Marley Wolhud on tue 15 sep 98
Well, how disappointing. I did my first glaze fire. I have been bisque
firing with no problems and was a bit intimidated to mix up my first
glaze. Well I finally tried the floating blue rutile C6 that seemed to
meet my transparency requirement. It came out mostly brown.
A few points:
1. I just mixed to a lt cream consistency (exactly like the consistency
where I learned in a local pottery course.) -- I don't have a
hydrometer and to be honest, don't really understand why some people use
it. I am not a very scientific thinker.
2. After reading about the recent discussion on glaze fires I just added
a 1 hr soak and fired at medium speed to cone 6 in my new Skutt kiln.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Now I am even MORE intimidated!
Diane Chen
Candice Roeder on wed 16 sep 98
Marley,
I think your problem is with the glaze recipe chosen. If it is the
"Floating Blue" so often appearing on this list, you have a rather fussy
glaze to begin with.
If floating blue is applied thinly, it will be brown. If fired much
above cone five, even if thick enough, it will go snot green.
It does not always combine well when overlapped with other glazes.
Glaze ingredients must be mixed carefully, and it can be sensitive to
iron in the water.
It is it's most blue when over a white clay body. I've had it turn
muddy looking when on a darker body (which might have been okay had it
been thicker). I've had it pinhole on stoneware, but not on
porcelain...pinholing worsened upon refiring.
Are you using other glazes in your kiln load, or was the whole load
"floating blue"?
You can try mixing a new batch of glaze, keeping it much thicker than
your usual glazes...measuring ingredients carefully. This way you will
know if you mis-measured an ingredient in the previous batch. You can
also test your existing batch by dipping it a few times to build up the
glaze coating.
You can also heat up your pots and try more glaze on them, followed by a
refire to cone 5 down or six just beginning to bend. Maybe you can
resurrect that load.
Try a couple other glazes in the load, too...see how they turn out.
Good luck
Candice Roeder
Marley Wolhud wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Well, how disappointing. I did my first glaze fire. I have been bisque
> firing with no problems and was a bit intimidated to mix up my first
> glaze. Well I finally tried the floating blue rutile C6 that seemed to
> meet my transparency requirement. It came out mostly brown.
>
> A few points:
>
> 1. I just mixed to a lt cream consistency (exactly like the consistency
> where I learned in a local pottery course.) -- I don't have a
> hydrometer and to be honest, don't really understand why some people use
> it. I am not a very scientific thinker.
>
> 2. After reading about the recent discussion on glaze fires I just added
> a 1 hr soak and fired at medium speed to cone 6 in my new Skutt kiln.
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions? Now I am even MORE intimidated!
>
> Diane Chen
lpskeen on wed 16 sep 98
Marley Wolhud wrote:Well I finally tried the floating blue rutile C6
that seemed to> meet my transparency requirement. It came out mostly
brown.
>
Diane,
Floating Blue is one of those weird glazes that has to be on Thick to
come out blue. If you got brown, you had it on too thin. You'll want
this one just under credit-card thickness all over, but beware! The
sucker will run if you get it on TOO thick. (It's very temperamental
sometimes). Be sure you leave that 1/4" waxed at the bottom, and sand
off any globs on the outside.
--
Lisa Skeen ICQ# 15554910
Living Tree Pottery & Soaps
http://www.uncg.edu/~lpskeen
"We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful
words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of
the good people." -- Dr. M. L. King, Jr. 4/16/63
Abro on wed 16 sep 98
Don't give up on your glaze just yet. The floating blue I'm familiar with
does come out brown when the application of it is too thin. Maybe try
double dipping or thicken the glaze by removing some water before you stir
it up. Good luck.
Karin
-----Original Message-----
From: Marley Wolhud
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Tuesday, September 15, 1998 8:55 AM
Subject: 1st Glaze fire a bust
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Well, how disappointing. I did my first glaze fire. I have been bisque
>firing with no problems and was a bit intimidated to mix up my first
>glaze. Well I finally tried the floating blue rutile C6 that seemed to
>meet my transparency requirement. It came out mostly brown.
>
>A few points:
>
>1. I just mixed to a lt cream consistency (exactly like the
consistency
>where I learned in a local pottery course.) -- I don't have a
>hydrometer and to be honest, don't really understand why some people use
>it. I am not a very scientific thinker.
