Axner on wed 20 mar 96
Dear Cynthia,
The only experience I have with Borax is:
I have a favorite glaze that crazes, so I added Borax to the glaze to help
solve the problem. I think I've solved it with the help of the Borax, and
a frit. Anyway, I disolved "20 Mule Team Borax" in water and added it to
the glaze. Then the weather got cold. My glaze started having crystals in
it everywhere. It was really a mess and I was quite upset. I didn't
relate the cold weather to the crystal formation. Until my husdand
suggested I put some of the crystals in hot water and see if they dissolved
again. BINGO. So we moved the glaze into the house where it would be
warm. All the crystals went away.
Anyway, the Axner catalog describes it's Borax as; a water soluble, low
temperature flux which lowers the fusion point of glazes and promotes a
smooth melt. Produces bright colors with oxides. Also a source of sodium
and boric oxide in glazes.
I think you just need to disolve it in enough water to achieve the
purpose. Hope I've helped a little and not confused more.
Judy at Axner
Cynthia Hull on thu 21 mar 96
I must have some kind of wierd borax because I mix and store it in a climate
controlled studio and it imediatly crystalizes. General consensus seems to
have it that heating is the way to go and I will try that. Thanks for your
help.
Cynthia
At 06:23 PM 3/20/96 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Dear Cynthia,
>
>The only experience I have with Borax is:
>
>I have a favorite glaze that crazes, so I added Borax to the glaze to help
>solve the problem. I think I've solved it with the help of the Borax, and
>a frit. Anyway, I disolved "20 Mule Team Borax" in water and added it to
>the glaze. Then the weather got cold. My glaze started having crystals in
>it everywhere. It was really a mess and I was quite upset. I didn't
>relate the cold weather to the crystal formation. Until my husdand
>suggested I put some of the crystals in hot water and see if they dissolved
>again. BINGO. So we moved the glaze into the house where it would be
>warm. All the crystals went away.
>
>Anyway, the Axner catalog describes it's Borax as; a water soluble, low
>temperature flux which lowers the fusion point of glazes and promotes a
>smooth melt. Produces bright colors with oxides. Also a source of sodium
>and boric oxide in glazes.
>
>I think you just need to disolve it in enough water to achieve the
>purpose. Hope I've helped a little and not confused more.
>
>Judy at Axner
>
Bill Aycock on thu 21 mar 96
>----------------------------Original message-in part- from
Judy-------------------------
Then the weather got cold. My glaze started having crystals in
>it everywhere. . I didn't
>relate the cold weather to the crystal formation.
>
>Judy at Axner
I have one question----- just when did it get that cold in central Florida?
:-)
couldn't resist the humor- I do know that the citrus crop (and orchards)
were hurt this year.
Bill- on the first day of spring- looking out at 3 inches of snow on
beautiful Persimmon Hill, in North Alabama
bburruss@csn.net on fri 22 mar 96
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I must have some kind of wierd borax because I mix and store it in a climate
>controlled studio and it imediatly crystalizes. General consensus seems to
>have it that heating is the way to go and I will try that. Thanks for your
>help.
>
Cynthia and others working with borax,
The Handbook of Chemistry and Physics lists the solubility of borax
as 2 g/100g water at 0 deg. C and 170g/100g at 100 deg. C. With that big a
change in solubility with temperature, it would be easy to make a
supersaturated solution that would give you crystals in your glaze bucket
at any "room" temperature. Just be careful to use enough water relative to
borax to keep it in solution at the temperature of your studio.
More fun with chemistry . . .
Bob
John Termeulen on sat 23 mar 96
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>>I must have some kind of wierd borax because I mix and store it in a climate
>>controlled studio and it imediatly crystalizes. General consensus seems to
>>have it that heating is the way to go and I will try that. Thanks for your
>>help.
>>
>Cynthia and others working with borax,
> The Handbook of Chemistry and Physics lists the solubility of borax
>as 2 g/100g water at 0 deg. C and 170g/100g at 100 deg. C. With that big a
>change in solubility with temperature, it would be easy to make a
>supersaturated solution that would give you crystals in your glaze bucket
>at any "room" temperature. Just be careful to use enough water relative to
>borax to keep it in solution at the temperature of your studio.
> More fun with chemistry . . .
> Bob
While you are on the subject of soluble materials . What impact do these
materials have on the glazes once they are stored for any lenght of time?
Are they just as stable after they are just mixed? I would certainly like to
hear your opnion on this.
With thanks,
John
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