Monsoon Fire
1. Bisque: the first firing.
Bring your unfired pieces for bisque. After firing, collect them and apply your glaze at home. Even clay labeled “mid fire” normally starts with this earlier bisque firing.
A home pottery studio in the West Valley
Making pottery at home? Let’s get it fired.
I’m Micah. Monsoon Fire is my working home studio, and I share my kiln with local potters. First pots or your hundredth batch, you’re welcome here.
You make the work. I handle the loading, firing, and unloading. We offer both bisque and mid-fire glaze firings, so you don’t need a kiln of your own.
24/7 self-service drop-off and pickup once you have the access instructions. Studio visits and lessons are arranged separately.
Your work, my kiln
You drop off. I fire. You pick up. Easy.
Most work joins a shared firing with other potters. You don’t need to book a time to run the kiln or stay while it fires.
Check your clay and get directions.
First time here? Email me for the address and gated-community access instructions. Send the exact clay and glaze product names and their firing instructions if you’re unsure. A photo of the packaging helps. Wait for my reply with the address and gate instructions before driving over; the automatic ticket email is not your access confirmation.
Leave your work on the padded rack.
Drop off at the designated rack at the front of the house. Pack your pieces so they can travel without flexing, denting, or breaking. Leave your name, email, and the firing you need with the work.
I take care of the kiln.
I load, fire, cool, and unload everything. We fire at least weekly, sometimes more often for shows and holidays. Usually 3–7 days from drop-off, with extra time if pieces still need to dry or need a special schedule. Have a show deadline? Ask before dropping off; a ticket does not reserve a firing date.
Watch for your ready email.
Once your pieces are fired, cooled, and ready, I’ll email you and send the final Stripe invoice. Collect your labeled work from the same rack and follow the payment instructions in your email.
Before you drop off.
- Have the address and gated-community access instructions.
- Know your clay and glaze, or ask me to check the labels first.
- Pad pieces so they cannot bump each other or the container; support handles and fragile edges.
- Leave your name, email, requested firing, and material details with the work. Include your ticket reference if you have one.
The online planner is optional. It helps estimate space and gives me a heads-up. Already have the access instructions? A labeled drop-off works too. No studio conversation or small talk required.
New to pottery?
Your first pots usually need two firings.
2. Glaze: come back with your glazed work.
Bring the bisqued, glazed pieces back for their glaze firing. Wipe glaze off the bottom and foot wherever the piece touches the kiln shelf. Leave that contact surface as bare clay. I’ll send another ready email when the finished pieces can be collected.
Each firing has its own charge and turnaround. Our usual glaze firing is electric oxidation at cone 5.5 with a small hold. Unsure what that means for your clay or glaze? Send me the label before you make the drive.
“Mid/high fire” in an online listing isn’t enough to check a material. The exact product and its firing instructions help us choose a compatible firing. Clay bought on Amazon can be suitable, but a brand name or “mid/high fire” listing alone is not approval. Send the exact product label before dropping off. Unusual materials and specialty firings need a conversation first.
Yes, it’s a home studio
Flexible handoffs. No need to knock.
This is my personal working studio, with an outdoor drop-off and pickup area at the front of the house.
Can I drop off at 11 pm?
Yes—once you have the address and access instructions, the designated rack is available 24/7. Keep late visits quiet, use the outdoor handoff area, and leave the work with your details.
Are there open studio hours?
There are no walk-in studio hours. Coming inside, lessons, or a visit with me are arranged separately. A standard drop-off or pickup doesn’t require an appointment.
Need help with the handoff or an accessibility accommodation? Email before you travel so we can work out what fits the space.
Price examples
Simple prices, based on shelf space.
Think roughly one dinner placemat’s worth of pottery for a half shelf. Size and height matter; I check the actual space used and confirm the final charge after firing.
Bisque / low fire
$15Per half shelf for bisque or compatible low-fire glaze. Capped at four half shelves ($60).
Mid-fire glaze
$25Per half shelf for compatible mid-fire glaze work. Capped at four half shelves ($100).
Shared-firing cap
4 half shelvesThe charge stops at four: up to $60 for bisque/low fire or $100 for mid-fire glaze, even if your load uses up to eight half shelves.
A small-batch example: one half shelf for bisque ($15), then one half shelf for glaze ($25), is $40 across two separate firings. The space your work uses may differ between firings.
Specialty firing schedules and private kiln loads are quoted separately as a whole-kiln rental.
Not sure what fits?
A few mugs, bowls, or plates may fit a half shelf. Wide pieces need more footprint, and pieces over 10 inches tall start at two half shelves. The planner has closer examples; your estimate doesn’t lock in a price.
Estimate my firingGood to know
Quick answers.
No form to fill out to read these. Still unsure? Ask me by email.
Can I bring just a few pieces?
Yes. Small batches join a shared firing with other potters. You don’t need enough work to fill the kiln; pricing starts with a half shelf.
Do I need an account or firing ticket?
No account is needed. The planner and ticket are optional. Once you have access instructions, a labeled drop-off works. First time here? Email for directions before driving over.
Does my pottery need two firings?
Unfired work usually needs bisque first. Pick it up, glaze it at home, then return for glaze firing. Each firing has its own charge and turnaround. Already bisqued and glazed? You may only need the glaze firing.
Can you fire clay I bought on Amazon?
Possibly—send the exact clay product and firing instructions, plus the glaze label if you’re using glaze. A packaging photo helps. Different products from the same brand may need different firings; get a material check before traveling if you’re unsure.
Can I drop off while it’s still drying?
If it can travel safely without bending, denting, or breaking, we can hold it until it is ready for the kiln. Tell me it is still drying. Drying can add time beyond the usual 3–7 days from drop-off.
Do I reserve a firing date?
Standard work joins our shared firings; you do not reserve time to operate the kiln. We fire at least weekly. Ask before dropping off if you have a show deadline, need a special schedule, or want a private kiln load. A ticket is a heads-up, not a confirmed date.
Do I pay before collecting?
There is no upfront firing payment. When the work is ready, I send the final Stripe invoice and pickup notice. Follow the payment instructions in that ready email, then use the same outdoor rack for pickup.
How long can I leave finished work?
Pick up after the ready notice and before the storage deadline. The standard grace period is 19 days and 6 hours from that notice; storage charges can apply afterward. If you need longer, ask before the deadline. See storage fees and extension details.
What if something cracks or the glaze runs?
Firing can produce cracks, warping, or glaze movement. If the problem is our fault, the affected firing has no charge or an appropriate refund. Clay, glaze, construction, and other outcomes remain billable; we review what happened and the available evidence. Read how we handle firing problems.
I sent a ticket but don’t have directions. What now?
The automatic email records your ticket. The studio sends or confirms the private address and gate instructions separately. Check your spam folder and reply to the ticket email if they haven’t arrived. Wait for those details before driving over.
A bridge into ceramics
A working potter, happy to help.
I do my own professional work here, and I want local makers to have a practical way to keep making without buying a kiln.
Alongside firing, there’s advice, an honor-system lending library, and occasional individual or small-group lessons. Wheel time and specific techniques are things we can talk about too. You don’t need to know all the right pottery words before getting in touch.
First time visiting? Get the address and access instructions before driving over.