Michelle Lowe on sun 18 may 03
Hi everyone!
I searched the archives for previous references to firing for hire but=
didn't find anything real definitive about my question. I spoke with Ann=
S(can't remember her last name, but someone in one of NCECA's=
business/marketing sessions pointed her out as having a teaching studio), =
I approached her in the commercial exhibits and discussed firing fees=
briefly with her. I appreciate the information she gave me there, but I am=
wanting a little more input. At this time in my studio, I charge 50c per=
inch, measuring the longest side of a piece, and this is not very=
consistent or practical for various shaped items, such as tile. I would=
like to change to a cubic inch charge, as Ann explained, she created a=
measuring board with rulers along three axes, where you can set the piece=
on the board and measure cubic inches to determine the firing fee. A=
thank-you to Ann (Anne?) for the information she gave me there, and a=
thank-you in advance to anyone out there who has a little more input to=
help me figure this out here.
Hope you all are doing great, it's getting hot out here in the Sonoran=
desert-
10am and already 91F.
Mishy
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Michelle Lowe potter in the Phoenix desert
http://www.desertdragonpottery.com
Mishy@desertdragonpottery.com
mishlowe@amug.org
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Jean Lehman on sun 18 may 03
Mishy, I meant to explain what I do. I took a box, left two sides and
the bottom attached. I ruled it off in one inch increments for width
and depth. Each inch is 10 cents. We stand the pot up in the corner
of the box. I don't do cubic inches, as that gets too expensive in my
opinion. I just add the two measurements together. A piece 6" by 4"
would be 6 + 4 times ten cents = $1.00. I don't count handles unless
they are multiples and really increase the space in the kiln. A tile
would get stood up on edge and be 4 +4 or $.80. I charge $50 for a
whole load. A large flat platter goes by the two largest
dimensions... since that is the way it would be fired. (14 inches by
8 inches would be 22 = $2.20.) I am not too fussy about it, I tend to
round down when there is a doubt. I think the person who suggested
this to me some 25 years ago charged the cubic inch method using the
same pricing scheme.
Jean
> At this time in my studio, I charge 50c per=
> inch, measuring the longest side of a piece, and this is not very=
> consistent or practical for various shaped items, such as tile. I would=
> like to change to a cubic inch charge, as Ann explained, she created a=
> measuring board with rulers along three axes, where you can set the piece=
> on the board and measure cubic inches to determine the firing fee. A=
> thank-you to Ann (Anne?) for the information she gave me there, and a=
> thank-you in advance to anyone out there who has a little more input to=
> help me figure this out here.
--
-------------------->
Jean Lehman,
jlehman73@earthlink.net
in Lancaster, PA
http://www.art-craftpa.com/sfpn.html
Check in on line to see The 11th annual (2003)
Strictly Functional Pottery National exhibition, juried by Wayne Higby.
It opened April 26, and will be open thorugh Memorial Day, May 26, 2003.
J. B. Clauson on sun 18 may 03
We charged by the size, using the height at it's highest point and width at
its widest. We calculated the cost of firing the kiln (including direct
cost of firing, overhead, and a small profit margin) and came up with two
charts (one bisque and one glaze - we glaze fired to cone 10) giving the
price of firing for the customer using these two measurements. One of our
local poured ceramics outlets used a similar chart and we used that as the
basis for our method.
The charts were posted in the office and in the glaze room. We required
payment in advance for obvious reasons. Caveats on price schedules and
receipts proclaimed loud and clear that we assumed no liability for any
damage or poor result that may have occurred during the firing process and
any kiln shelves damaged by a potter's piece had to be replaced by that
potter (at the very least, we made them chisel off the glaze drips if we
through the shelf could be salvaged). If a potter wanted to run their own
firing, there was a price for the whole kiln (depending on top temperature).
If a potter had a kiln load but wanted us to fire it for them, there was a
surcharge for that service.
This all involved a lot of math and just remembering has given me a
headache!
Jan C.
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