>
>2. After reading about the recent discussion on glaze fires I just
added
>a 1 hr soak and fired at medium speed to cone 6 in my new Skutt kiln.
>
>Does anyone have any suggestions? Now I am even MORE intimidated!
>
>Diane Chen
Chris Schafale on wed 16 sep 98
Diane--
I don't know exactly how your glaze behaves, of course, but a similar
one that we use at the community studio always comes out brown if the
glaze coat is too thin. You might try 1) removing some water and
2) re-glazing and refiring your brown pots. I bought a glaze
hydrometer specifically because of this glaze, since it is wonderful
when it is the right thickness and sooooo disappointing when too
thin. The right thickness for our glaze (not necessarily for yours)
corresponds reliably to a reading of 44-46 on the hydrometer I have.
A tip about re-glazing: I found it helped to scrub the pot all over
with a little of the glaze and an abrasive pad, let it dry, then dip
again. This seems to help the glaze coat stick. I am sure others
will suggest other ways as well.
Good luck. I am about to get my first kiln and share your feeling of
intimidation, so I'm cheering you on. Feel free to e-mail me off
list if I can help at all.
Chris
Light One Candle Pottery
Fuquay-Varina, NC
candle@nuteknet.com
Don Prey on wed 16 sep 98
In a message dated 09/15/98 5:56:03 AM, you wrote:
<>>
Diane,
Don't feel intimidated.....feel initiated. I would guess that most potters
first solo glaze firing experience was more or less disappointing.
I think it is a good generalization that thickness of application of a glaze
is critical to the final result. It's not how thick it is in the bucket that
counts, but how thick it is on the bisque ware. Do some tests with varying
glaze thickness. Only your tests will include all of your variables and give
the results that you can use.
Don Prey in Oregon
tmartens on wed 16 sep 98
My floating blue also tends to go brown at ^ 6, works well at ^5
though, looks like it should.
Added message to that delightful Canuck from Thetis, thanks for the
gerstley Veronica! I continue to enjoy it!!!!!!
Toni
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Well, how disappointing. I did my first glaze fire. I have been bisque
firing with no problems and was a bit intimidated to mix up my first
glaze. Well I finally tried the floating blue rutile C6 that seemed to
meet my transparency requirement. It came out mostly brown.
A few points:
1. I just mixed to a lt cream consistency (exactly like the consistency
where I learned in a local pottery course.) -- I don't have a
hydrometer and to be honest, don't really understand why some people use
it. I am not a very scientific thinker.
2. After reading about the recent discussion on glaze fires I just added
a 1 hr soak and fired at medium speed to cone 6 in my new Skutt kiln.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Now I am even MORE intimidated!
Diane Chen
Judith Enright on thu 17 sep 98
Another re-glazing and re-firing tip I've been using successfully for small to
medium-sized ware: heat up the piece in a 250-degree oven until nearly too hot
to handle; transfer to glaze area (using clean oven mitts) and dip into desired
glaze. (Of course it's important to think out how the piece is to be handled
for dipping or pouring prior taking out of the oven!) I've also used the
microwave for small pieces. Works like a charm!
Judith Enright @ Black Leopard Clayware
This email may contain confidential and privileged material for the sole use of
Ken Calhoon on thu 17 sep 98
Diane,
I don't know what ingredients are in your Floating Blue glaze, but I
tried a receipe from a glaze book with the same name. Fired it last week and
it is great. The book said to apply the glaze to a thickness of a dime. I
ended up dipping twice to get that thickness. Maybe the blue is not coming out
well because it is too thin. Also, my glaze feels more like yogurt than cream.
Try 2 or three coats. Hope this helps you.
Vicki in Cool, California
Tom Wirt on thu 17 sep 98
>Does anyone have any suggestions? Now I am even MORE intimidated!
>
>Diane Chen
Hi Diane....
As others have noted, welcome to the club! Please don't be intimidated or
discouraged. Everyone's gone through it. Even after you've got it all humming
along, wham, you make enough small errors and something heads south. It's the
wonder of ceramics. It's also where the magic works. You fire something and
see a small spot on a pot that you really love. Now, how to do it again. There
are so many variables it's almost impossible to control it all. But who wants
to.
However, you do want some level of predictability. We discovered a green glaze
technique that is absolutely wonderful.. But it took over a year of constant
work to get it to the point that we pretty much know what's going to
happen...until we reduce a little too early in the firing and we get a wonderful
red undertone. and fuschia highlights. Or apply the glaze a little too thick
and overreduce and get a crystally blue that's spectacular.
