Daily Wire Tip Mar. 7: Heating Porcelain Cameos

Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
March 7, 2011

Question:

Can you heat porcelain? I have some porcelain cameos that I want to fire in my kiln, about 1400° F. Some of them have images like this one. Thanks.

-Veronica in Cosmopolis, Washington

Answer:

Hi Veronica, I need to clarify first, that personally I do not currently own or work with any type of kiln. I do have some jewelry making friends who do, so I asked them. The general consensus is that unless you know exactly if, or with what, the porcelain painting is coated (lacquer, sealant, etc.), you would just have to try one to find out.

Most painted porcelain can be heated; however, the colors may darken or burn. If there is a sealant of some type to protect the painting, that would be the main problem, as many of them will melt or burst into flame! Finished, glazed pottery can be incorporated into materials such as PMC and Art Clay and heated with no problems. Maybe some of our readers have already tried heating one of these painted porcelain cabs and will share their experiences with us. (Thanks in advance, folks!)

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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5 Comments

1. 

   Kaytee

   March 7, 2011 at 9:56 am

   If that is a ceramic decal, it can take only relatively low heat. If I recall correctly, decals are fired on after the glaze firing, at cone 014 or so. I’m not sure what temperature that is, but it is much lower than what is used to fire greenware, which in turn, is lower than what is used to fire glazes, stoneware and porcelain.
2. 

   Robin Burns

   March 7, 2011 at 2:46 pm

   Cone 014 is slightly above 1500 degrees, so 1400 should be okay for ceramic decals. I agree, trying one is the only way to find out. If your decal isn’t a ceramic variety it probably won’t survive firing.
3. 

   Suzanne

   March 7, 2011 at 11:34 pm

   I checked with the specs on my Paragon kiln. Over glazes and china painting should be fired at cone 017 which can be up to 1405 degrees. But, as the other readers have already stated, there’s no way to tell on a finished porcelain piece as to what will happen to the decal or paint when you ‘re-fire’ unless you experiment. Good luck!
   • 

     dalecgr

     March 8, 2011 at 10:32 am

     Many thanks to all of my ‘kiln’ friends for taking the time to check specs and offer your valuable opinions and advice : )
4. 

   Dolcie Crawford

   October 28, 2013 at 6:35 pm

   I hand pour and hand paint porcelain cameos. If the cameo is painted with porcelain or china paint (I’m talking about the ones I make) they can be heated up to a cone 019. Reds and gold based paints will change colors even at that low temp. However, they can also be tumbled after they are wrapped without any damage. My cameos are hand polished and not coated, but if fired at to high a temp, the paint will not only change color, but have a high glaze look to them. Porcelain, itself, will not melt easily because it is cured at a cone 6.

   You cannot heat a cameo if it is resign or it will melt. I am not sure of the PMC or clay cameos as I have not tried any of those mediums.

   Most decals fire at a cone 015 thru 018 depending on the surface they are applied to. Porcelain requires a cone 018.

   If anyone has any more questions, I would be happy to answer If I can.