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Descriptions:
We just moved to a new house — no 220V set up yet, studio still coming together — so I’m back to the tiny manual Cress kiln I started ceramics on. In this video I walk through exactly how to set it up and fire it: the kiln sitter, speed settings, pyrometric cones, witness cones, peepholes, kiln furniture, and loading for bisque firing.
If you have a larger manual Kress kiln, everything here is the same — just bigger. And if you’re completely new to kilns, this is a good place to start.
What’s covered:
How the kiln sitter works and how to insert a cone correctly
Speed settings and when to use low vs. high
How to check voltage and amperage on an old kiln before buying
Peepholes — when to keep them open and when to close them
Pyrometric cones: cone 04/06 for bisque, cone 5/6 for glaze firing
Witness cones and how to read them after firing
Loading kiln furniture, shelves, and stilts
How much fits in a tiny kiln (more than you’d think)
📌 CHAPTERS
0:00 — Introduction & why a 110V kiln
1:47 — Kiln overview & parts tour
2:06 — Kiln sitter explained
2:49 — Speed settings: bisque vs. glaze firing
4:10 — Voltage & amperage plate — what to check
4:52 — Peepholes & how to use them
4:48 — Inside the kiln
5:19 — Pyrometric cones for the kiln sitter
6:55 — Kiln furniture & shelves
8:13 — Witness cones explained
8:57 — Loading your pieces
10:45 — Final tips & wrap-up
🎓 New to glazes and want to go deeper?
→ Textures in Ceramics — my 8-week online course covering clay, glazes, and special effect surfaces: loramceramics.com/textures-in-ceramics
→ The Glaze is Lava — the full deep-dive into lava glaze and special effect ceramic glazes: loramceramics.com/the-glaze-is-lava-course
→ Patreon — monthly glaze recipes, firing schedules, and test results: patreon.com/c/MariaLoram
💬 Questions about your kiln setup? Drop them in the comments. 🔔 Subscribe for more ceramics, glazes, and studio life.
I’m Maria Loram — a functional ceramics artist making pieces for interior design. On this channel I share glaze experiments, studio life, workshops around the world, and the real side of running a creative business.
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🌐 https://loramceramics.com
📸 https://www.instagram.com/loram.ceramics/
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