Chris Schafale on wed 10 feb 99
Greetings friends,
Wondering about the role of water in glazes. Specifically, in my
struggles to get new glazes to work in the last three months, several
people have suggested using distilled water instead of tap water. In
desperation, I'll try anything, but it makes me wonder -- when people
say they have trouble with their water, what is it about the water
that causes the problem?? Dissolved minerals? pH? "Alkalinity"? I
got an analysis of my city water, but I have no idea what I'm looking
for to understand if the water could be the problem. (The problem,
mostly, is cracking and peeling of raw glaze).
Does anyone really know, or is it a case of empirical reasoning --
using distilled water solved the problem, therefore, the problem was
the water? I don't mind using distilled water if I have to, but I
don't want to if it's just superstitious behavior.
Thanks for any thoughts.
Chris
Light One Candle Pottery
Fuquay-Varina, NC
candle@nuteknet.com
Bill Williams on thu 11 feb 99
I don't know much about the different chemicals in water, but I do know what
kind of damage some water can do. We have a new water system in town now,
but the water we had before would corrode anything. Everyone had to have a
water softener in order to even have a dish washer. (the dishes looked like
they had been washed in white shoe polish). We had to replace hot water
heaters about every couple years. Washing machine hoses didn't stand a
chance. Guess there was nothing in it that would hurt anybody, because
most everyone lived to a ripe old age and we did drink it. Didn't know any
better. Don't suppose that water would have been very beneficial in glazes.
It would probably have eaten the pot. Connie
-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Schafale
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Wednesday, February 10, 1999 9:30 AM
Subject: Water and glazes
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Greetings friends,
Wondering about the role of water in glazes. Specifically, in my
struggles to get new glazes to work in the last three months, several
people have suggested using distilled water instead of tap water. In
desperation, I'll try anything, but it makes me wonder -- when people
say they have trouble with their water, what is it about the water
that causes the problem?? Dissolved minerals? pH? "Alkalinity"? I
got an analysis of my city water, but I have no idea what I'm looking
for to understand if the water could be the problem. (The problem,
mostly, is cracking and peeling of raw glaze).
Does anyone really know, or is it a case of empirical reasoning --
using distilled water solved the problem, therefore, the problem was
the water? I don't mind using distilled water if I have to, but I
don't want to if it's just superstitious behavior.
Thanks for any thoughts.
Chris
Light One Candle Pottery
Fuquay-Varina, NC
candle@nuteknet.com
Dale A. Neese on thu 11 feb 99
When it rains here in Texas, I collect large plastic trash cans full to use
it my glazes and clays. Saves on using distilled water.
Dale Tex
-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Schafale
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Wednesday, February 10, 1999 9:31 AM
Subject: Water and glazes
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Greetings friends,
Wondering about the role of water in glazes. Specifically, in my
struggles to get new glazes to work in the last three months, several
people have suggested using distilled water instead of tap water. In
desperation, I'll try anything, but it makes me wonder -- when people
say they have trouble with their water, what is it about the water
that causes the problem?? Dissolved minerals? pH? "Alkalinity"? I
got an analysis of my city water, but I have no idea what I'm looking
for to understand if the water could be the problem. (The problem,
mostly, is cracking and peeling of raw glaze).
Does anyone really know, or is it a case of empirical reasoning --
using distilled water solved the problem, therefore, the problem was
the water? I don't mind using distilled water if I have to, but I
don't want to if it's just superstitious behavior.
Thanks for any thoughts.
Chris
Light One Candle Pottery
Fuquay-Varina, NC
candle@nuteknet.com
Dave Finkelnburg on thu 11 feb 99
Hi Chris!
Sorry to hear about this. Are you using some kind of gum/adhesive in
the glaze? I suspect you are, but am just checking.
Second, could it be that you're working indoors in a heated space? The
air will be much dryer this time of year due to indoor heating, which will
accelerate drying of the glaze and cause some cracking problems.
Glaze thickness causes the most cracking problems for me. Thick coats
over vitrified ware are the worst to crack.
Putting a glaze coat over some damp ware or over a previous glaze coat
not yet dry will also cause this in my experience. I find I need to dry
thoroughly between coats if I am "double dipping."
