Cookie creation questions

Ceramics
1

For those who have made their own cookies, do you use kiln wash on them?
Why or why not? Do you kiln wash both sides and does it help keep it from cracking? Also, what is the preferred depth of a cookie for most people. 1/4 inch or is thicker better?

Also, noticed some people created cookies with a lip on the edge presumably to keep glazes from continuing to move off the kiln cookie. Is that a better way to do it?

What is better clay for cookies? Ones i’ve made in the past have cracked after a few firings so should I use a high fire clay and/or ones with more grog?

Thanks everyone…still learning and hoping to get more informed answers from those who have been doing this a long time.

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Hi, you can use your regular cone 6 clay, stoneware is great, very sturdy.

Kiln washing is a good idea since it keeps drips from sticking, only the top though. 3 thin coats should do it.

If you have a glaze (like a crystalline glaze for example) that is exceedingly melty, I would do an edge to protect the shelves/kiln.

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Thickness of the cookie is probably dependent on the size of the cookie. Bigger cookies should probably be thicker. Smaller, say mug size cookies, can be thinner.

A lip is good, but that one really needs to match the item, as you don’t want the item sticking to the lip. I used to put “feet” on top of the cookie to help keep running glazes from sticking the item to the cookie, but those don’t stack as well. Nowadays I just put a very small cookie directly under the item to lift it off of the cookie.

I’ve got one lipped cookie, but I’m using it to keep loaders from having to touch my fragile items, and I use the white glue to keep things from shifting around pre-firing.

Not sure that there’s much you can do about cracking. Big flat pieces of clay tend to have internal stress points, and I just can’t see spending the time on a cookie that I might devote to a plate or platter.

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Hi,
The thinner cookies will crack over time, especially if anything heavy is used on them. I’ve used a little over 1/4” when making smaller cookies and I use 3/8 or a little over for the larger plate size cookies.

Weighting them so they stay flat and cleaning up sharp edges is important as well as letting them dry slowly. We do have kiln wash you could use.

There is a standard cookie cutter form in the cabinet.

If you are making them for personal use please make sure to label them with your mark or name so we know that. If they are for DMS they can be unlabeled or have DMS on them somewhere.

Thanks!

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Where can we find the kiln wash?

6

Located in a white bucket next to the kiln furniture shelves

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