Biggest hints about firing....log everything you do and graph every firing.....
time, temperature and adjustments, as well as logging things such as weather
conditions. Your first goal is to standardize your firing cycle. Over time,
you'll start to get control. Then you get to play with the other variables.
Also, to the extent possible, change only one thing at a time. Glaze thickness
in the bucket. Thickness of application. How much you rub it our before firing.
Drying before firing. Many times several experiments can be put in one firing.
It just plain takes time.
By now you've probably had a successful firing so keep at it.
Tom Wirt
Lois Ruben Aronow on thu 17 sep 98
------------------
On Tue, 15 Sep 1998 08:54:07 EDT, Marley Wolhud wrote:
=3E----------------------------Original message----------------------------
=3EWell, how disappointing. I did my first glaze fire. I have been bisque
=3Efiring with no problems and was a bit intimidated to mix up my first
=3Eglaze. Well I finally tried the floating blue rutile C6 that seemed to
=3Emeet my transparency requirement. It came out mostly brown.
=3E
So sorry to hear about your disappointment. Seems the suggestions
posted here provided much learning experience, though.
And thanks, you brought me down to earth. After using only studio and
commercial glazes, I have recently started mixing them myself. this
afternoon, I loaded a fired a kiln full of my pots, some with glaze
experiments, some with untried combinations of studio glazes. I mixed
up 5 small batches of glazes as experiments and these are all in
there, cooking up (actually, cooling down, by this time).
I know I won't get any sleep until I crack the kiln Friday morning. I
figure if half of them come out ok, i'm ahead of the game. being a
relative newbie to the glazemaking process, I'm excited and scared.
Don Goodrich on fri 18 sep 98
Diane,
It was brave of you to choose floating blue for your first glaze firing.
It has been daunting to many, and a subject of much discussion on Clayart.
Some of the problems you might experience:
Dark brown or brownish green (applied too thin: if it's cream-thick, try
another coat before firing. Try thickening with a pinch of epsom salts, and/or
adding 2% bentonite)
Glaze flakes, cracks, or peels off before firing (too thick or dried too
fast: avoid thick spots and have ware slightly damp before applying. Also try
adding CMC if you haven't already. Check the glaze after the first hour in the
kiln. If it's starting to flake or peel, it'll continue.)
Pinholing in fired ware (outgassing or dust on bisqued surface: adequate
bisque, and wiping bisqued ware with a damp sponge should help; also, gently
rub the entire surface with a finger after the glaze has dried.)
Areas on glazed & fired pots where glaze has crawled, dripped, or otherwise
left the pot (overfluxing at clay/glaze interface due to solubility of boron
[gerstley borate] that leaves the glaze, soaks into the clay, then creates a
very fluid layer at the bottom of the glaze: Bisque high enough to reduce the
porosity of the clay. Many fire to ^04 for this. Also, let glaze settle in
bucket, then decant top layer of water which will reduce the dissolved boron
concentration in the remaining glaze.)
If the only one of these you had was the color problem, you're doing well!
FB can turn out beautifully without any special firing or application tricks,
honest! The above are just accumulated bits of advice learned from experience
and this list.
You're on the right track, keep trying.
Don Goodrich
goodrichdn@aol.com
> Well I finally tried the floating blue rutile C6 that seemed to
>meet my transparency requirement. It came out mostly brown.
Barney Adams on fri 18 sep 98
Is there any precautions in the re-fire as to speed of firing or can you
include the re-fired piece in your normal glaze firing?
Barney
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Another re-glazing and re-firing tip I've been using successfully for small to
> medium-sized ware: heat up the piece in a 250-degree oven until nearly too hot
> to handle; transfer to glaze area (using clean oven mitts) and dip into desire
> glaze. (Of course it's important to think out how the piece is to be handled
> for dipping or pouring prior taking out of the oven!) I've also used the
> microwave for small pieces. Works like a charm!
