Desert Sun Ceramics Firing Policies:
Desert Sun Ceramics offers firing services. Pricing is based on the weight and number of the items fired with a minimum charge of $10.00 per customer per transaction. Please plan on a two week turnaround time for each firing. Firing services are first come, first fired with the exception of unusually large and/or thick items. (Larger and/or thicker items will take longer.) We fire bisque to Cone 04. Our glaze firing is to Cone 6.
The largest item we can fire is 23″ tall by 21″ wide. Large or thick pieces will take longer to be fired and will incur an oversize charge.
** Customers are not allowed to load their own items. **
Desert Sun Ceramics is a health conscious studio; we do not fire items that are glazed with products containing lead, barium, or non-encapsulated cadmium. All customers seeking firing services MUST know what clay and glazes were used on the items we are firing for you. If you are not certain if your glaze products meet our health standards, please bring the glaze container with you.
Drop Off:
-You may drop off pots during Open Studio (check website)
-All items must be labeled with an easily readable ID on the bottom of the pot. We weigh your items when they arrive at our studio; make sure they are completely dry before bringing them or you will be charged for water weight.
-Items are fired first come, first fired.
-Desert Sun Ceramics only fires items that are 100% dry; this helps reduce cracking. Your ready to be bisqued item will sit to dry for at least one bisque cycle (24+ hours) prior to firing.
-Items for Glaze Firing: We do not fire leaded glazes. We suggest that all Cone 6 glazed items you leave ¼ inch margin at the bottom of your pot to prevent glazing problems… i.e. your glaze melting all over the kiln and kiln furniture.Items glaze fired to Cone 06 can be stilted if they are not too heavy. To prevent glaze from ruining kiln shelves, we fire each glazed item on a flat clay cookie. This way, if any item is over glazed, it will stick itself to the cookie. These clay props usually do not come off easily, so be wary of over glazing. If any of your pots do stick, you will have to remove the disc after you take your pots home AND you will be charged for the clay cookie. In the event your items ruin any kiln furniture – including clay cookies ($1.00), stilts (3.00 each), or kiln shelves ($75-$300), you will be responsible for this cost.
-DSC bisque fires to cone 04.
-DSC glaze fire to cone 6
-It takes 12-18 hours to heat the kiln to this temperature and about 32 hours for the kiln to cool off = kiln time alone is 40-50 hours
-From the day your item is dropped off, expect 7 to 10 days before it is ready to be picked up.
-Pick up your items within 30 days of dropping them off . DSC will not store them for longer than that.
Pick Up:
-You may pick up pots during Open Studio (check website)
Items for Glaze Firing: We do not fire leaded glazes. We suggest that all Cone 6 glazed items you leave ¼ inch margin at the bottom of your pot to prevent glazing problems… i.e. your glaze melting all over the kiln and kiln furniture. Items glaze fired to Cone 06 can be stilted if they are not too heavy.
Additional Costs
Bisque Firing to Cone 05: 18 cents per ounce; 12 cents per item
Glaze Firing to Cone 05-06: 20 cents per ounce; 15 cents per item
Glaze Firing to Cone 6: 25 cents per ounce; 15 cents per item
Glaze drips are $10/ small drip
Stuck cookie is $2.00
Stilting fees start at 25 cents per stilt used.
Firing services fees are due at drop off and are not refundable