Posting rules and safety tips

The rules in brief

What’s prohibited

These prohibitions also apply to free items and swaps.

• Asbestos. Items containing asbestos can be neither sold nor given away. For a kiln made before 2005 or of unknown year, a declaration is required; if there is any doubt, it cannot be posted.
• Lead and substances that are carcinogenic or toxic to reproduction. Litharge, red lead, lead glazes, cobalt carbonate, borax, cadmium or hexavalent chromium compounds: their sale to the general public is prohibited. Only lead-free glazes are accepted.
• Radioactive materials and refractory ceramic fibre. Uranium oxide, refractory ceramic fibre (RCF), new or used. New bio-soluble wool (AES) is accepted.
• Unlabelled materials. Clays, glazes and oxides must show their original label: without it, there is no way to know what they contain.
• Dangerous equipment. Gas bottles (they belong to the supplier), “home-made” gas burners and kilns, appliances modified in non-compliant ways, recalled products, used masks and filters.
• Counterfeits and copies. Moulds copying a protected design, fake signatures: without proof, write “attributed to”.
• And anything else the law prohibits. Stolen goods, hateful or sexual content, invasions of privacy, weapons, medicines, animals.

Private sellers and professionals

Each ad shows whether it is posted by a private seller or a professional, according to the declared status. You are a professional as soon as you sell, rent out or offer a service as part of a business: studio, craftsperson, school, reseller, supplier. Selling regularly to earn an income means acting as a professional: presenting yourself as a private seller is prohibited and penalised (articles L121-4 and L132-2 of the French Consumer Code (Code de la consommation)).

• Buying from a private seller : no right of withdrawal unless you agree otherwise, and no legal guarantee of conformity; the warranty against hidden defects applies (articles 1641 to 1649 of the French Civil Code).
• Buying from a professional : you have consumer rights: legal guarantee of conformity, warranty against hidden defects, and a 14-day right of withdrawal for distance sales. Their prices are shown including VAT; their registered company name and company number appear on the ad.
• Service and job offers : reserved for verified professional accounts. Anyone can post a wanted ad.
• Price drops : a struck-through price only appears if the previous price was genuinely charged on the ad; it is the lowest price in the 30 days before the reduction.

Jobs and internships

A job ad is dated automatically. For a job in France, it is written in French; a translation may be added. It describes a real, available job, its location, the type of contract and the pay. It contains no discriminatory criteria: no maximum age, no mention of sex, family status, origin or appearance, and job titles are given in both masculine and feminine forms. An internship is for a student, under an internship agreement, and is paid beyond 2 months. No fees may be charged to applicants.

How ads are ranked

Classified ads connect members free of charge, with 0% commission for private and professional sellers. Members agree directly on payment and collection or delivery. These ads include no integrated payment or buyer protection. Workshop bookings use a separate process. Seller status is declared; the verified professional badge confirms a team review.

1. Match with your search and filters: category, keywords (in all four languages), location and radius, features.
2. Then date of posting or last bump, newest first. Every seller can bump their ad to the top for free once a week.

You can also sort by price or distance. No payment, no business relationship with Ceramispot and no status changes this ranking. If paid promotion is ever introduced, it will be labelled “Sponsored ad”. An ad that breaks the rules may be hidden or moved down; its author is informed.

Moderation and appeals

We review each member’s first ad, and any ad that looks suspicious, before it is published. Automatic filters detect certain words, contact details and links; a member of our team always makes the decision before an ad is rejected or removed. Depending on how serious the issue is, we may ask for a correction, reject, hide or remove an ad, and suspend an account for serious or repeated breaches.

Every decision is sent to you by email with its reasons, its legal basis and your means of redress. To challenge it, reply to that email within 6 months: another member of our team will review your case, free of charge. You can also take the matter to the competent court or file a complaint with Arcom.

The “Report” button appears on every ad, every profile and every conversation. We acknowledge every report and let you know what action was taken. If someone is in immediate danger, call 17 or 112.

Safety tips

Buying a second-hand kiln

1. Can your electrical supply power it?. The rating plate shows the voltage (230 V single-phase or 400 V three-phase) and the power. A 3.6 kW kiln draws about 16 A and needs a dedicated circuit; a 7 kW single-phase kiln draws about 30 A. Have an electrician check before you buy.
2. Will it fire hot enough for your clay?. Earthenware: about 950 to 1100 °C. Stoneware: about 1220 to 1300 °C. A worn kiln may no longer reach its maximum temperature: ask for the temperature and date of the last successful firing.
3. Ask for a test heat-up. Ask for a recent firing report or a test carried out according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Keep the kiln closed while heating and wait until it has cooled completely before opening it. If in doubt, have the kiln checked by a qualified professional.
4. Check the elements. Sagging, out of their grooves, grey and brittle: they will need replacing soon. Ask when they were last replaced.
5. The thermocouple and controller. The thermocouple (the probe) wears out; ask when it was last replaced. Does the controller switch on? Does it show an error code?
6. Bricks, lid and door. Fine cracks are normal. Watch out for a crack running right through the floor or lid, crumbling bricks or a lid that doesn’t close properly.
7. Control box and cable. Blackened wires, cracked sheathing, a burning smell: the wiring needs redoing.
8. Transport. Move a kiln upright, with several people, and avoid knocks: the bricks are fragile. Check door widths and stairs.
9. Asbestos in old kilns. Before 2005, some kilns were insulated with asbestos. Ask for the year and the manual; if in doubt, don’t buy, and don’t dismantle or sand the insulation.

Buying a second-hand wheel

1. Watch it run. It should start smoothly and hold a steady speed right up to maximum, without jerking. If you can’t be there, ask for a video.
2. Listen. Squeaking, knocking or whining: worn bearings or belt.
3. Test the torque. Press hard on the wheel head at low speed: a good wheel barely slows down. For beginners, aim for at least 350 W.
4. The pedal. Responds smoothly, returns fully to zero, cable intact.
5. The wheel head. It should spin true, with no wobble or play: watch the edge while it turns slowly.
6. Reverse. Useful for left-handers and for trimming: test the switch.
7. Voltage. It needs 230 V. Watch out for wheels imported from the US at 110–120 V, which need a transformer.
8. Transport. An electric wheel weighs about 40 to 60 kg. Remove the splash pan and secure the pedal.