriver and
melt on the other because of inconsistent heating. The temperature was then able to run the hole saw all the way through to clean up
difference from the top to the bottom of the kiln was large enough the cut holes.
to force poor decisions—like adjusting the gas pressure, primary air, This new combustion chamber layer is raised on bricks 41/2 inches
or damper, or a combination thereof—when the pot was nearly ready higher than the kiln floor to allow for a burner port measuring 31⁄4×23⁄4
for the reduction bucket. I needed to figure out how to stabilize the inches (2). I then stack a whole kiln shelf over the drilled combustion
temperature of the kiln when firing. chamber top using 11⁄2-inch posts (see 1). This design disperses the
As usual, the answer was in the studio already. I had been gifted a flame as it enters the kiln and results in more evenly fired wares. To
dead electric kiln with a base and lid. The base had long ago become draw the flame up and out the top of the kiln, a 3-inch diameter
the bottom of my raku kiln. The lid was now to become the top flue is drilled through the lid (3). The kiln chamber height is adjusted
of a new combustion chamber—in the style of the muffle kilns of as needed by removing one or more of the 4 blank rings. Each ring
yesteryear—to help even out the kiln temperature. is 41⁄2 inches high. I like to have about 4 inches between the top of
the pottery and the bottom of the lid. I wear kiln goggles and use
Equipment and Procedure a flashlight to keep track of the surface melt. Usually the pull is at
• Old electric kiln with a base and lid about 1400°F (760°C), but it depends on how you get there. I prefer
• Recycled kiln lid the same size as your kiln slow and steady.
• Electric drill My burner fuel is natural gas, but I have used propane in the past.
• 1
⁄4-inch drill bit Both are excellent, but propane is hotter and faster. The test firing took
• 21⁄8-inch hole saw a little longer than usual, but the results exceeded all expectations. I
A 21⁄8-inch hole saw (see 4) was used to make 9 evenly spaced holes was cautious with all adjustments, keeping the flue open during the
in the lid (1). The lid is 21⁄2 inches thick but the hole saw I had would entire firing. The gas regulator was set and left at 5 inches water column
only drill to a depth of 1 inch. To remedy this, I drilled a 1⁄4-inch hole pressure. The primary air control was moderately opened to maintain
all the way through as a guide, so that I could drill each hole from a neutral to oxidizing flame and was checked every 15 minutes. The

1 2 3

1 The floor of the kiln with the 9 newly drilled holes. 2 The combustion chamber is 41/2 inches in height. The gas valve is
set 3/4 open and the primary air is open 11/2 turns. 3 Kiln fully assembled showing lid with flue to draw the flame up and
out of the kiln when firing.

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 4 5 6

4 A 21/8-inch hole saw, 1/4-inch drill bit, and electric drill. 5 Two-step naked raku globe, Sacrificial Slip (recipe: EPK Ka-
olin—47%, Silica—53%, mix to a specific gravity of 1.15), Sacrificial Glaze (recipe: Ferro Frit 3134—85%, EPK Kaolin—15%,
mix to a specific gravity of 1.58). 6 Two-step naked raku sculpture, constructed from leather-hard extrusions.

burner whispers when adjusted correctly and roars or stutters when pulley system. Just remove the lid to expose the platter and within
there is too much air. The firing took 2 hours and 20 minutes to reach seconds it can be transferred to the reduction bucket.
1400°F (760°C). A safe, sure way to remove platters from the kiln is to make two
lifters from the metal wire handles of 5-gallon buckets. Replace the
Results plastic handle grip with wood. Heat the ends of the wire with a
This combustion chamber muffle design appears to minimize other propane torch and bend them to an L shape (they will look like very
firing faults as the heat is more evenly distributed through the kiln. large staples). The arms of the lifters can be bent to accommodate
It slows the temperature rise at the beginning but provides a more any size tile or platter.
even, controlled rise as the 1000°F (538°C) mark approaches. The There have been two or more firings per week since the test firing
temperature measured from the top to the bottom of the kiln for a total to date of about 20. This combustion chamber design
chamber is very close. continues to perform beyond expectations. I am now much more
Stacking 41⁄2-inch-high blank rings on top of the combustion confident that the result of a firing will be close to my vision.
chamber allows me to adjust the height of the kiln as needed. This
makes firing larger work like platters much easier. Since the lid is the author Jim Wylder is a ceramic artist exploring two-step naked
made of compressed fiber and is very light, there is no need for a raku. Visit sites.google.com/site/wyldartsite for more images.

