Build a Big Pot Without a Wheel — Slab & Coil Masterclass

Create a large, statement vessel with zero wheel work. In this hand-building masterclass, I combine slab construction with a single structural coil to form a tall pot, refine the surface at leather-hard, decorate with red iron oxide, and prep for a clean bisque fire at 980–1000°C. What you’ll learn: How to roll, compress, and drape even slabs over simple bowl molds Scoring and slip techniques for strong, crack‑free joins Using a single coil as a structural bridge between halves Interior/exterior blending with rib tools for stability Forming a clean mouth/rim with a finishing coil Leather-hard timing, controlled drying, and distortion prevention Simple red iron oxide brushwork (what to do—and what not to do) Drying under plastic vs. open air, depending on studio humidity Bisque firing targets: 980–1000°C Tools & materials: Stoneware or earthenware clay Two metal bowl molds (rim Ø 30–32 cm) + cotton/muslin lining Rolling pin, scoring tool/needle, slip (clay + water), rib tools Wooden spoon/paddle for gentle compression Red iron oxide + brush Pro tips: Brace from the inside whenever pressing the wall from the outside. Blend seams inside and out; compression prevents kiln cracks. Don’t use water to “erase” iron oxide—scrape lightly with a rib. Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:28 Slab prep & compression 1:42 Drape over molds + rest to leather‑hard 3:05 Score, slip, and attach structural coil 5:10 Join top half + interior/exterior blending 7:02 Forming the rim 8:10 Refining at leather‑hard 9:15 Simple iron oxide decoration 10:30 Drying strategy 11:20 Bisque firing (980–1000°C) 12:00 Final result If this helped, hit Like, Subscribe, and drop a comment—your support keeps these tutorials coming. Keywords (add to tags section): pottery, hand building, slab pottery, coil pottery, large vessel, no wheel pottery, pottery tutorial, red iron oxide, leather hard, bisque firing, pottery tips, ceramic techniques