Pottery/Ceramics

Welcome to TinkerMill's Muddy Makers Pottery!

Our pottery studio is a collaborative space. We're a community that works together to keep things running smoothly and safely. Respect for each other, the studio, and Tinkermill as a whole is essential. With that in mind, please take a moment to read and agree to our General Studio Policies [1].

As a community studio, everyone is responsible for keeping the space clean. Always use water to clean, and remember, it's not clean until its dry and clean. So be sure to grab a rag and dry what you wash. evaporating water leaves behind a film of white silica dust.

We have everything you need to create:

Five pottery wheels with changeable direction for both right and left-handed throwers

A wedging table and a work table

A slab roller

Throwing and handbuilding tools kits

Two Skutt Kilns

Communal storage for work in progress

Studio Use Fees

We operate on the honor system. Please be honorable,

To keep the studio self-supporting we have studio use fees of:

$2 / hour

$5 / day

$15 / week

$30 / month

$240/year

We also have a drop and fire service that is available to non-members, and to members who are doing all their work at home. Non-members will need to set up an appointment to bring their work in to be fired. Keep in mind, this is only for drop and fire of work made outside the studio when less than a week ($15) of studio usage has been paid.

Fees are based on cubic inches (ci) with a minimum due, and there is a 50% discount for members. Round the cubic inch to the nearest half inch and the height of a plate is a minimum of one inch.

If you have stacking bowls that can be stacked while firing you can do your measurement stacked. To fire while stacking the rims must not be touching, so the smaller bowl must fit fully inside the outer bowl.

Minimum fee for bisque fire $5 members or $10 non-member

Minimum fee for glaze fire $8 members or $16 non-member

Per piece per cubic inch for bisque $.01 members or $.02 non-members

Per piece per cubic inch for glaze $.02 members or $.04 non-members

(a standard size mug 4.5”x4.5”x5” would be $1.01 to bisque for a member. You would be able to fire four mugs within the minimum fee. The fifth mug would take the price over $5. You would be able to glaze three of those mugs within the $8 minimum for member glaze. The fourth mug would increase the price.)

There is a flat rate if you rent the whole kiln. It is done by appointment only and comes with a loading fee for the kiln crew member who loads your work.

Mini Kiln 2.6cf (5,832ci) $25 members / $40 non-members

Large kiln 5.7cf (11,638ci) $45 members / $75 non-members

Applicable fees must be paid at the time of use.

Clay and Glazes:

TinkerMill supplies cone six white stoneware for $1/lb: We also have many glaze options to chose from, and glaze is included in the studio fees.

You may bring your own clay as long as it is cone six. We're not responsible for improperly labeled clay that over, or under, fires. However, you will be responsible for any damaged kiln shelves caused by your clay. We do not fire hi-fire clay to ^10. All work in progress must have a filled out firing slip. multiple pieces can be on one firing slip if the pieces contain an identifying mark. You can bring your own lead-free glaze, but make sure it's compatible with your clay body and is cone six. All outside clay and glaze must be cleared with the shop captains. Take a picture of your clay/glaze label and send it to pottery@tinkermill.org.