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 Pop Goes the Slip
by Linda and Charlie Riggs

Naked raku gets its racy name because able across the country. We found one that
during the process of firing, the outer shell worked very well, Hawthorne, but then later,
of slip that was applied falls off and the sur- through serendipity, made a batch with Lin-
face of the pot returns to the original clay ex- coln fire clay and it stayed on the pot even more
terior. The pot is then “naked,” without a covering reliably during the raku process. The final recipe we
of glaze, whereas in a standard raku firing, a potter applies arrived at is measured by volume: 5 parts Lincoln fire clay, 3
glaze to the pot and fires it to the desired temperature. The parts EPK kaolin, and 2 parts alumina hydrate. Mix this up with
glaze matures on the pot and becomes part of the pot as a water into a thick slip.
decorative surface.
The Process
Like Dry Cracked Mud Mix the dry ingredients with water until you get a consistency
We use a method of naked raku that employs a very thick slip of thick cake batter (figure 1). Add more alumina hydrate if the
that is applied to the surface of a pot. When it dries, it shrinks slip doesn’t stick well to the pot during the raku process and
and crackles like mud does on the side of a road. The vessel is subtract it from the recipe if the slip is difficult to remove from
fired to 1450°F, then carefully removed from the kiln and placed the surface after firing.
into a metal can lined with newspaper. Then the can is sealed Mask off the areas you want to remain black using house
with a tight-fitting lid. This infuses the pot with smoke. The thick painter’s tape (figure 2). This tape is less sticky than regular
slip resists the smoke so that the pot surface remains white un- masking tape and is less likely to harm the surface of your pot.
derneath it. The crackles in the slip allow the smoke to reach To get a pot with uniform crackles, lower it down into the
the surface of the pot. When the pot is finished and the slip is slip and remove it all in one uniform movement (figure 3).
removed, you have a pot with a beautiful black crackle surface. Carefully remove the tape, taking care not to get any slip on
This technique requires persistence and patience. It takes the areas that you want to remain black (figure 4). This slip is
practice to remove the pot from the kiln without knocking off very sticky at this stage and is difficult to wipe off without leav-
the slip. The slip itself requires slight adjustments to the amount ing residual clay marks on the pot.
of alumina. It is also important to use the right type of fire clay Immediately put the pot into your raku kiln (figure 5). This
in your slip. To find a slip that works for us, we bought samples means within first 2–5 minutes after applying the slip. Don’t
of all of the types of fire clay we could find that were easily avail- allow any drying at all. Fire the kiln quickly to 400–500°F and

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 1 2

Mix the dry ingredients with water until a cake batter- Mask off the areas you want to remain black using house
like consistency is achieved. Add more alumina hydrate painter’s tape.
as needed.

3 4

To get a pot with uniform crackles, lower it down into Carefully, but quickly, remove the tape, taking care not
the slip and remove it in one uniform movement. to get any slip on the areas that you want to remain
black.

5 6

Within first 2–5 minutes after applying the slip, put the While the pot is in the kiln, line a steel can that is slightly
pot immediately into your raku kiln. Don’t allow it to dry larger than the pot with a several sheets of newspaper.
at all.

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 7 8

After the kiln reaches 1450°F, remove the pot with raku Allow the pot to cool in the can for about 10 minutes.
tongs and place it in the metal can reduction chamber. Open the lid, allow the smoke to clear and look in. The
slip will be black.

9 10

The slip may fall off as you remove it from the can or you Remove excess slip and dust from the pot with a plastic
may need to wait until you can remove the slip using scraper, or an old credit card.
your fingers.

soak at that temperature until the slips loses all its moisture Allow it to cool in the can for about 10 minutes. Open the lid,
and begins to crackle (about 15 minutes). It will turn a dull gray allow the smoke to clear, and look in. The slip will be black (figure
and no longer have a shine on the surface. Then fire the pot up 8). Wearing raku/welders gloves, lift the pot out. Note: The piece
to 1450°F. may still be very hot, so use caution when handling it, even
While the pot is in the kiln, line a steel can that is slightly larger when wearing gloves. Place it on a kiln shelf, fire brick, or other
than the pot with a several sheets of newspaper (figure 6). This non-flammable surface to cool. The slip will either fall off as you
remove it from the can or you will need to wait until it cools so
size of container lessens the air space during the smoking pro-
you can gently remove the slip using your fingers (figure 9). Re-
cess, which will force more carbon/smoke into the slip crackles
move excess slip and dust from the pot with a plastic scraper, or
on the pot.
an old credit card (figure 10). Rub the rest of the dust off with a
At 1450°F (figure 7), use raku tongs to quickly and carefully re-
terry cloth towel. The cleaned pot is ready to seal with wax or an
move the pot and place it in the metal can reduction chamber acrylic sealant.
that’s been prepared for it. Place some newspaper on top of the
Linda and Charlie Riggs are featured in the Naked Raku and Related Bare
pot before closing the can. This enhances the blackening of the Clay Techniques book by Eduardo Lazo. Visit ceramicartsnetwork.org/shop for
piece from the top down. more information.

