Soda Invitational

A chance to get a "taste" of Soda. If you are interested, please try to coordinate this as a class activity with your teacher as your information source. Otherwise, please consult one of the resources listed below. Have fun!

A soda fired mug

A Little Soda: Intro to Lillstreet’s Soda Program

What is Soda Firing?

Soda Firing is a form of atmospheric glazing where sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and sodium carbonate (soda ash) are introduced into the kiln at high temperatures (2250-2300F). The soda immediately vaporizes and is carried throughout the kiln coating everything it passes with a thin layer of sodium oxide creating unique soda flashing effects.

Invitation to “Cone 10” students (prerequisite: one 10 week class) Get your free Ticket.

Students may fire one or two small pots using the guidelines below. We suggest cups/mugs, cereal bowls, or bottles. For Handbuilders, suggestions are a mug, a vase, or a very small study of a head or hand. Maximum size is 6x6 inches. Taller pieces work better than flat-no plates or tiles! This invitation expires September 2.

Get a free Ticket for each piece (maximum 2 pieces) at the Front Desk. After wadding, put your pots on designated shelves inside the Soda Kiln Room with the Ticket. Pots by soda students have space priority. Remember, soda pots can have unpredictable results! Have FUN!

Cone 10 Clay, Glazes and Soda Slips

• On functional pieces a liner glaze is recommended on the inside of the piece because soda has a difficult time reaching the insides of pots. Cone 10 glazes that work well as liner glazes: Temoku, Red Iron, Luster Shino, Gustin Shino, Shaners White, and Tom’s Purple. (There are glazes that don’t work-please use these six glazes.) DO NOT GLAZE THE OUTSIDE; THEY WILL BE REJECTED. Pick-up is outside the Soda Kiln Room.

• The soda will react with the bare clay body also, so it is not necessary to always cover the pot with a Soda Slip, which are in Wheel B. All Cone 10 Clay Bodies work well in Soda, and each has its own character. We recommend one piece “bare” with a liner glaze and one with a soda slip brushed on greenware. All pieces must be Bisk fired. We recommend these Soda Slips: Mustard, Smooth Orange, Rutile Slip, Blue-Green, Rougir, and Thompsons. Slips might show soda effects on one side of the piece and be dry on the other side; this is the nature of soda firing!

Wadding

Wadding must be used on all pots entering the Soda Kiln. Without wadding the soda will attach the piece to the kiln shelf.  You are wadding your work for STABILITY on the kiln shelves, and for SUPPORT of your piece! Please wad during your class and ask your teacher to help you! Found near the Spray Booth, keep the labeled Wadding bucket and plastic bag tightly closed after use. Roll small marble size balls of wadding and use Elmer’s Glue to glue them to the bottom of the pot. 3-4 is adequate for most pots. (Wadding is never allowed in the Cone 10 firings.)

Teachers can answer basic questions and the Soda Team is available to help! Consult with Fred, Adam, Amanda, Sam, or Nixon, or Karen.