Who you, a Guru? After you read these 1,919 Ceramics tips, you'll be one. But we're looking to recruit a Guru to blog, write a 101 tip Ceramics book, and become a leader of this community.
Hot topics for both consumers and webmarketers on WebmasterRadio.FM
Every Wednesday, 4PM Eastern.
Cadmium
Cadmium Used as a pigment in glazes. Can cause respiratory diseases, osteoporosis, cancer and other problems. For more information, see Article on Cadmium!
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Keep your people safe
Keep your people safe Keep hazardous material under supervision and away from children and untrained personnel. Always keep hazardous and toxic materials in their appropriate workspace. Do not move them into a situation that would allow them to become a hazard.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Gum Arabic
Gum Arabic may cause asthma and eye inflammations.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Toxic Material list
Toxic Elements Silica: Sources- Quartz flint, frits, feldspars clays and glazes Vanadium: Sources- vanadium pentoxide and ceramic colours. Cadmium and selenium: Sources- ceramic colours and glazes Lead: Sources-Lead oxide, frits and glazes Chromium: Sources- Chrome oxide and some ceramic colours( greens) Copper: Sources- copper oxide, carbonate and some ceramic colours Zinc: Sources- zinc oxide, some ceramic colours Borax: Sources- borax frits
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Kaolin also see silica
Kaolin similar to silica.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Eyes
Wear welding goggles when looking into a glowing kiln, otherwise eye cataracts will develop over the years.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Asbestos
Asbestos is calcium magnesium silicate. Since the danger of asbestosis has been recognised (silicosis), asbestos has been completely phased out and replaced by ceramic fibre. Old kilns might still have asbestos as door seals and electric element tail packing.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Health and safety data sheets
Health and safety data sheets. When purchasing ceramic material, request individual health and safety data sheets. These will enable you to assess any risk and apply any control measures that may be needed.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Handling Toxic Materials
Hands should be washed immediately and thoroughly after handling glaze materials and any other toxic minerals.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Footwear
Open footwear, eg. sandals, etc, are inadequate. Full protection is needed for your feet.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Asbestos
Asbestos: causes particularly nasty fibrosis if inhaled.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Gas kiln ignition
Never ignite a gas kiln without opening the door a short way first. Accumulated gas can ignite and explode. Opening the door allows igniting gas to escape.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Toxic materials
What materials are toxic? The two materials that are proven toxic at this time are lead and cadmium. Lead is used to make glazes flow better at low temperatures. Cadmium is used primarily to create bright orange and red colors. There are other materials which may be toxic, but there is not enough evidence that they are unsafe at this time, so they are not regulated. Many of these materials are safe in low doses (for example, nickel, barium, selenium and cobalt), but toxic in high doses. So reducing leaching as much as possible is always a good idea.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Raku OH&S: Sawdust
Raku OH&S: Sawdust Always dampen the sawdust to prevent excessive flame and lessen the risk of airborne burning particles.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Potassium
Potassium,Dichromate/Bichromate is very poisonous. Can cause kidney failure and is cancerous. Not recommended for tableware!
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Dust
Dusts in all forms in the studio should be avoided. They accumulate over the years and cause emphysema, not a nice disease to have. Take special care with silica.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Raku OH&S: water plunging
Raku OH&S: water plunging Don't drop enclosed or narrow-necked forms abruptly into water, they will explode.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
First Aid kit
First Aid Kit, safety clothing, eye protection, gloves, etc. should be easily accessible.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Floors
Floors should be kept clean. Clean up spilt clay, slip and water and other materials immediately.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Vanadium Pentoxide
Vanadium Pentoxide can cause Anemia; it a respiratory irritant.Uranium Compounds cause kidney damage, not to mention the radioactivity. For more information on Vanadium Pentoxide, Please see the Article: "Vanadium Pentoxide"
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Silica
Silica is ever present in clay materials. Repeated inhalation will cause potentially fatal silicosis, or īpottersī asthmaī, a form emphysema. The molecule (especially when fired) has a īhookī which attaches itself to the lung wall and accumulates and irritates.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Nickel Oxide
Nickel Oxide can cause cancer. Will cause skin irritation (īnickel itchī). Will penetrate skin.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Manganese
Manganese can lead to brain damage and eventually death. Will penetrate skin. For more information, please see Articles: "Manganese"
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Gases
Gases from salt kilns and reducing kilns, can cause respiration trouble or even acid corrosion of lung tissue.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Cobalt
Cobalt Oxide,Carbonate can cause liver damage and dermatitis. Will enter the body through the skin.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon Monoxide combines in the body with the hemoglobin in the blood and reduces the availability of oxygen to the body. Symptoms such as headache, dizziness and apathy are present in people when 10% of their hemoglobin combines with carbon monoxide.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Test for alkaline resistance
