Nancy on sun 9 sep 07
Hi Everyone
I am hoping someone has tried using this product in glazes. I searched
the archives and only found one discussion that no one replied to.
My neighbor gave me half a box so I have about 20 lbs of it. It is a
form of silica. Here is an explanation from the internet of what it is:
"A sedimentary rock primarily composed of the fossilized remains of
unicellular fresh water plants known as Diatoms. Over the millennia the
diatoms have been compressed to create one of the most effective growing
mediums available. *Diatomite* consists of approximately 90% silicon
dioxide, with the remainder of its contents being elemental minerals,
which are essential for plant growth. All of these unique factors make
*Diatomite* the premium horticultural grade medium for all growing
applications.
All Diatomite is not created equal. You may be familiar with
diatomaceous earth that is used in filters and as an insect and slug
repellant. These types of products are not suitable for horticulture
because the diatoms are of salt-water origin, leaving them with a high
salinity level that is not suitable for plants."
Since my neighbor used this in her pool I figure it is Diatomaceous
earth from a salt water origin.
I'm thinking since it is 90% silicon dioxide this may make an
interesting glaze....or maybe not. I'm not sure how the salt level will
affect anything so I throw this out to this wonderful group of people in
hopes of getting some response.
Thanks in advance
Nancy
Taylor Hendrix on sun 9 sep 07
I say just ues it in some tests.
I doubt that the salt content (if there really were a significant
amount) would hurt anything anyway. Yours doesn't have any, right?
Just make good notes and add it as a silica source. Perhaps it will
flux a bit more than straight silica would in the glaze.
Taylor, in Rockport TX
On 9/9/07, Nancy wrote:
> Hi Everyone
>
> I am hoping someone has tried using this product in glazes. I searched
> the archives and only found one discussion that no one replied to.
>
> My neighbor gave me half a box so I have about 20 lbs of it. It is a
> form of silica. Here is an explanation from the internet of what it is:
...
Mary & Wes Handrow on mon 10 sep 07
Since this material is a very fine silica, I would research glazes that use
rice hull ash. The two materials are very similar in fineness which will
make a difference in how it goes into solution in a glaze (less will act
like more). Nuka type glazes would be a good place to start. If used in a
clay body the same would be true, a little will go a long way don't use too
much or you will risk dunting, and poor glaze fit, but then again because it
is so fine a body could "eat" a lot of this and be alright. As others have
said without knowing what cone, oxidation or reduction, it's hard to give
you much in the way of ideas. Be careful as always since this is a fine
dust it's not good for the lungs and remember it's used to kill things like
slugs by causing them to bleed to death. The edges are very sharp so it
will work its way into the respirator system with ease.
Ivor and Olive Lewis on mon 10 sep 07
Dear Nancy,=20
Difficult to make suggestions since you do not tell us what sort of =
firings you do; Electric/gas ? Cone 6/8/10? Oxidation / Reduction ? And =
if clayart archives give you no joy with answers to a previous inquiry =
then there are only two things I can suggest.
The first is to do a thorough literature search. Get into your nearest =
library and look through the contents list, the index and the =
bibliography of all the books on ceramics and claywork shelves. I doubt =
if an online search will give you anything useful.
The second thing to do is to set up your own private investigation. This =
could be informal and may require doing no more that substituting =
Diatomite for Silica in your favourite glazes.
If this proved unsatisfactory I would go straight to a 6 x 6 test tile =
with four ingredients ; a clay, a felspar, your diatomite and a =
secondary flux. If you are firing to Cone 6 I would use a frit, if Cone =
8 or higher Calcium carbonate. This will yield 36 potential recipes.
Best regards,
Ivor Lewis.
Redhill,
South Australia.
.=20
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