Ceramic Reduction Fire Definition

Fuel burning kilns give the artist control of how much or how little oxygen enters the firing chamber and when.

Ceramic reduction fire definition.

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. Moving quickly the hot pieces are put into a reduction environment. It is the lack of oxygen in the last part of the process that is critical for the desired effects. 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. This is done by adjusting the fuel in a gas kiln or by adding organic material such as in raku. Ceramic work is typically fired twice. 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.

The piece is inserted into the garbage can and the lid put on. It is bisque fired and then glaze fired. 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. This may not sound like things that will affect your pottery but it can.

An oxidation atmosphere has plenty of oxygen for the fuel to burn. Reduction causes most ceramic materials such as your glazes to melt faster. Firing converts ceramic work from weak clay into a strong durable crystalline glasslike form. 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.

A reduction environment is an enclosed space with a reduced amount of oxygen. Most pottery professionals don t like to describe it especially to a persnickety chemist. The oxidation process for example can alter the color of the glazes or paint you ve chosen to use.