>
> Judith Enright @ Black Leopard Clayware
>
>
>
> This email may contain confidential and privileged material for the sole use o
>
Rick Hugel on fri 18 sep 98
Hi Diane,
Readng Tom's message takes me back to my first, second and then some
firings I went through before things started to come out looking like -
well - like at least I could use them. And you know, there might not be
anything wrong with the glaze at all. I made lots of glaze adjustments,
but in the end the one I started with was perfectly all right. You just
have got to give yourself time to figure out the right fire adjustments to
make. And as Tom says, keep a chart/graph of every firing. I do/have and
every once in a while I take a gander at what I did in the early days. WOW!
Good for a laugh or two. You might also date each graph and indicate what
number firing it is. Hang in there gal. You will get it right and when
you do, you will be pleased as punch when you open the kiln.
Rick Hugel
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
>>Does anyone have any suggestions? Now I am even MORE intimidated!
>>
>>Diane Chen
>
>
>Hi Diane....
>As others have noted, welcome to the club! Please don't be intimidated or
>discouraged. Everyone's gone through it. Even after you've got it all humming
>along, wham, you make enough small errors and something heads south. It's the
>wonder of ceramics. It's also where the magic works. You fire something and
>see a small spot on a pot that you really love. Now, how to do it again.
>There
>are so many variables it's almost impossible to control it all. But who wants
>to.
>
>However, you do want some level of predictability. We discovered a green glaze
>technique that is absolutely wonderful.. But it took over a year of constant
>work to get it to the point that we pretty much know what's going to
>happen...until we reduce a little too early in the firing and we get a
>wonderful
>red undertone. and fuschia highlights. Or apply the glaze a little too thick
>and overreduce and get a crystally blue that's spectacular.
>
>Biggest hints about firing....log everything you do and graph every firing.....
>time, temperature and adjustments, as well as logging things such as weather
>conditions. Your first goal is to standardize your firing cycle. Over time,
>you'll start to get control. Then you get to play with the other variables.
>Also, to the extent possible, change only one thing at a time. Glaze thickness
>in the bucket. Thickness of application. How much you rub it our before firing.
>Drying before firing. Many times several experiments can be put in one firing.
>It just plain takes time.
>
>By now you've probably had a successful firing so keep at it.
>
>Tom Wirt
Sheilah Bliss on fri 18 sep 98
In a message dated 9/17/98 5:30:42 AM, you wrote:
<<----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Another re-glazing and re-firing tip I've been using successfully for small to
medium-sized ware: heat up the piece in a 250-degree oven until nearly too hot
to handle; transfer to glaze area (using clean oven mitts) and dip into
desired
glaze. (Of course it's important to think out how the piece is to be handled
for dipping or pouring prior taking out of the oven!) I've also used the
microwave for small pieces. Works like a charm!
Judith Enright @ Black Leopard Clayware
>>
Well Jeepers! (<--don'tcha just love that word?) Microwave! That's a good
idea. I'm assuming you put the empty piece-to-be-reglazed in the microwave
along with a cup of water beside ... is that accurate? How are you doing it?
(I wanna try this time-saver)
Sheilah Bliss in Spokane WA where it's finally cooled off enough that I can
go out and comfortably put that "new" ignition switch in the ol' Renault
LeCar.
Blisspots@aol.com
Evan Dresel on fri 18 sep 98
So do you want blue? Textured, a little runny, rutile, blue? Blue
everywhere in the kiln? Blue if you run your fire past ^5? Not a hint of
snot, blue? Way too blue to use alone, blue? Real BLUE???
Here's my recent success -- your milage may vary, but so far so good on a
toasty brown body (Georgie's Pioneer Dark) and a pale buff (reclaim from the
local community college -- thanks guys!). No hint of the brown background
that you supposedly get with classic floating blue.:
Glaze name: Floating Blue -- SEG-39
Cone: 5
Recipe: Amount
Nephelene Syenite 47.3
Gerstley Borate 27.0
Silica 20.3
Kaolin (EPK) 5.4
Total: 100
Add:
Red Iron Oxide 2.0
Cobalt Oxide 1.0
Powdered Rutile 4.0
Comments:
From Chapelle Clay and Glazes for the Potter.
Chapelle suggests using distilled water.
Deep blue-brown background with lighter mottled blue.
Snot green where thick or overfired.
Fussy.
Layer the following glaze over the Floating Blue:
Glaze Name: Maple Syrup
Cone: 6
Recipe: Amount
Potash Spar (Custer) 33.4
Gerstley Borate 22.2
Silica 22.2
Kaolin (EPK) 11.1
Dolomite 11.1
Total: 100
Add:
Bentonite 2
Red Iron Oxide 1
Powdered Rutile 3
Comments:
Clear where thin. Milky white where thicker.
