Clay & Kiln Ceramic Tools & Knowledge
Interactive Studio Wheel ThrowerA parametric pottery wheel. Drag the clay to change height and diamete…Glaze PainterPaint glaze straight onto a rotating 3D pot. Eight preset glazes, a br…Clay CutterSlide a cutting plane through a thrown form and inspect the section. R…Kiln Curve SimulatorBuild a firing curve segment by segment, then play it back and watch t… Open 3D StudioAll four simulators in one place.
The complete index

All 28 ceramic studio tools

Every tool in the Clay & Kiln reference, filterable by the stage of work it belongs to. Each entry covers what the tool does, the specifications that matter, how it is used well, and the safety issues it carries.

28 tool pages5 stages4 with 3D views
Wear PPE & Ventilate Kiln heat, silica dust and glaze chemistry are real hazards — see the safety notes on this page and in the footer.

Tools are listed most-used first. Use the filters to narrow by stage or category.

Wedging

Stoneware Clay

A durable, mid-to-high-fire clay body that throws well, takes glaze predictably and survives thermal shock in everyday use.

Clay Prep Read →
Wedging

Wedging Board

A plaster-topped table that absorbs excess water and anchors the clay during kneading, so air pockets and soft spots get worked out before throwing.

Clay Prep Read →
Wedging

Pug Mill

A hopper, an auger and a vacuum pump: the pug mill wedges, blends and de-airs hundreds of kilograms of clay far faster than hands can.

Clay Prep Read →
Wedging

Plaster Bat

A plaster disc used instead of a plastic bat when you want the base of a form to dry from underneath, so wide or fragile pieces release without distorting.

Clay Prep Read →
Wedging

Damp Box

A lidded bin that keeps the air around a pot at high humidity, so a piece can be left at the leather-hard stage until you have time to trim it.

Clay Prep Read →
Wedging

Slip

A creamy suspension of clay and water used to join parts, lubricate the wheel, cast in moulds and decorate greenware.

Clay Prep Read →
Throwing 3D

Pottery Wheel

A variable-speed rotating head that lets you centre, open and raise a wall of clay into a symmetrical vessel.

Wheel Read →
Throwing

Throwing Sponge

A dense, soft sponge used to keep the clay lubricated, to smooth the wall as it rises and to lift the last of the water out of a form.

Wheel Read →
Throwing

Rib Tool

A curved blade of wood, rubber or metal used to compress and smooth clay, sharpen a shoulder or shape a rim.

Wheel Read →
Throwing

Calipers

A measuring tool that transfers an inside or outside dimension from a finished pot to the next one, so repeated forms actually match.

Wheel Read →
Trimming

Banding Wheel

A low, manually spun turntable used to rotate a pot by hand while you decorate, band, slip-trail or trim the rim.

Wheel Read →
Trimming

Turntable

A broad, heavy disc that lets you rotate a pot to reach every side while hand-building, trimming, decorating or glazing.

Wheel Read →
Trimming 3D

Trimming Tool

A wire or steel loop set in a handle, used to turn a leather-hard pot, cut a foot ring and refine the profile.

Trimming Read →
Trimming

Wire Cutter

A tensioned wire between two handles, used to free a pot from the wheel head and to slice clay into uniform slabs.

Trimming Read →
Trimming

Needle Tool

A sharp steel needle in a handle, used to mark levels, test wall thickness, score joints and free a pot from the wheel head.

Trimming Read →
Trimming

Loop Tool

A wire or steel loop on a slim handle, used for hollowing, carving, fluting and reaching into forms a trimming tool cannot.

Trimming Read →
Trimming

Sanding Pad

An abrasive pad or paper used on bisque-fired work to soften a foot ring or a rough edge before glazing.

Trimming Read →
Glazing 3D

Glaze Bucket

A wide, lidded container that holds mixed glaze at working depth, letting you dip a pot in a single steady movement.

Glazing Read →
Glazing

Glaze Tongs

Long spring-loaded tongs that grip a pot from the inside or the rim, so you can dip and withdraw it without touching the surface.

Glazing Read →
Glazing

Spray Gun

A compressed-air gun that atomises glaze into a fine mist, giving smooth, buildable coats and blended surfaces.

Glazing Read →
Glazing

Glaze Brush

A soft, wide-bellied brush that holds a lot of glaze and lays it down in smooth, even strokes on complex surfaces.

Glazing Read →
Glazing

Wax Resist

A liquid wax emulsion that repels glaze, used to protect a foot ring, preserve a decoration or create a resist pattern.

Glazing Read →
Glazing

Glaze Sponge

A dense sponge kept exclusively for glaze work, used to wipe the foot ring clean, tidy a glaze line and correct thick spots.

Glazing Read →
Firing 3D

Electric Kiln

An electrically heated chamber with programmable controllers, used for bisque and glaze firings with repeatable, logged schedules.

Kiln Read →
Firing

Kiln Shelf

A flat, refractory board that supports work inside the kiln and separates stacked layers, with posts setting the height of each level.

Kiln Read →
Firing

Pyrometric Cone

A calibrated cone that bends at a specific combination of temperature and time, giving a true measure of heat work inside the kiln.

Kiln Read →
Firing

Heat Gloves

Insulated gloves rated for kiln temperatures, worn whenever a hot shelf, pot or kiln door has to be handled.

Kiln Read →
Firing

Kiln Vent

A downdraft or overhead extraction system that pulls combustion gases and fumes out of the kiln chamber and exhausts them outside.

Kiln Read →
Go deeper

Try the tools before you buy them

Four of these tools have an interactive 3D simulator where you can work with them directly.

3D Studio →

Wheel Thrower

A parametric pottery wheel. Drag the clay to change height and diameter, tune the rim, neck and wall thickness…

3D SimulatorLaunch →

Glaze Painter

Paint glaze straight onto a rotating 3D pot. Eight preset glazes, a brush, a sponge, a dip tank and a wax resi…

3D SimulatorLaunch →

Clay Cutter

Slide a cutting plane through a thrown form and inspect the section. Read wall thickness, base thickness and c…

3D SimulatorLaunch →

Kiln Curve Simulator

Build a firing curve segment by segment, then play it back and watch the kiln climb. Presets cover bisque, gla…

Dynamic ChartLaunch →