Ability to withstand alkaline dishwashing detergents. To test this, mix 50 grams of soda ash in 1 liter of water in a stainless steel pan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Place samples in the pan, cover, and simmer for 6 hours. Compare the color and surface gloss to a similar but untested sample.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Kiln shelves
Never brush a kiln shelf with bare hands. Jagged pieces of glaze or grit stick to the shelf and can easily tear the skin.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Plaster Storage/Use
Areas set aside for plaster work should be cleaned thoroughly after use. Buckets and other materials used for this work should be for plaster work only, minimizing the possibility of foreign mattter fouling up clay.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Material Storage
Materials should be stored in a dry place. The large wheeled airtight bins are great for this, and your back! Plaster should be set aside from these materials.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Occupational Health and Safety
Like being careful with glazes, occupational health and safety is important when firing, when using various materials, when using toxic components or when using the Raku technique. Learn about OH&S tips and techniques at ceramics.lifetips.com.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Testing for toxicity
Testing for toxicity: Toxic or hazardous materials can also be ingested by the contamination of food by toxic metals released from fired ware. Pottery for domestic use should be tested for metal release and conform to British Standard: 4800 parts 1&2 (Part 2 is for cooking only). Most pottery suppliers will arrange for this test to be carried out.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Kiln vents
Kiln vents assist greatly in simplifying firing and reducing firing defects. In addition, they improve element life by removing damaging fumes quickly. Of course, if you are firing in a structure where people are working or living, a vent is required to remove the harmful fumes from the area. This is true for bisque firing as well as glaze firing.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Raku OH&S: Before leaving the site
Raku OH&S: Before leaving the site Thoroughly douse the sawdust-reduction chamber and check the kiln before leaving the site after firing to prevent further smouldering or burning.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Auto cut-offs/failsafes
Auto cut off and failsafes are preferable and should be checked periodically.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Powercord extensions
Powercord extensions Avoid use of extension cords where they may intersect areas where traffic is most likely.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Iron Chromate
Iron Chromate May lead to acute pneumonia and cause lung cancer.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Using dry ingredients
Make sure you wear a good dust mask when working with dry ingredients. Clay dust from greenware or from glaze components can get into the lungs and over the years cause emphysema. Whenever possible, wet mop your working area; never sweep with a broom, as this throws dust up into the air, which you might breath in.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Lifting
Extreme care should be exercised when lifting heavy articles. It is essential for the studio potter to be aware of correct lifting techniques otherwise physical damage is inevitable. A trolley should be used if nescessary.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Benches
Arrangement of benches, bins, storage areas, etc., should allow maximum freedom of movement.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Raku OH&S: Kiln area
Raku OH&S: Kiln area Ensure that the area around the kiln is clear of debris
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Mica,/Muscovite,Vermiculite
Mica, Muscovite, Vermiculite, may contain traces of asbestos. Inhalation of dust will lead to lung irritation, possibly cancer.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Lithium
Lithium very toxic. Not recommended for tableware.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Ceramic materials
Ceramic Materials. When working with ceramic material, avoid creating dust: Some materials are toxic and can quickly have very serious effects upon health, while less hazardous material can still accumulate over a period of time and cause equally serious health problems. Materials in powder form can be inhaled, and materials can also be absorbed through ingestion from contaminated food, cigarettes and drink. Always wash your hands thoroughly on leaving the workshop, and avoid eating, drinking and smoking in the workshop.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Provide Safety gear
Provide Safety gear Provide control measures for the processes you are undertaking- clothing, masks, extraction systems and washing facilities. Maintain all equipment and have it serviced and checked for effectiveness.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Raku OH&S: Turning off the gas
Always turn your off gas at the cylinder. To empty the pipe of gas; guard the pipe to prevent the possibility of burning matter dropping onto it.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Toxicity in pre-fired form
Toxicity in pre-fired form (liquid or dry) Commercial glaze manufacturers label their glazes using ASTM D-4236. All their glazes are either AP Non-toxic, which means non-toxic in liquid or dry form, or CL Cautions Required, which means it has proper labeling of ingredients for health and safety. In this sense, non-toxic only refers to lead and cadmium. All glazes sold in K-12 schools must be AP Non-toxic. This is to reduce the risk of harm if a child drinks the glaze. You donīt want a lead based glaze in the classroom for example. You will see the AP Non-toxic label on the glaze bottle; a circle with an AP inside. Remember, all glazes in DRY form are unsafe for breathing, and you should use a good mask whenever dealing with dry glazes. There are chemicals such as manganese which are known to be a health hazard when breathed in dry form, but are not believed to be a problem after being fired. And even clay particles with no toxicity get trapped inside lungs and thus are bad for potters to breathe.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Handling dry ingredients
Dealing with raw materials Once measured out, powdered materials should be made into slop form immediately.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Ventilation
