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spraying

updated thu 19 apr 12

 

Mel Jacobson on sun 26 apr 98

mr uchida sprayed the most wonderful coat of glaze on his big pots,
and they were perfect.
he would say`...must be careful, it always seems you have too much
glaze on when spraying, but usually have half as much.

he used a pin and measured the thickness.

he was very careful when he revolved the banding wheel, slow and steady,
then the glaze would not build up in one place.

any good professional sprayer will tell you to `watch the surface
in front of the spray...if you watch the spray it is too late.`.
kinda like skiing moguls.....you better be watching ahead.

mel/mn

p.s. i must agree with tony c. i do not like `barnum and bailey`
raku. i do like pure white, with black clay color showing
through.

i became very upset the first time i realized that a great deal of
raku re/oxydizes. copper matts turn brown in three years.
and boy i do not like to spray varnish on finished pots to
preserve their finish.

if you sell that stuff for hundreds of dollars, and it will not last,
shame on you.
http://www.pclink.com/melpots

KLeSueur on tue 28 apr 98


In a message dated 4/26/98 4:21:51 PM, you wrote:

<shame on you.>>

I concur!! I've had more customers complain about watching that beautiful pot
they paid so much for fade before their eyes to a dull black with some brown
streaks.

Kathi LeSueur

Celia Littlecreek on thu 6 dec 01


I really like the idea of a glazing workshop. I learn better by doing, =
rather than reading, following printed directions, How 'bout a glaze =
fountain seminar in conjunction with the glazing workshop? "A make it =
and take it project"


Celia Littlecreek
Littlecreeks Uniques
littlec@paulbunyan.net

Tommy Humphries on thu 6 dec 01


successful spray glazing takes a lot of skill and preparation...and as
always quality equipment.

I have always used a binks internal mix gun and a pressure tank, this will
allow you to vary the spray characteristics to suit any situation, and to
apply special effects as needed. A motorized turntable is very helpful...60
rpm is about right for me. two turntables makes the job a joy, as you can
spray a second pot while the first is drying.
Raise the pot to be glazed off the surface of the turntable, by placing it
on an inverted flower pot (what I use), this way the spray can be applied
all the way to the bottom of the pot without getting rebound spatters from
the turntable, also if glazing directly on the turntable glaze will pool up
around the base of the pot creating a mess.

Glazing bisque is much different from glazing green. Bisque will absorb
water much faster, fooling you into applying too much glaze. You should
always use a thinner glaze when spraying bisque and a thicker glaze when
spraying green. Watch the pot as it spins, and start spraying from the
bottom and work up, the gun should be adjusted so that the surface of the
pot appears wet as the pot makes its second revolution. Keep the spray
moving, allowing the feathered edge of the spray pattern to slightly overlap
the already glazed surface. The spray pattern should be this...two
revolutions at the bottom of the pot into a continuos spiral up the side and
off the top...you will see this makes sense if you try it :^) check the
thickness and apply a second coat if needed.

To spray the inside just a quick spray to the bottom and up the sides is
usually enough...if there is a puddle in the bottom of the pot you probably
have the spray volume too heavy.

----- Original Message -----
From: "mel jacobson"
To:
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 9:35 PM
Subject: spraying


> i am not even close to being an expert on spray techniques.
> kurt is getting good at it...and larron lerdahl, one of our
> fine hay creek potters is a `racer` at spray.
>
> several tricks from mr. uchida and larron.
>
> keep your banding wheel moving slow.
> use your thumb.
> start at the bottom and slowly work to the top.
> make sure you do not have bands...watch the
> spray, not the gun...see through the spray and see
> how it is applying. make sure you know where you are
> going with the spray. don't get lost.
>
> mr. uchida used a pin. he would scratch the surface and test
> the depth.
>
> it takes a great many more coats of spray than it does dips.
> most spray is thin...gotta get glaze on that pot.
> it must be post card thickness when complete.
>
> it is all about consistent thick surface.
> thick and thin always follows poor spray coats.
>
> of course, normal safety...mask...air flow is expected.
>
> it is magic to watch an experienced sprayer.
> pressure must be correct.
> flow must be constant.
> thickness of glaze must be correct.
> lots to think about.
> mel
> From:
> Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
> web site: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
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>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>

mel jacobson on thu 6 dec 01


i am not even close to being an expert on spray techniques.
kurt is getting good at it...and larron lerdahl, one of our
fine hay creek potters is a `racer` at spray.

several tricks from mr. uchida and larron.

keep your banding wheel moving slow.
use your thumb.
start at the bottom and slowly work to the top.
make sure you do not have bands...watch the
spray, not the gun...see through the spray and see
how it is applying. make sure you know where you are
going with the spray. don't get lost.

