Ceramics Tools Flashcards
(24 cards)
Fettling Knife
Special knife-like tool with a fairly flexible blade for cutting into moist and leather-hard clay
Loop tool
Special tool with a wooden handle and a wire loop at one or both ends used for carving and hollowing out clay forms
Kiln
Furnace designed to heat and harden clay
Element
Heating coils of electric kilns (Tired or burned-out elements are those that carry little or no electrical current)
Footing
The bottom of a piece that rests on a surface (Two types: Raised and Flush)
Glaze
Glass-forming chemicals with colorants (can be opaque, translucent, or matte)
Bat
Plaster disk or slab for clay work
Cone (Pyrometric cone)
A mixture of ceramic materials designed to soften and bend when the proper mixture of time and temperature is reached in the interior of the kiln
Foot
The base or the part of the piece of ceramic on which it rests
Gloss
A shiny, glass-like finish
Kiln Wash
The refractory coating applied to the top of the kiln shelves to protect them from glaze drips
Matte
A soft finish with little or no shine
Opaque
Color which does not allow other colors to show through
Peep Holes (Vent Holes)
Small holes in the side of a kiln used for viewing shelf cones and ventilating the kiln during the firing process
Pin Holes
Tiny holes in the final surface of a glaze or underglaze
Plasticity
The ability of clay to be formed into a shape and retain it
Posts (Kiln)
Articles made of refractory material which support kiln shelves during firing
Semi-matte
A satin-like surface which has a slight sheen to it
Semi-opaque
Colors which generally allow only dark colors to show through
Semi-transparent
Slightly colors and/or speckled colors which allow most colors to show through with only slight distortions
Sponge
Natural sponge used for cleaning and decorating greenware (Synthetic sponges available for ceramics)
Transparent
Clear base colors which are free from cloudiness or distortion
Underglaze
A color which is usually applied to greenware and in most cases it covered with a glaze
Vent Holes
Small holes made by puncturing the wet greenware with a needle tool when the two pieces of ware have been attached. These small holes allow the air and gases to escape during firing. Also refers to the peep holes in the side of the kiln
