Fireborn Studios
IMG_5093

Studio Specks and Shopping List

Having total control of your studio space; being able to work from home; freedom to make what you want, when you want; that is the dream of many potters. How do you get there? Here are some thoughts on this subject.

1. Workspace

  • Designated Area: A spare room, basement, garage, etc. with good ventilation
  • Surfaces:
  • Sturdy tables for working on clay and glazing
  • Shelving for storing tools, clay, and finished pieces.
  • Flooring: Non-carpeted, easy-to-clean surfaces like concrete, linoleum, or tile are ideal. 

2. Equipment

  • Pottery Wheel: If you plan to throw pots, invest in an electric or kick wheel.
  • Kiln: Essential for firing pottery. Choose one that suits your space and power availability. Most kilns are 220 volts. Look for Phase 1 (single phase). Size should be 1027 or 1227 (meaning 10 bricks around, or 12 bricks and 27″ tall on the inside)
  • Ventilation: Proper ventilation for the kiln is critical for safety.
  • Sink
  • Buckets Bats
  • Giffen Grip (optional)
  • Clay
  • Glaze
  • Mixing Equipment
  • Scale
  • Rib and scraper etc

3. Equipment Costs

  • Wheel: Most wheels are around $2000 . A Brent C is about $2400
  • Kilns: Don’t buy an electric kiln without computer controls if you plan on using it for firing glaze ware. A small electric kiln plus kiln posts and shelves is about $3000. A 1027 (10 bricks around and 27 inches high on the inside)will be around $6000.
  • Bats: $100 (~$5 each)
  • Buckets: $100
  • Giffen Grip: $300
  • Kiln Vent $300
  • Fans $50
  • Electric drill with Jiffy mixer blade: $200
  • Triple beam balance scale, accurate to 1/10 gram for small batch testing
  • Digital Scale capacity 5000g accurate to 1g $40
  • Glaze Sieves, 30, 60 and 80 mesh $100
  • Clay: $250 for 250 pounds
  • 220 volt line and outlet, installation $400 to $800
  • Glazes: Amaco Glazes $4.00 per pint. Dry mixed glaze $3.50 to $8:50 per pound. (28 pounds of dry glaze will make 5 gallons wet.
  • Metal shelving units from Costco: $100 each
  • Fireproof enclosure and ceiling with fiberglas curtain walls with exhaust fan $500 (if you build it yourself).
  • Tables: The folding kind from Costco are about $100.
  • A solid wedging table with a formica or cement board top is something you will have to make. It should be anchored to a wall so it doesn’t wiggle.

Total: Even you get used stuff and build things yourself you will probably spend at least $5000. 
It you are planning on doing production and selling your work you could be looking at $10,000

Subscribe to our newsletter

Contact Us