A well ventilated area in the immediate vicinity of the kiln is mandatory; in fact it is best to have kilns of all types outside the main studio area thus eliminating the risk of poisoning yourself with carbon monoxide, unburnt gas, sulphurous gases, etc., emitted especially during reduction.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Electrical appliances
Never turn off electrical appliances with wet hands especially in combination with water on the floor.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Fire extinguishers
Fire extinguishers should be placed in an accessible position near the studio. If a fire developes in the studio and you are keeping a fire extinguisher there, the heat may prevent you from reaching it.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
clothing
Loose clothing which may accidentally find its way into operating machinery should also be avoided. Similarly with long hair -- as above.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Magnesium Oxide
Magnesium Oxide is considered inoxious, but general rules for dusts still apply.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Iron Oxide Dust
Iron Oxide Dust is poisonous for children and can cause "iron pigmentation" of the lungs, supposedly benign but contentious.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Cleaning the workshop
Cleaning the workshop Adopt wet working and cleaning methods to avoid the creation of airborne dust. All surfaces tools and boards should be washed immediately after use.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Food and drink
Food and drink is best consumed outside the studio or in an area where contamination by chemicals, dust in the air, etc., is minimal.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Power accessibility
Accessibility of power and light switches: keep switches and electrical cables away from water or if this cannot be avoided sufficient protection against contact should be made.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Uranium Compounds
Uranium Compounds cause kidney damage, not to mention the radioactivity.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Copper
Copper Salts are irritants to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. Inhalation of copper dust and fume results in irritation of the respiratory tract. For more information on copper and its effects, Please see Article "Copper"
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Wedging
Incorrect methods of wedging large pieces of clay may cause injuries, especially to the back. Damage may occur after a period of several years. When wedging you should be well aware of your capabilities of lifting a piece of clay, remembering that this weight has to be maneouvered at least 21 times before it is wedged. Back and stomach muscles are strained if the weight is too heavy. Secondly, the hands should be released from the piece of clay on the downward movement, just before it makes contact with its other half, otherwise the sudden curtailing of momentum at table level creates jarring tremor which is transferred through the body via the hands, the latter of which acts as a lever and jerks the spine.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Talc/Tin Oxide
Talc/Tin Oxide
can result in īstannosisī, supposedly a benign condition.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Testing for thermal shock resistance
Ability to withstand thermal shock. This does not mean that you can place a ceramic pan over a flame, or directly into a hot oven. It is very difficult to make pieces that can go directly over flames, and not something an individual should attempt. Ceramic casseroles, etc. should be put into the oven at room temperature, and brought up to temperature slowly. However, your customers might not know this, and even if you tell them, they probably wonīt remember. To test for thermal shock, place a test pot in the freezer for several hours. Then submerge the piece in a pot of boiling water. (Alternately, put the pot in the sink and pour the boiling water into it.) Repeat this 3 times, looking for minute crazing on the glaze. It is also a good idea to do what a customer would do. Take a completed piece out of the refrigerator, and put it into an already heated oven. Make sure the piece does not crack.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
To test microwave safety
Ability to go from the dishwasher to the microwave. Metal overglazes should never go in the microwave, so it is a good idea to keep them off mugs and other dinnerware items. Other than that, the problem with microwaves is if there is any water trapped inside the clay, it will expand in the microwave and cause the piece to crack. Low fire clays are porous by nature, and always problematic in the microwave. If your glaze is fit very tightly (can withstand the thermal shock test with no crazing), then the glaze may prevent water from getting into the clay, and this will be ok in the microwave. High fire clays should be fired to vitrification to keep water out. (See Tip 17 for more information about vitrification.) To test microwave safety, take a piece (such as a mug or bowl) and immerse in a pan of water. Bring the water to a boil, then simmer for a few hours. This will allow the piece to absorb water. Then put the piece in the microwave. (The piece should be empty, and you should also put a separate mug of water in the microwave to protect the microwave.) Heat the microwave on high in 10 second increments. After each 10 seconds, carefully touch the piece to see if it is hot. If it has absorbed water, it will heat up. This tells you the piece is not dishwasher safe. You can stop the test when the water in the second mug is boiling.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Resistance to abrasion
Resistance to abrasion (does it scratch easily with silverware?). You can test this yourself. It is usually a problem more with matt glazes than shiny.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Raku OH&S: Foot-ware
Raku OH&S: Foot-ware Wear strong footwear in case you drop red-hot objects.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Spraying OH&S
Spraying OH&S Never spray any ceramic material outside an adequate extraction booth; ensure the filter is clean and extraction is effective (it should be checked regularly). Wear a mask and protective clothing.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Selenium
Selenium affects the liver.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Ferrous Sulphite