Don't know if this is helpful, but it's a start. If you get any
off-line posts that explain the effect of alkalinity or hardness in your
city water on this problem, could you share them with me? I use tap water
that's extremely "hard" mixing my glazes and I've wondered if it is causing
some of the flocculating problems I see in the glaze bucket or if it's just
my insistence on using a lot of Gerstley Borate?
Have a great day!
Dave in Idaho where snow shoveling passes for aerobics this
month
dfinkeln@gemstate.net
Bob Wicks on fri 12 feb 99
In a message dated 2/10/99 10:31:06 AM Eastern Standard Time,
candle@nuteknet.com writes:
<<
Wondering about the role of water in glazes. >>
Hi Chris:
Yes, water can be a problem with your glazes. Just for a small example: what
effect would and additional 5 or 10% calcium to your glaze do? Hard water has
several dissolved minerals in it. Frankly I, use melted snow in the winter
and rain water in the summer and distilled water from my dehumidifier in the
summer. Why ask for trouble when it can be solved easily and inexpensively?
Bob
Brian Crocker on fri 12 feb 99
G'day Chris,
In South Australia we have very hard water [ lots of minerals ] and in a
production pottery we were having lots of problems with our clay and glazes,
scumming, colour changes, crawling, you name it. Took a sample to the Govt.,
Lab. and they said it had
lots of minerals and the pH was high.
We wash our hair daily at home and it feels dirty.
We changed to demineralised water at the Pottery and it all went back to
normal what more can I say?
Kind regards, Brian C.
At 10:26 AM 10/02/99 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Greetings friends,
>
>Wondering about the role of water in glazes. Specifically, in my
>struggles to get new glazes to work in the last three months, several
>people have suggested using distilled water instead of tap water. In
>desperation, I'll try anything, but it makes me wonder -- when people
>say they have trouble with their water, what is it about the water
>that causes the problem?? Dissolved minerals? pH? "Alkalinity"? I
>got an analysis of my city water, but I have no idea what I'm looking
>for to understand if the water could be the problem. (The problem,
>mostly, is cracking and peeling of raw glaze).
>
> Does anyone really know, or is it a case of empirical reasoning --
>using distilled water solved the problem, therefore, the problem was
>the water? I don't mind using distilled water if I have to, but I
>don't want to if it's just superstitious behavior.
>
>Thanks for any thoughts.
>
>Chris
>Light One Candle Pottery
>Fuquay-Varina, NC
>candle@nuteknet.com
>
>
Brian Crocker
4 Erica Street,
Tea Tree Gully 5091,
South Australia,
Australia. {e.mail} crocker@dove.com.au
" When a Potter Gives or Sells Pots Part of a Life is Given Also " CR
OC.
NakedClay@aol.com on fri 12 feb 99
Chris,
Generally, the minerals in tap water doesn't contribute much to the outcome
of a glaze or clay recipie. I've lived in three locations, each with a
different kind of water treatment. Other factors, however, may affect your
glazes. These include the condition of the pipes carrying the water (old lead
or iron pipes, found in "elderly" buildings, may erode slowly, adding lead or
iron to the water--in very small amounts--I don't suggest drinking this!), the
source of the municipal water supply (desalted sea water versus "fresh water"
from streams, lakes, or reservoirs), and other "unseen" aspects of water
capture and movement from source to your tap.
One can perform simple tests for some mineral elements of tap water, using a
swimming pool testing kit. Some kits will provide you with test chemicals, to
rule out the presence of chlorine, for instance. Others allow one to find the
Ph level of the water.
It never hurts to experiment. In a recent trip to Arizona, I took samples of
water from every river, lake, and natural water source I camped out by. I
labelled the bottle with the source name, and location of my "capture." I now
have 20-oz soda bottles, marked with "Colorado River," "Lake Mead," "Alamo
Lake," and other bodies of water awaiting my next glaze tests.
Good luck and best wishes from the frigid Mojave Desert (just above freezing,
with a nippy wind chill factor)!
Milton NakedClay@AOL.COM
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