search  current discussion  categories  techniques - misc 

dry mixing glazes/water

updated mon 9 nov 98

 

Autumn Downey on sun 8 nov 98

At our Guild in Yellowknife we got one of those "cement mixers" that is
really just a plastic bucket with vanes inside, and has a lid and rubber
ring. I think the brand name was "Odjob". You tighten the lid on, then
have the joy of kicking the contraption around the room a few times so that
the dry ingredient mix together. After the dust inside has settled, you
can either scoop it out and sprinkle into water or do what I'd intended to
try: (but never really did - and I'm away right now.)

I'd wondered about adding water to the tumbled dry mix, letting it slake
over night then doing the "boot around the room routine" and seeing if this
produced a good glaze slurry that wouldn't be too hard to sieve.

The main drawback to this "mixer" seems to be that it's a little hard to
get the lid on or off easily. The threads are sort of like those on a
giant Cheese Whiz jar and it's somewhat hard to grip. But then this is
just one brand and there may be others better designed for potters' use??

I've been getting the impression from what's been said on Clayart and my
own recent mixing that a good amount of water to use initially in a glaze
is the gram weight of the glaze, only in ml's?? (ie, 5000 grams in 5 litres
water?) Or maybe about 80% as much water as dry materials if there wasn't
very much clay in the glaze? Can anyone confirm this, or neaten up the
idea better? Thanks.

Autumn Downey
(in Saskatchewan)