I haven't tried modifications to get this with a single glaze. Have fun.
Hope this works for you, but all disclaimer apply. BTW I have been mixing
gerstley borate glazes so they look too thick when standing but seem about
right when they are actively being stirred.
-- Evan in W. Richland Washington where it's kind of hot again and I hope
I'm not too late to find some hops that fell off the trucks for my road-kill
ale.
At 08:54 AM 9-15-98 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Well, how disappointing. I did my first glaze fire. I have been bisque
>firing with no problems and was a bit intimidated to mix up my first
>glaze. Well I finally tried the floating blue rutile C6 that seemed to
>meet my transparency requirement. It came out mostly brown.
>
>A few points:
>
>1. I just mixed to a lt cream consistency (exactly like the consistency
>where I learned in a local pottery course.) -- I don't have a
>hydrometer and to be honest, don't really understand why some people use
>it. I am not a very scientific thinker.
>
>2. After reading about the recent discussion on glaze fires I just added
>a 1 hr soak and fired at medium speed to cone 6 in my new Skutt kiln.
>
>Does anyone have any suggestions? Now I am even MORE intimidated!
>
>Diane Chen
>
>
Torsten Luedtke on fri 18 sep 98
I had a lot of problems with my glaze firing because I did not raise the
temperature needed.
Here is another infomation for you
This is an invitation to visit the new community for ceramics.
It is a feature that www.exite.com is offering to everybody.
I have created a community with the name "ceramics".
There are features as discussion, chat, events, contact list, calendar and
photos.
Feel free to try it and make it a real community.
You reach it under: http://mycomm.excite.com/mycomm/browse.asp?cid=34157
I would be pleased for your comments. Thanks.
Torsten Luedtke
Rick Hugel on sat 19 sep 98
I often put to or three pieces of re-fire in with the next "normal glaze
firing". Sometimes it is to add another color glaze, or alter the glaze on
the piece by placing it in a different location in the kiln. The only
precaution is that if it is re-glazed it needs to be handled with great
care.
A microwave, huh! That is pretty clever. I use a blow tourch while the
piece is slowly spinning, then use pottery pinchers to dip and/or move the
piece.
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Is there any precautions in the re-fire as to speed of firing or can you
>include the re-fired piece in your normal glaze firing?
>
>Barney
>>
>> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>> Another re-glazing and re-firing tip I've been using successfully for small
>>to
>> medium-sized ware: heat up the piece in a 250-degree oven until nearly too
>>hot
>> to handle; transfer to glaze area (using clean oven mitts) and dip into
>>desire
>> glaze. (Of course it's important to think out how the piece is to be handled
>> for dipping or pouring prior taking out of the oven!) I've also used the
>> microwave for small pieces. Works like a charm!
>>
>> Judith Enright @ Black Leopard Clayware
>>
>>
>>
>> This email may contain confidential and privileged material for the sole use
>>o
>>
Judith Enright on sat 19 sep 98
Nope, no water. Since a microwave-size piece is generally pretty small it takes
less than a minute to heat it up. I came upon this idea when I was testing
water-filled mugs and bowls for microwaveability (new word, I'm sure!). Not
sure how good the dry-heating of ware is for the elements of the microwave, but
I do it infrequently and so don't feel too concerned.
Judith Enright @ Black Leopard Clayware
----------
From: "Sheilah Bliss"
Sent: Friday, September 18, 1998 8:38 AM
To:
Subject: Re: Re[2]: 1st Glaze fire a bust
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
In a message dated 9/17/98 5:30:42 AM, you wrote:
<<----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Another re-glazing and re-firing tip I've been using successfully for small to
medium-sized ware: heat up the piece in a 250-degree oven until nearly too hot
to handle; transfer to glaze area (using clean oven mitts) and dip into
desired
glaze. (Of course it's important to think out how the piece is to be handled
for dipping or pouring prior taking out of the oven!) I've also used the
microwave for small pieces. Works like a charm!
Judith Enright @ Black Leopard Clayware
>>
Well Jeepers! (<--don'tcha just love that word?) Microwave! That's a good
idea. I'm assuming you put the empty piece-to-be-reglazed in the microwave
along with a cup of water beside ... is that accurate? How are you doing it?
