Ceramics Saggar Firing

Because the saggar protects the pot while firing it is not important to have a clay body that withstands the thermal shock of raku firing.

Ceramics saggar firing.

A saggar is a type of kiln furniture. Here is a non exclusive list of colorants for pit firing or to be used inside of a saggar. To contain fumes around a pot so that the pot to picks up color from the fumes saggars are the lidded containers used to contain and isolate pots during a saggar firing. Ceramic artist brenda mcmahon shows how to wrap a pot in a paper clay saggar in preparation for a saggar firing.

Saguaros have been used to protect or safeguard ware from open fire smoke gases and kiln debris. Saggars have been used to protect or safeguard ware from open flame smoke gases and kiln debris. There are many things that will produce colors some better than others when placed in the pit. The saggar can be made out of anything depending on the type of firing from the traditional refractory clay to newspaper.

The saggar takes the abuse of rapid thermal changes. This excerpt came from our book naked raku and related bare clay techniques which is available in the ceramic arts shop. Saggar firing was originally developed to protect wares from ash slagging and flame flashing in wood firings but in contemporary use with clean burning gas firings the process is used in exactly the opposite way. Then i either place the pot in and gently put other materials around the side of the pot or wrap and tie materials in place around the pot using copper wire reed or even string and then place it into the saggar.

Traditionally saggars were made primarily from fireclay. I put a bed of materials on the bottom of the saggar and place small crucibles made of clay containing salt around the bottom. Originally saggars were used to protect the finish from the debris flying around the firing chamber from the wood or coal fuel source. The name may be a contraction of the word safeguard.

It is a ceramic boxlike container used in the firing of pottery to enclose or protect ware being fired inside a kiln traditionally saggars were made primarily from fireclay.