mr. uchida used a pin. he would scratch the surface and test
the depth.

it takes a great many more coats of spray than it does dips.
most spray is thin...gotta get glaze on that pot.
it must be post card thickness when complete.

it is all about consistent thick surface.
thick and thin always follows poor spray coats.

of course, normal safety...mask...air flow is expected.

it is magic to watch an experienced sprayer.
pressure must be correct.
flow must be constant.
thickness of glaze must be correct.
lots to think about.
mel
From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: http://www.pclink.com/melpots

Richard Aerni on fri 7 dec 01


Mel,
I've always found a banding wheel too distracting. I took one of my old
potters' wheels and built the booth around it. That way I use my foot for
speed control, and my hands are free for use with the gun and the glaze.
This also gives me distance from the pot. If I had to keep a banding wheel
going, I'd feel as though I were too close to the work to do the job right.

I've found that judging the size of the dimples, or craters, to be the best
and quickest way to judge spray glaze thickness. It takes a while (just
like anything in potting), but you get used to it. Glazing is the second
half of making your pot. You should spend as much time and attention with
the surface finish as you do with the basic forming. (at least that's what
I try to do) I'm not a "dip it and rip it" guy. Takes me two days to glaze
a load of pots. Results are what count. Whatever works for you is right.
Nobody taught me the "right" way to spray glazes; like most other stuff, you
figure out what is best for you.


Richard Aerni
Bloomfield, NY
> several tricks from mr. uchida and larron.
>
> keep your banding wheel moving slow.
> use your thumb.
> start at the bottom and slowly work to the top.
> make sure you do not have bands...watch the
> spray, not the gun...see through the spray and see
> how it is applying. make sure you know where you are
> going with the spray. don't get lost.
>
> mr. uchida used a pin. he would scratch the surface and test
> the depth.
>
> it takes a great many more coats of spray than it does dips.
> most spray is thin...gotta get glaze on that pot.
> it must be post card thickness when complete.
>
> it is all about consistent thick surface.
> thick and thin always follows poor spray coats.
>
> of course, normal safety...mask...air flow is expected.

Fran Dumville on wed 18 aug 04


I have recently started spraying glazes and lovin' it. Now the desire is to get more detailed using an airbrush. New territory to me and need recommendations as to what is best: internal or external mix, double or single action, etc. Any and all help will be appreciated.

Peggy Bjerkan on wed 18 aug 04


I would recommend starting simple: get a Paasche H single action airbrush
and use either a number 3 or 5 tip (needle assembly). I've been using one
of these for years and think they're the best for airbrushing ceramic
materials. You could spend a lot more money on a fancier airbrush, but
underglazes and slips would quickly damage it!

Good luck,
Peggy Bjerkan - soaking in the Napa Valley sunshine!!!
www.maskwoman.com
peggy@maskwoman.com

Fran Dumville on wed 18 aug 04


> Thanks for the info Peggy. When I asked at the crafts store all I got was "can you use it for glazes?"

Fran

> From: Peggy Bjerkan
> Date: 2004/08/18 Wed PM 02:21:14 EDT
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: Spraying
>
> I would recommend starting simple: get a Paasche H single action airbrush
> and use either a number 3 or 5 tip (needle assembly). I've been using one
> of these for years and think they're the best for airbrushing ceramic
> materials. You could spend a lot more money on a fancier airbrush, but
> underglazes and slips would quickly damage it!
>
> Good luck,
> Peggy Bjerkan - soaking in the Napa Valley sunshine!!!
> www.maskwoman.com
> peggy@maskwoman.com
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>

Ivor and Olive Lewis on thu 19 aug 04


Dear Fran Dumville,
Have a look on the News Stands for a magazine called "Art Scene
International"
Dedicated to illustration, visual Art and Digital imaging. But the
accent is on using the Air Brush. The Adds are full of pictures of
Airbrush Pens. Published in Germany but printed in English. They also
advertise instructional videos.
My preference is for double action, gravity fed but a pierced bent
straw dipped in the spray medium will do some jobs quite well.
Best regards,
Ivor Lewis.
Redhill,
S. Australia.

.

bill edwards on sat 2 apr 05


Jonathan Kaplan gave a great representation on
spraying glazes in his reply. Thanks Jonathan!

There's been some questions as weather or not I use a
VL AB or another one. So here's my answer. I only use
those types of airbrushes for small work with a very
fluid material thats been screened and I sometimes add
CMC, not always. Jonathan explained a very similar
airgun that I use for larger pieces. I do recommend a
gravity flow gun but I do use more air pressure,
perhaps because I am used to using upwards of 50
pounds pressure for my other work. I would say between
20-30 pounds would work well.