Ferrous Sulphite can be fatal and should be avoided. Fiber Blanket especially in the fired state can shed invisible floating fibres that have similar effects to asbestos.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Test for acid resistance
Ability to handle acidic foods. To test for acid resistance, slightly squeeze a slice of lemon to get the juices flowing, and leave the whole slice on the glaze overnight. See if the color changes. If it does, there is some leaching going on. A customer could run into this same color change, and there may be chemicals leaking out. Another way to test this is to put a sample in vinegar for 3 days. Finally, there is lab testing, described later.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Toxicity: Dinnerware
Safe for Dinnerware Use This is what most potters are interested in. Can you use a certain glaze on a piece which will contain food and beverages? Toxicity is one aspect of this. If there is no lead or cadmium in your glaze (including no Frits which contain lead), and your kiln is not contaminated with lead, then you pass one toxicity test (for lead and cadmium). (If you have fired leaded glazes before, your kiln brick may have absorbed lead and could be depositing it on current firings. You can get an inexpensive kit at the hardware store to test your kiln for lead release. And of course you should never fire dinnerware in a kiln with other leaded glazes.) There are some glazes that have lead or cadmium and still say they are dinnerware safe. They have been fired and tested, and found to pass the test for lead and cadmium release. (A small amount of leaching is allowed by law.) There are also some glazes where the cadmium is encapsulated in other glaze ingredients which traps it when fired. The only caution here is that your firing conditions will be different, so it is possible that your pieces could leach when the test pieces did not. For this reason, it is best to have a sample tested anytime you use glazes which contain lead or cadmium. Later on I will tell you how to do that. Any time you begin to layer glazes, you are pretty much on your own. Any testing that the manufacturer did will not be applicable. If you donīt use any glazes with lead or cadmium as ingredients, you are pretty safe (with the caveats above.) Otherwise, test! Many potters believe that you should never use these ingredients in dinnerware period. Who knows what may happen to the glaze after years of use, after going through the dishwasher 30 times, after the glazes craze, after they are microwaved and frozen and bombarded with acidic food. It is always possible that a piece will leach lead or cadmium at some point in the future. So to be safe, just avoid them. Then of course there are the ingredients which are not regulated, but may be toxic especially in high amounts. Unfortunately there is no simple answer to this problem. If you are producing dinnerware then it is advised that you have sample pieces tested for the various ingredients which might be leaching.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Kilns
Kilns should be checked, so that they meet regulations stipulated by your regional councils.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Sulpher Dioxide
Sulpher Dioxide is a strong lung irritant and can form when firing soluble metal salts.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Lead
Lead is an accumulative poison. It can be stored in the bone structure for years before a fatal dose is accumulated. Beware of raw lead forms, such as white or yellow lead, which are extremely toxic. Use lead frits instead. Do not use for tableware. For more information on the effects of lead, Please see Article: "Lead"
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Gas leak check
To check for gas leaks use a gas detector or soapy water and a brush, but never use a naked flame.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Platinum
Platinum may cause asthma.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Carbon Dioxide
Carbon Dioxide If the oxygen level falls, hearing will decrease, pulse and blood pressure rise. Carbon dioxide forms during combustion firing processes.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Raku OH&S: Using LPG
Raku OH&S: Using LPG When using liquefied petroleum gas, thoroughly acquaint yourself with the suppliers' recommendations on storage and use.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Alumina dust
Alumina dust is a nuisance to lungs, wear a mask.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Barium Carbonate
Barium Carbonate A dangerous form of barium, as it forms a soluble chloride in the stomach and accumulates. It affects muscles, in particular the heart, increasing its excitability, leading to high blood pressure and internal bleeding. Will penetrate the skin. Not recommended for food ware, as it may leach.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Eating and drinking
Workshop OH&S Do not smoke, drink or eat in the pottery workshop.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Storing Liquids
Storing Liquids Do not allow liquid containing ceramic materials (slip, glazes etc.) to dry out. Always keep liquids in containers with tightly fitting lids and dispose of waste, including contaminated packaging in accordance with the suppliers' instructions.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Raku OH&S: If the gas goes out
Raku OH&S: If the gas goes out Never leave the kiln unattended while firing; If the burner goes out, allow plenty of time for unburnt gas to disperse before re-igniting the burner.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Chromates
Chromates and Chromic Acid may be cancerous. Will also enter the body through the skin. For more information on chrome and its effects, please see Articles: Chromium for Potters!
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Borax
Borax chronic exposure can cause asthma, diarrhea and skin conditions.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Liquid Petroleum Gas
Liquid Petroleum Gas can cause headaches, numbness, chills and vomiting, but is a greater risk as explosive than inhalation.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Clay mixers
Donīt put your hand into operating clay mixers etc., or you may find yourself neatly blended into the mix.
LifeTips is part of ideaLaunch, the hub for a group of websites offering
solutions that help clients improve mind share, market share and profit online.