For Flux Sake

The worst feeling in ceramics is opening a kiln to discover a piece exploded. Today the gang answers listener questions about explosions in refires and what could cause cracking in slip cast pots. They also discuss Matt and Rose's latest clay body profiling, which now includes 88 new clay bodies sent in from around the world. www.mycmw.com     We are happy to partner with Dick Blick to give away a...

We love when our international friends call in and today we have a great question from Colombia. The gang talk about making vitrified clay with South American ingredients, the logistics of changing firing temperatures, and the effect of rebisquing a pot.    CMW has a brand spanking new website, including a great new way to check out For Flux Sake episodes. You can also submit your questions for th...

We start today's episode with a trip to Materials Corner to talk about #1 Pottery Plaster. The gang also answer listener questions about converting celsius to fahrenheit and the cooling rates of kilns.  Have you checked out the new For Flux Sake Patreon? This is a great way to show your support and have access to discounted merch, live hangouts, and extra episodes. Head over to Patreon and sign up...

This week's show starts with a discussion of a recent viral ceramic video and the merits of a potter dipping pots in water immediately after glazing. The gang also answer listener questions about the amount of boron glazes, melting in cone 6 mattes, and a safety concern from drinking out of a crazed mug.   Have you checked out the new For Flux Sake Patreon? This is a great way to show your support...

We start off season six of the podcast with a great question about customer service around ceramics. The gang answer a question from a paint-you-own pottery studio about reassuring customers that they don't use lead and using the full range of cobalt and copper sources that are available on the market.    Have you checked out the new For Flux Sake Patreon? This is a great way to show your support...

We start the episode with a quick trip to Materials Corner to hear good news about the mining of Red Art. The gang also answer listener questions about firing cone 6 clays to cone 10, finding vitrified commercial clays, and the aesthetic origins of cone 10 glazes in the United States.    Have you checked out the new For Flux Sake Patreon? This is a great way to show your support and have access to...

For the first time ever the whole gang gathered in Boston for a live show at Harvard Ceramics. In this episode they answer listener questions about finding inspiration, altering glazes to fire hotter, dunting in plates, and the decomposition of iron in glazes. A very special thank you to Harvard Ceramics and the Harvard Ed Portal for hosting, and to the excellent questions the audience brought tha...

Today we have a special NCECA focused episode featuring questions recorded in person at this year's conference in Detroit. The gang answer questions about explosions in a glaze firing, sanding bisque ware, and wheel cleaning. They also start the episode taking a trip to Materials Corner to talk about changes in the Red Art supply. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the booth to record with us at NC...

Today we have a special NCECA focused episode featuring questions recorded in person at this year's conference in Detroit. The gang answer questions about using hot wax, refiring in a community studio, particle packing for brushing glazes, and best practices for using Bentonite in glazes. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the booth to record with us.   Have you checked out the new For Flux Sake Pa...

Today the gang compares cost versus reliability when buying kilns and kiln shelves. The episode starts with a question about purchasing S-type thermocouples for new kilns and a discussion about preventing warping in cordierite kiln shelves. On a related but strange note, they also talk about how a popular outdoor grill helped lead the U.S. into our current talc shortage.   Have you checked out the...

To start today's episode the gang talk about their upcoming live show in Boston. We hope you will join us June 5th at the Harvard Ed Portal , where Kathy, Matt, Rose, and Producer Ben will be ready to answer your burning questions about clay and glaze. They also answer listener questions about what to do when all your glazes mature at a different temperature, and how to identify a mystery white sp...

Today we have a special Flux U episode where the gang dive deep into glaze application to answer a listener's question about the chemical and physical limitations of glaze layering. What seems like a simple topic turns out to be quite complex. They also talk about helpful tips for buying and installing your first home kiln.  Have you ever wanted to be on a For Flux Sake episode? Join the gang in p...

To start today's explosive episode a listener writes in wondering about using ash from Mt. St. Helens in a glaze. The gang also talk about best cleaning practices for keeping pets and children safe in a home studio, and methods for reducing pinholing.  Would you like to ask your burning questions about clay and glaze to Kathy, Matt, and Rose in person? June 5th the whole gang heads to Boston for a...