Tip drying - this is going to happen where larger
particles are being thrown out with air pressure.
Clogs will not go away but you can pull back on the
plunger that holds the needle and shoot a little out
to the side away from your work and continue the
spraying session. I have added agents to reduce drying
time to reduce this problem but that can be tricky and
most of the time we want our glazes to dry pretty
fast. For those who want to know there is a couple
options to reduce drying time. Propylene Glycol and
Glycerin. Never use ETHYLENE GLYCOL which is
anti-freeze and will kill pets and is toxic to the
liver and kidneys. Neither of these have been shown as
carcinogens but one is toxic, the other not. Propylene
is used in fake smoke for stage productions and also
as an safer anti-freeze and a food additive as well as
in medicine and my favorite, desserts and those body
rubs that you blow on that heat up, well... lets not
go there today! There is a HUGE difference between
these products. Propylene Glycol is an absorbant for
holding water or rather like a humectant. (Think
Shampoo and conditioners) We do still have a
toxicologist on this group and his name is E.B. He has
often spoke on hazards issues in the past.

The vast majority of sanitary wares and industrial
wares see a spray booth. But very little has been done
to create individual artistic ends where colors flow
into each other and even oxides being sprayed so the
edges are crisp and names, animals or figures can be
put on forms with clarity by using stencil techniques
you can invent yourself. I believe I recently seen 2
sites that showed this techniques and they both had
astonishing results.

I used to have 2 toxicologists on the pay-roll. So
when I mentioned I wouldn't use barium or lithium I
had my reasons. Here's my reasons! Regardless of the
exposure to other people, I do not wish to expose
myself to more problems than neccessary. The
toxicology work for my materials back then was clear
that these substances were not suitable for spraying
to include the certifications I needed to have the
Non-Toxic compliance labeling I held at the time based
on end use. So if there's a question to toxicity, I
simply find a better way. But most people don't think
about dust as a whole being hazardous. Flour dust is
hazardous. Its easily avoided by wearing a mask. Its
similar to the talks Ron and I held some years back
about gasoline additives and up-take along the side of
roads where plants seem to thrive on the chemical
by-ways but we know that children are suceptable to
lead problems and over exposure to other chemicals
eventually can lead to immunity issues as well as
allergies. So long term exposure to a hazard such as
DUSTS can eventually create an established health
problem for the potter.

But for painters who use canvas this would be entirely
a different picture. We are still talking about
potters who are exposed to dusts more often than other
artists in other fields of work unless they have some
very bad habits. I would use a barium red paint on a
canvas. I would replace cadmium with napthyl reds
where possible but we don't use napthyl red in pottery
that I am aware of, we do have some use where cadmium
is concerned. Same could be said for chrome yellow
that has been replaced over the years with other
yellows in many areas.

Personally, I would save that piece that Jonathan
wrote as it is one of the most comprehensive pieces I
have seen in awhile. It covers allot of ground in a
short space.

Bill Edwards
Edmar Studio and Gallery





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Karin Givon on wed 18 apr 12


Altho Steven Hill's DVD on spraying in interesting, it is just one
way to go at the task. Clearly very successfull, but there are a few
caveats. He is spraying for a particular effect. Others may spray
their glazes for other reasons. You can and indeed should overly
your glazes for a widely varied look. One glaze on top will look
entirely different if you put the bottom glaze on top. I have also
found that you can use ^ 10 glazes paired with ^6 glazes and they
will almost invariably melt. Can't guarantee 100% tho. Ombre of
course, now all the fad in the clothing world, is another thing you
can use- shading top to bottom or otherwise. I do a lot of cutting
thru and carving and I find that the more celadon-like glazes work
well for me, an so I use those glazes really quite thick. I put on
probably four or five layers, turning the vessel round and round on a
turntable as I spray. I like it to get nice and fuzzy looking. I DO
NOT like how it looks if it drips or gets shiny. I find it helps to
do the foot first, and I place a like-sized pot on the foot to keep
the glaze off, as I like to write my name on the foot, covered with a
clear glaze. I of course wipe the edge of the foot afterwards so it's
clean and no dripping onto the kiln shelf. ( I also use handmade
slats to keep 'em off the kiln shelf. Lazy me) I let them dry a bit
and find that if my fingermarks show in the fuzziness, it doesn't
show in the fired pot. I have very light hands and handle them once-
spray and load in the kiln. No messing around. I also keep the area
clean-with newspapers and lots of sponges to touch up. I used to
think it was really slower but now I 'm quicker, I guess, and it
doesn't take long at all. Go for it, a little practice and you'll do
fine. Oh, and I use a large paasche spryer. The blue one. And bumble
bee honey jars for glaze, because they're light! and PLASTIC!
Good luck, and have fun.
Karin
If you like, you can see "sprayed pottery" at
www.DancingDragonPottery.net....I don't dip any of these guys.