(I wanna try this time-saver)
Sheilah Bliss in Spokane WA where it's finally cooled off enough that I can
go out and comfortably put that "new" ignition switch in the ol' Renault
LeCar.
Blisspots@aol.com
This email may contain confidential and privileged material for the sole use of
Sheilah Bliss on sat 19 sep 98
Hi Barney-
I've put "re-glazed/re-fireds" along side "1st time fireds" in a kiln glaze
firing with no problem. I was taught in college that we shouldn't re-glaze
and re-fire a piece, but no one would say why. Out of college, a little older
and braver (yet still looking around the studio to make sure my instructor
wasn't hiding somewhere watching me) I tried it myself to see if I could find
out why .... Nothing really happened other than some very cool results on
pieces I'd almost given up on. Never did learn why we weren't supposed to.
So far the re-fired pieces are often the most interesting!
Sheilah Bliss
Blisspots@aol.com
Ron Roy on sun 20 sep 98
I have noticed other posts which emphasize the importance of application in
glazing and must agree, it is crucial, especially with certain glazes.
Finding ways of ascertaining the "right" thickness of the glaze in the
bucket - once you know what the right consistency is - is most important.
Others have mentioned various techniques and I would like to add one more.
Taking a piece of bisque that has been bisque fire to the same cone as your
pots - stir your glaze up and dip of one or two seconds - whatever time you
will take to glaze your pots - after the glaze is dry enough - one or two
minutes - scratch through the glaze and note the thickness by looking at
it. It is a good idea to take some of the clear water off the glaze before
you start - then add it back in till you arrive at the "right" thickness.
It is possible that every glaze you have will require different thickness
to come out the way you want it.
Doing some testing is a good way to find out the required thickness. Make
some test tiles - enough to have say 10 tiles for each glaze. Take enough
water out of your glaze before mixing - so that the glaze is thicker - mark
two tiles - lets say "A" - and dip them in the thick glaze and scratch
through one and fire the other. Now you will be able to "see" how thick the
glaze has to be to get that effect. Now add some of the water back into the
glaze - stir well - mark two tiles "B" etc. Don't fire the tiles with the
scratch through the glaze, just keep them around so you can look at them
when you are adjusting your glaze thickness in the bucket before your next
glazing session.
If you change your bisque firing - up or down - you will affect how much
glaze will stay on the pots so you would need to repeat the testing again
or simply use your original scale but adjust it.
You might even find some sort of magnification useful - just make sure you
use the same magnification each time you make adjustments. - remember - you
can have too many test tiles and it helps to have a cone near them - most
kilns fire unevenly and that too can effect results.
If I were at the beginning and know what I know now I would make a number
of glaze tiles (of each thickness) and fire them in different parts of my
kiln - again - with a cone beside them. You will find that some glazes will
not vary much - but those glazes which tend to be more "interesting" will
usually tend to be more sensitive to thickness and temperature.
It's all about getting the pots out the way you like em.
Ron Roy
93 Pegasus Trail
Scarborough, Ontario
Canada M1G 3N8
Tel: 416-439-2621
Fax: 416-438-7849
Web page: http://digitalfire.com/education/people/ronroy.htm
Joy Holdread on sun 20 sep 98
-------------------------> Another re-glazing and re-firing tip I've been
using successfully for small
> to
> medium-sized ware: heat up the piece in a 250-degree oven until nearly too
> hot
> to handle; transfer to glaze area (using clean oven mitts) and dip into
> desired
Here in Tucson (nine months of the year) pots on a wareboard out in the sun
for 30 minutes heats to too hot to hold degrees.
Joy in Tucson
Les Crimp on mon 21 sep 98
Barney -
I took a workshop on Maui at the Hui No'eau given by Regis Brodie of
Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. Regis told us one of his claims
to fame is that he never lost a pot.
He has some unbelievably beautiful pots that he has foired as many as 8
times. Some of this is done on purpose of course by starting at Cone 10 and
working down. I wish I was as good as him!!
Les in Nanoose Bay, B.C. (Vancouver Island)
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Hi Barney-
>I've put "re-glazed/re-fireds" along side "1st time fireds" in a kiln glaze
>firing with no problem. I was taught in college that we shouldn't re-glaze
>and re-fire a piece, but no one would say why. Out of college, a little older
>and braver (yet still looking around the studio to make sure my instructor
>wasn't hiding somewhere watching me) I tried it myself to see if I could find
>out why .... Nothing really happened other than some very cool results on
>pieces I'd almost given up on. Never did learn why we weren't supposed to.