We love questions from our educator friends. Today's episode starts with a question from a high school teacher who wondered what the best materials are for starting a glaze lab. The gang also answer a question about cleaning up clay with soap and take a trip to Materials Corner to report on the recent bankruptcy of a major ceramic materials supplier.    Have you checked out the new For Flux Sake P...

Have you ever wondered what the firing rates are for the pre-programmed kiln schedules in modern kilns? In today's episode the gang talk about the differences between slow, medium, and fast on Bartlett controllers, and how the rates affect glaze outcomes. They also answer a listener question from Sweden about Boron sources and why some of them were recently banned. To start the episode Rose and Ma...

Unloading a kiln can be an emotional rollercoaster, especially if it's filled with a new ceramic form that gives you trouble. Today the gang answer a listener question about how to keep plates from cracking, the best temperature for firing terracotta, and if there is a vegan alternative for shellac.   Do you have questions or need advice on glazes? Drop us a line at ForFluxSakePodcast@gmail.com an...

What is carbon coring, and should we care about it? The term is actually a misnomer, with the real culprit being iron, a common ingredient in reduction fired clays. Today the gang talk about the phenomenon along with questions about kiln safety, and best studio practices for kids and pets.    Do you have questions or need advice on glazes? Drop us a line at ForFluxSakePodcast@gmail.com and you cou...

Glaze preparation is a necessary part of the ceramic process, but have you ever wondered why sieving glazes is important? Today the gang talk about various ways to prepare a glaze and why you might not need to sieve as much as you think. They also break down the idea of glazes that fire at multiple temperature ranges, and answer a listener's question about bubbling in a clear glaze.    Do you have...

To start today's episode we take a ride to Materials Corner to talk about the situation with EPK, as well as, if there is an easy substitute to use in clay and glazes. The gang also answers a listener's questions about the feasibility of making your own clay. What equipment do you need? Does doing it yourself save money?    Do you have questions or need advice on glazes? Drop us a line at ForFluxS...

Have you ever wondered why kilns have peep holes? Today Matt, Rose, and Kathy debate the function and necessity of peep holes, while also tackling a question about glazing only the interior of a pot. They also start the episode talking about the research Kathy is doing at Harvard Ceramics into the historic use of graphite as a ceramic sealer. Do you have questions or need advice on glazes? Drop us...

Happy New Year! To start 2026 the gang answer listener questions about ash glazes, mixing brushing and dipping glazes, and how the particle size of colorants affects glaze outcomes. They also begin the episode sharing stories about the highs and lows of art center holiday sales. Do you have questions or need advice on glazes? Drop us a line at ForFluxSakePodcast@gmail.com and you could be featured...

Have you wondered what makes a glaze food safe? Today we are happy to welcome Gabriel Kline and Bill Collins to the show to talk about the topic, and their new book Amazing Glaze: Food Safe Recipes . They discuss the definition of food safety, how to test glazes, and what they learned after testing dozens of popular cone 6 and cone 10 recipes.   Have you checked out the new For Flux Sake Patreon?...

Do you fire your kiln fast or slow? And does it really matter? Today the gang answer a few listener questions about the relationship between temperature, glaze melt, and vitrification. They also discuss a class of clays out of the UK that vitrify at low fire temperatures.    Have you checked out the new For Flux Sake Patreon? This is a great way to show your support and have access to discounted m...

Commercial casting slips are great for their convenience, but what do you do when your recipe hard-pans in the bucket? Today the gang talk about why hard-panning happens and how you can fix it. They also discuss making temp checks, the best bisque temp for commercial glazes, and the controversy around the sale of fake ceramic pigments.   Have you checked out the new For Flux Sake Patreon? This is...

Have you ever had small pieces of an unglazed foot ring stick to a kiln shelf? This bummer of a phenomenon is called plucking, and today the gang talk about how and why it happens. They also answer a listener's question about increasing plasticity in halloysite porcelains and take a trip to Materials Corner to discuss the rumors swirling around EPK production. Do you have questions or need advice...