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crazing driving me crazy

updated sat 13 dec 97

 

Tim Stowell on wed 10 dec 97


I'm sure everyone has heard of the problem, and iy has probably
been addressed hear before. Here goes anyway:
I use Laguna/Miller clay number 10T it's a white earthenware
claybody and I've tried a number of clear glazes(commercial and homemade)
firing between cone 06-04. Our work is brightly colored using
underglazes, slips, and engobes so we need a true clear to show off the
colors and not mute them. I have yet to find a clear glaze that does not
craze. I have managed to postpone crazing for a couple of weeks, thinking
I've solved the problem and then I here a little "pinnngggg" coming from
our gallery area.
Any suggestions on clay bodies, glazes, firing techniques, etc.
to solve the problem would be greatly appreciated. I've already tried
firing naked under a full moon and that only seemed to help a little and
attract unwanted attention from the XXX movie theatre patrons across the
street from our studio/gallery.


Tim Stowell Gerard Stowell Pottery
290 River St
tstwll@juno.com Troy, NY 12180
(518)272-0983

Ray Carlton on thu 11 dec 97

hi tim .... you could be overfiring the glaze. it may have a low tolerance
to overfiring in which case you probably should formulate your own glaze
that works in your firing schedule on your clay..I know from friends who do
similar kind of work that the glaze always seems to be a bugbear always
under or overfired, crazing pinholes etc etc. It's not impossible and i'm
sure the glaze pundits will have many suggestions for you..good luck

cheers

At 02:27 10/12/97 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
> I'm sure everyone has heard of the problem, and iy has probably
>been addressed hear before. Here goes anyway:
> I use Laguna/Miller clay number 10T it's a white earthenware
>claybody and I've tried a number of clear glazes(commercial and homemade)
>firing between cone 06-04. Our work is brightly colored using
>underglazes, slips, and engobes so we need a true clear to show off the
>colors and not mute them. I have yet to find a clear glaze that does not
>craze. I have managed to postpone crazing for a couple of weeks, thinking
>I've solved the problem and then I here a little "pinnngggg" coming from
>our gallery area.
> Any suggestions on clay bodies, glazes, firing techniques, etc.
>to solve the problem would be greatly appreciated. I've already tried
>firing naked under a full moon and that only seemed to help a little and
>attract unwanted attention from the XXX movie theatre patrons across the
>street from our studio/gallery.
>
>
>Tim Stowell Gerard Stowell Pottery
> 290 River St
> tstwll@juno.com Troy, NY 12180
> (518)272-0983
>
>
Please note My NEW!! email address

Ray Carlton



ATCRIST on fri 12 dec 97

Hi Tim,

I use Laguna/ Miller clay 10 G (should be similar to the 10 T you use). I too
had a problem with crazing and I found that bisquing to cone 1 solved the
problem. After the bisque I paint on the pots with commercial underglazes,
stains, etc., and then brush on three coats of Gare clear 1700 and glaze fire
to cone 04.The higher glaze and bisque temperatures have really helped.
However, I just looked at a bunch of my pots that I've had around for a few
months and only the ones with the yellow base coat of underglaze crazed. I
can't explain that - maybe too thick of a glaze application or too fast
cooling.

Have you ever had a problem with pop-outs with this clay? I don't know if I
got a bad batch last time or if I'm trapping air in my slabs somehow?

Also, does anyone have a source for Miller/ Laguna in Texas?

Beverly Crist
atcrist@aol.com