About Cobalt Kiln

I spent eleven years in corporate finance in Sydney, the last four at a mid-tier advisory firm in the CBD. Good money, long hours, the usual. Somewhere around 2019 I started spending weekends driving down to Bowral just to get out of the flat. I found a pottery studio on Bong Bong Street that did Saturday drop-in sessions and started going every week. I was terrible at first. Lopsided bowls, cracked bases, glaze that ran off completely in the kiln. But I kept showing up because it was the only part of my week where I wasn't thinking about anything else. That was the first time in years I'd felt that.

Before Cobalt Kiln there was just a job. I was good at it, which made it harder to leave. I managed a team of six, billed reasonable hours, got the bonuses. But by early 2021 I was waking up at 4am most nights just lying there. My GP called it burnout and I called it a Tuesday. I took two weeks off in April that year and spent most of it in the studio down here. On the last day I drove back to Sydney, sat in the car outside my building for about twenty minutes, went upstairs, and handed in my notice. No plan beyond that. I had about forty thousand dollars saved and a rough idea that I wanted to make things with my hands for a living.

— Still making things in the shed. — KERROD, KERROD RAYMOND CASEY

Our team

• Dariusz Kowalczyk — Dispatch and Fulfilment: Dariusz moved to the Southern Highlands from Wollongong in 2020 and found the studio through a community noticeboard in Robertson. He came on part-time in mid-2022 to help with packing and has since taken over all dispatch operations, averaging around 90 orders packed and sent each month. He knows the Australia Post depot in Moss Vale better than most of their own staff.
• Yumiko Tanaka — Glaze and Production Assistant: Yumiko studied ceramics at TAFE NSW's Meadowbank campus and spent three years doing production work for a small studio in Leura before joining Cobalt Kiln in January 2023. She handles glaze mixing and prep, and assists with production runs on larger wholesale batches. Her notes on glaze chemistry sit in a folder that Kerrod describes as more useful than any book she's read on the subject.
• Brendan Okafor — Online Orders and Customer Contact: Brendan grew up in Campbelltown and studied business administration at Western Sydney University before relocating to Bowral with his partner in late 2022. He joined Cobalt Kiln in March 2023 to manage the Shopify back end, handle customer emails, and keep the order queue organised. He also runs the brand's Instagram account and has grown the following from around 1,400 to just over 6,000 since he started.

Frequently asked questions

How long will my order take to arrive?

Standard delivery runs 3–8 business days depending on your location. Express via StarTrack typically lands in 1–3 business days. Rural and remote addresses may take a few days longer — we'll send you tracking as soon as your order ships.

Do you ship to all states and territories, including NT and TAS?

Yes, we ship Australia-wide including Darwin, Hobart, and regional postcodes. Remote NT and WA can add 2–4 extra business days on standard shipping. Express is available to most of those areas too.

Can I return a product if I change my mind?

Yes. We accept change-of-mind returns within 30 days of delivery, provided the item is unused and in its original packaging. You'll cover the return postage in that case. Faulty items are handled differently — see our Returns Policy for details.

What materials are used in Cobalt Kiln tools?

It varies by product. The ratchet wrench set and pipe wrench use alloy cast and chrome vanadium steel. The rotary hammer drill bits are carbide-tipped. Product listings include full specs so you know exactly what you're getting.

Do you offer custom or personalised orders?

We don't offer personalisation on individual retail orders at this stage. If you're after something specific for a large trade or commercial order, reach out to us at hello@cobaltkiln.com and we can talk through what's possible.

Do you offer wholesale pricing for trade or retail buyers?

Yes. If you're a trade professional or a retailer interested in stocking Cobalt Kiln products, email wholesale@cobaltkiln.com with your ABN and a brief outline of your business. Kerrod and the team will get back to you within 2 business days.

Do you offer gift wrapping?

We don't offer gift wrapping at this time. Orders ship in plain, sturdy packaging — which honestly suits most of our tools just fine. You can add a note at checkout and we'll include it with the order.

How do I know which drill bit size or wrench size I need?

Each product listing includes a full size range and a compatibility guide. The Flex-Head Ratchet Wrench Set covers 8–19mm metric, and the SDS-Plus bits come in a 5-piece set. If you're still unsure, drop us a message and we'll point you in the right direction.

Customer reviews

• 5/5 “Solid wrench, fast delivery” Ordered the Adjustable Pipe Wrench on a Tuesday and it was on my doorstep by Thursday — didn't expect that from a NSW-based shop. The alloy cast feels genuinely sturdy, not lightweight like some I've bought before. Used it on a bathroom reno and it held up without complaint. Would order again.
• 4/5 “Laser measure works exactly as described” The Digital Laser Measuring Tape arrived well-packaged and was accurate across the 40m range I tested it at. Setup was straightforward and the display is easy to read in bright light. Knocked one star off because the instructions could be clearer, but the tool itself does the job.
• 5/5 “Drill driver is a proper workhorse” Bought the 20V Cordless Drill-Driver for a deck build and it's been running most weekends since. Two batteries included is a genuine plus — I can keep one charging while I work. Arrived faster than I expected given I'm in Perth. No complaints.
• 4/5 “Good ratchet set, one minor issue” The Flex-Head Ratchet Wrench Set covers the sizes I use most and the flex head is genuinely useful in tight spots. One of the smaller ends had a slightly rough finish out of the box, but it hasn't affected how it works. Shipping was quick and packaging was no-nonsense.
• 5/5 “SDS bits are holding up well” Three months in and the SDS-Plus Rotary Hammer Drill Bits are still sharp after drilling into rendered brick and concrete block. I was a bit sceptical at the price point but they've genuinely outperformed a set I paid more for. Delivery to Brisbane was three days on standard.
• 5/5 “Shipped to Tassie without drama” Wasn't sure how long delivery would take to Hobart but it arrived in five business days on standard shipping, which is fine by me. The laser measuring tape is accurate and the battery life has been good. Solid product and no fuss with the order.

From the journal

• Why I left Sydney for a workshop in Bowral — Thirteen years in a glass tower will do something to you, and eventually I stopped being able to ignore what that something was.
• Finding a clay supplier closer than I expected — I had been ordering clay from a distributor in Melbourne for almost a year before someone at the Mittagong market pointed me toward a supplier forty minutes away.
• What I learned drilling into sandstone walls — The workshop renovation last summer taught me more about the right drill bits for local sandstone than any YouTube video managed to.
• Autumn in the shed and slowing the firing schedule — April in the Southern Highlands means the mornings are cold again and the light through the shed window changes colour around four in the afternoon.
• What a kiln loading day actually looks like — People ask about the firing process and I always think the loading is the part that deserves more explanation than the firing itself.
• Replacing the workshop sink plumbing took longer than planned — The clay trap under the workshop sink had been a problem since I installed it, and this summer I finally stopped ignoring it.