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 Nature Inspired Firings
by Sinéad Glynn

I’m inspired daily by the world around me; my interests

Choosing a Clay Body
range from the microscopic to the celestial. I’m also fasci-
It’s important to choose a clay body that will withstand
nated with how material, process, and form relate to one thermal shock as the fluctuating temperatures involved
another. I explore the co-existence of the unique with the with raku firings can cause the ceramic to fracture. A mid-
similar by creating multiples with various surface finishes to high-fire clay body that contains grog is ideal.
and using natural materials that dictate the final outcome.
When creating my forms, I prefer slip casting. I enjoy the Ferric Chloride Application
precision and problem solving of mold making and the I prefer to use a combination of dipping and pouring to
repetition of slip casting. Slip casting allows me to create apply the ferric chloride onto the pieces. Layering differ-
ent amounts of ferric chloride can also cause different re-
similar multiples where the variation in each piece comes
actions in the firing process. It’s important that each layer
from the seemingly uncontrollable effects of the raku firing
is allowed to soak into the ceramic form, then dry before
process.
the next layer is applied (3).
Ferric-chloride firing is a unique alternative firing process Many different combustibles can be used in the firing
I use, alongside other bare clay techniques. The effects of process, each giving a different color or pattern effect. Ap-
ferric-chloride firings are impossible to reproduce, which plying sugar to wet ferric chloride causes a halo effect after
adds to the individuality of each piece. the firing. Dip the form into the ferric chloride to get another

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 Ferric Chloride Safety
Ferric-chloride firings, like other alter-
native firing techniques, require care-
ful planning and specialized safety
equipment. This particular process
produces vapors during the firing that
are an inhalation hazard. Ferric chlo-
ride is an etching fluid and should be
handled with great care. It’s corrosive
and harmful if inhaled or swallowed.
1
Every precaution should be taken to
reduce any risk while using this tech- Protect your work area with plastic sheeting and newspaper. Use
nique. Prior to using ferric chloride, plastic containers, ferric chloride is high corrosive and will destroy
metal tools.
please read its material safety data
sheet for potential health risks and
effects (available at www.sciencelab.
com). Always use and store ferric
chloride (a liquid) in a sealable plastic
container. Place the bottle in a sepa-
rate plastic box lined with newspaper
to catch any overspill that may run
from the bottle while you’re using it.
Wear two pairs of latex/non-latex
gloves and safety glasses to protect
your skin and eyes from spills or
splashes. A vapor respirator should
be worn to protect from fumes. Only
use this liquid in a well-ventilated
2
room, or outside, and have running
water close by in case of an emer- When applying ferric chloride, wear protective clothing including: an
apron, two pairs of latex/non-latex gloves, a vapor respirator, and
gency. Wear an apron to protect your
safety glasses.
clothes (1, 2).

3 4 5

Pour ferric chloride over bisque-fired Sprinkling sugar onto wet ferric Be careful not to knock the sugar
forms. Apply at least two layers. chloride causes a halo effect in the from the surface after the ferric
firing process. chloride dries.

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 6 7

Many different combustibles can be used in the firing process, each giving a Spray a layer of hairspray on foil to
different color or pattern effect. hold light combustibles in place.