>So far the re-fired pieces are often the most interesting!
>Sheilah Bliss
>Blisspots@aol.com
>
>
Barney Adams on tue 22 sep 98
I think my claim to fame just might be the huge number of pots I've
lost at all points in the cycle for some of the silliest reasons.
Knowing better doesnt always prevent ruining a pot. Like picking up
green ware by the rim. This doesnt count the ones where I said I wonder
how this would work. I worked in some twine into some clay for a cup
handle thinking the twine would burn away to give an interesting look.
It did'nt quite end up that way and looked down right ugly.
Barney
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Barney -
> I took a workshop on Maui at the Hui No'eau given by Regis Brodie of
> Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. Regis told us one of his claims
> to fame is that he never lost a pot.
>
> He has some unbelievably beautiful pots that he has foired as many as 8
> times. Some of this is done on purpose of course by starting at Cone 10 and
> working down. I wish I was as good as him!!
>
> Les in Nanoose Bay, B.C. (Vancouver Island)
>
>
> >----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> >Hi Barney-
> >I've put "re-glazed/re-fireds" along side "1st time fireds" in a kiln glaze
> >firing with no problem. I was taught in college that we shouldn't re-glaze
> >and re-fire a piece, but no one would say why. Out of college, a little olde
> >and braver (yet still looking around the studio to make sure my instructor
> >wasn't hiding somewhere watching me) I tried it myself to see if I could fin
> >out why .... Nothing really happened other than some very cool results on
>
>pieces I'd almost given up on. Never did learn why we weren't supposed to.
> >So far the re-fired pieces are often the most interesting!
> >Sheilah Bliss
> >Blisspots@aol.com
> >
> >
>
Ron Roy on tue 22 sep 98
I have noticed other posts which emphasize the importance of application in
glazing and must agree, it is crucial, especially with certain glazes.
Finding ways of ascertaining the "right" thickness of the glaze in the
bucket - once you know what the right consistency is - is most important.
Others have mentioned various techniques and I would like to add one more.
Taking a piece of bisque that has been bisque fire to the same cone as your
pots - stir your glaze up and dip of one or two seconds - whatever time you
will take to glaze your pots - after the glaze is dry enough - one or two
minutes - scratch through the glaze and note the thickness by looking at
it. It is a good idea to take some of the clear water off the glaze before
you start - then add it back in till you arrive at the "right" thickness.
It is possible that every glaze you have will require different thickness
to come out the way you want it.
Doing some testing is a good way to find out the required thickness. Make
some test tiles - enough to have say 10 tiles for each glaze. Take enough
water out of your glaze before mixing - so that the glaze is thicker - mark
two tiles - lets say "A" - and dip them in the thick glaze and scratch
through one and fire the other. Now you will be able to "see" how thick the
glaze has to be to get that effect. Now add some of the water back into the
glaze - stir well - mark two tiles "B" etc. Don't fire the tiles with the
scratch through the glaze, just keep them around so you can look at them
when you are adjusting your glaze thickness in the bucket before your next
glazing session.
If you change your bisque firing - up or down - you will affect how much
glaze will stay on the pots so you would need to repeat the testing again
or simply use your original scale but adjust it.
You might even find some sort of magnification useful - just make sure you
use the same magnification each time you make adjustments. - remember - you
can have too many test tiles and it helps to have a cone near them - most
kilns fire unevenly and that too can effect results.
If I were at the beginning and know what I know now I would make a number
of glaze tiles (of each thickness) and fire them in different parts of my
kiln - again - with a cone beside them. You will find that some glazes will
not vary much - but those glazes which tend to be more "interesting" will
usually tend to be more sensitive to thickness and temperature.
It's all about getting the pots out the way you like em.
Ron Roy
93 Pegasus Trail
Scarborough, Ontario
Canada M1G 3N8
Tel: 416-439-2621
Fax: 416-438-7849
Web page: http://digitalfire.com/education/people/ronroy.htm
Sam Wild on thu 24 sep 98
To any one interested in achieving consistant glaze results, I would
recommend reading the article "Specific Gravity and Glaze Poise" by Bennet
Welsh page 32 in the December ,1988, Ceramics Monthly.
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