BISQUE SOUNDING - PREPARING IT TO DECORATE

STAGES OF WORKING FOR BISQUE Sound-testing for breakages. Sandpaper it, even out any rough surfaces. Clean it by brushing, inside and out, back, sides and edges.

SOUNDING can be done with all work once it has been fired; bisque or decorated; it is to test a piece to make sure it is not broken. Hold a piece in you left hand and tap it with the first knuckle of your right hand. A high note means it is not broken and a flat one that it is cracked. If a piece is visibly cracked, break it and throw it away. You might not be able to see the crack, but even so, if the sound is flat, it is advisable not to use this piece, as it could break from the heat of firing. If you are not sure it is broken, put it at the bottom of the kiln during firing, so that if it breaks, there is nothing underneath that it can fall on and damage.

Sounding

Tile: Balance it on top of the fingers of your left hand and tap in different places, with the first knuckle of your right hand.

When tiles have been cut down to a special size do not test them, as the sound changes and with the pressure used by the cutting machine, they would have broken if they were cracked.

Plates, jars and lids If decorating plates, make sure that the hanging holes on the back are not blocked. Clean them out with a sharp, thin piece of metal or an electric drill. If the holes are too small, start with a very fine drill, and then use a larger size. Continue doing this, increasing the size of the drill until the holes are the size required. Doing it this way, it is less likely to break. If there are no holes, start by indenting a small space in the bisque ^[1], using a nail or a sharp instrument like a diamond cutter; just enough to stop the drill from slipping.

Sounding