Prepare the saggars by spraying cheap

hairspray on a layer of foil. Allow this to
dry for a few minutes until it becomes
tacky/sticky (7). At this point, sprinkle on
a small amount of seeds, copper carbon-
ate, and any other light combustibles.
The hairspray holds these combustibles
in place when you wrap the form, stop-
ping them from sinking to the bottom of
the saggar. Place the dry, ferric-chloride
covered form into the center of the foil
sheet. Add heavier combustibles like sea-
8 9 weed, onion skins, and/or horsehair on
Larger combustibles can be placed Wrap the saggar with three of four or around the form (8). Take care not to
on and around the form. layers of foil. overload the combustibles, as too much
will cause a blackening of the form. Care-
fully wrap the first layer, allowing some
thin layer prior to sprinkling a small amount of sugar on the surface (4). The ferric space between the form and the foil
chloride dries around the sugar crystal, so care must be taken not to disturb the where the fuming will take place. If the
surface during the next stage (5). Set the form aside to dry completely. It’s really foil is wrapped tightly against the form, a
important that the ferric chloride has dried completely before coming in contact different effect can be achieved. Contin-
with tin foil. ue to wrap the saggar with three or four
layers of foil (9).
Choosing Combustibles
A combination of the fumes from the combustibles reacting with the ferric chlo- Raku Firing
ride and the foil saggars creates various fuming patterns and colors. Varying the The raku kiln should be set up outside,
combinations of combustibles will give you even further color opportunities. Af- keeping in mind what direction the
ter many experiments, I have found my favorite combinations, but this is where wind is blowing. The fumes that are cre-
you can experiment. I use poppy and sesame seeds, used coffee grounds, herbal ated during the firing process are highly
teas, onion skins, and various dried seaweeds. Horsehair, copper carbonate, and toxic, so work upwind. Remember that
various oxides can also be used (6). when you go to open the foil saggars,
they need to be placed so that you are
Foil Saggars still upwind of any lingering fumes to
Various grades of foil can be used, but a thicker variety is better. Altering the reduce your risk of inhalation. It’s also
number of foil layers will also affect the end result. As the bottom of the kiln is important that these fumes don’t come
hotter than the top, use more layers to wrap the saggars that will be placed on into contact with unsuspecting neigh-
the bottom shelf. bors and/or animals, so choose an area

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 10 11

Fumes created during the firing are toxic, so work up- When loading the raku kiln, place saggars individually on
wind and wear protective clothing and gear. each shelf or tumble stack them.

All photos of finished fired work: Rory Moore.

12

As the piece cools watch the color become more Gatherings, 20 in. (51 cm) height, slip-cast earthenware, bisque
vivid. Remove any ash deposits. Note the sugar fired to 1980ºF (1082°C) (cone 03), raku fired to 1385–1652ºF
halo effect. (752–900°C), 2012.

to fire the kiln that possesses the least amount of risk. A affect your end result. Keep a record of all your results so
vapor respirator is essential throughout the entire firing that a similar effect can be achieved in the future.
and cooling process. I also use a full-face shield to protect
my eyes from both heat and fumes. Welder’s gloves and an Cooling, Cleaning, Sealing
apron will provide added protection from the heat (10). Once the top temperature is reached, turn off the kiln and
The saggars can be placed individually on each shelf (11), allow it to cool a little before opening. Carefully remove the
or tumble stacked. Begin the firing slowly. After approxi- saggar and place it on the ground, open the saggar slightly
mately 20 minutes, hold the temperature between 446– to allow the fumes to disperse. If you’ve fired to the higher
500°F (230–260°C) for anywhere between 6–8 minutes. This temperature, the foil will have started to disintegrate, so
allows the combustibles to begin fuming. The gas will need extra care is needed when removing it from the kiln.
to be tweaked continuously for this temperature to be held After the fumes have dispersed, open the saggar com-
for the required time. Moderately raise the temperature pletely. When the pieces are exposed to the air they begin
above 1112°F (600°C) over the next 20 minutes; the last to cool and the colors will develop. Very often they’re quite
part of the firing can be done over the next 10 minutes de- dull to begin with but the colors become more vivid when
pending on what result you’re aiming for. Generally speak- the temperature drops. Once the forms are cool enough to
ing, the firing results I desire take approximately 1 hour. The handle, remove any ash deposits with a soft brush (12).
top temperature also varies from between 1382–1652°F Finally, seal the forms with an acrylic spray; semi-gloss,
(750–900°C). Purples, pinks, and whites are achieved at the gloss, or matte finishes can be experimented with. The seal-
hotter temperatures while yellows, oranges, and reds are er intensifies the color and protects the surface from dirt
gained at the lower temperatures. However, this technique and dust. Use light layers to avoid any unsightly drips and
requires much experimentation, as so many variables will allow the surface to dry completely between layers.

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Fire Up the Fun with an Olympic Gas or Electric TopHat Raku Kiln
Multiple Sizes Available in Gas or Electric

OlympicKilns.com