Years ago while waiting for a car repair, I chatted with a mechanic. He said that when he faced a vexing mechanical problem, he would take a coffee break, think about something else, and then return to the problem. The answer usually came to him after his break. Use the mechanic’s idea when you are pondering a firing problem such as cracked glass, crazed glaze, or brittle silver clay. The following checklist may also help.
- Examine kiln firing records.
- Analyze materials. Are you using a new batch? Some materials, such as clay, can change from batch to batch. Consult your materials supplier. They may have had similar problems with other customers.
- Sometimes you can solve a problem by redesigning the piece. Glass bubbles can be eliminated by removing areas in the design that trap air between glass layers.
- The failed piece may reveal clues that will help you solve the problem. For example, are the edges of broken glass or clay sharp, or rounded? Sharp edges mean the piece broke during cooling.
- Analyze the way you loaded the kiln. Does the defect occur only in certain areas of the firing chamber?
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