Arnolds Home Improvements on sun 6 aug 00
i am new to pottery only 6 months. i have just this week mixed dipped and
fired my first glaze that was not a ready mix. i used a cone 6 oxidation
glaze i found in the archives saffire blue. as a beginner that lives an hour
and a half from the nearest potter i have nothing to use as a reference or
ask questions to, so here are my problems. how much water do i need to put
in the glaze? how do i know when i have added enough water is there a simple
test? the first batch i mixed was too thick and ran off my pots onto the
shelves the second batch was too thin and hardly had any blue at all mostly
green. i have read books the problem with the books are they are written as
if you have potting and glazing all your life. to say the least i need some
help!!!!
i need help in a way that a beginner can understand. also i need a high
gloss clear no gb cone 6 ox . i would be most grateful for any help!!!
Gene Arnold
mudduck@advi.net
waverock@C3NET.NET on mon 7 aug 00
Hi Gene,
If I have a base glaze (the glaze without the colorants) that adds up to
100 grams, I add 100 grams of water. If I am making a full 5 gallon bucket
I use 8000 grams of glaze chemicals and 8000 grams of water.
I don't weigh out the water. 1 ml of water weighs one gram. At the
grocery store I purchased a measuring cup that holds 1000ml of liquid and
is marked off in 100 ml increments. To make the 8000 gram batch I simply
pour in 8 measuring cups of water.
If you use 100 grams of base glaze to 100 ml of water you will always know
how much water is in your glaze. If your glaze is too thick you can move
up to 110ml or 120ml. If it is too thin you can cut back to 80 or 90ml.
>fired my first glaze that was not a ready mix. i used a cone 6 oxidation
>glaze how much water do i need to put
>in the glaze? how do i know when i have added enough water is there a simple
>test? >also i need a high
>gloss clear no gb cone 6 ox . i would be most grateful for any help!!!
Here's a cone 6 clear that I use. It's very reliable and is good over
several cones say 5-8.
+++++++++++++++++++
+++ *PMSP-4 +++
+++++++++++++++++++
Frit 3134 21 %
Nepheline syenite 19 %
Wollastonite 20 %
EPK 16 %
Flint 24 %
------
100 %
===========================
Chemical Analysis Gobbledygook
===========================
Na2O 0.21 Al2O3 0.34 SiO2 3.28
K2O 0.03 B2O3 0.22
MgO 0.02
CaO 0.74
Alumina:Silica ratio is 1.00 : 9.61
Neutral:Acid ratio is 1.00 : 5.85
Alkali:Neutral:Acid ratio is 1.00 : 0.56 : 3.28
Expansion coefficient: 71.1 x 10e-7 per degree C
Oxides causing abnormal expansion effects: B2O3
J. Post
waverock@c3net.net
Diane G. Echlin on mon 7 aug 00
Gene,
regarding how much water to add to your ingredients, most glazess in my experience
(and gurus, correct me if I'm wrong) like to be mixed to about the consistancy of
cream. The way I test for the right fluidity is to stir/blend/mix the batch really
well, then dip my hand into the mixture. Then, look at your cuticles...you should
be able to define where the skin meets your fingernails, as well as see the small
hairs on your fingers, but they should be well coated at the same time. As you
will read on this list over and over again, testing is key. You've already
performed two tests, now you need to find a middle ground for saffire blue.
regarding cone 6 glazes, check out Don Goodrich's web site, he has a million of
them!
Good luck,
Diane in CT
Arnolds Home Improvements wrote:
> i am new to pottery only 6 months. i have just this week mixed dipped and
> fired my first glaze that was not a ready mix. i used a cone 6 oxidation
> glaze i found in the archives saffire blue. as a beginner that lives an hour
> and a half from the nearest potter i have nothing to use as a reference or
> ask questions to, so here are my problems. how much water do i need to put
> in the glaze? how do i know when i have added enough water is there a simple
> test? the first batch i mixed was too thick and ran off my pots onto the
> shelves the second batch was too thin and hardly had any blue at all mostly
> green. i have read books the problem with the books are they are written as
> if you have potting and glazing all your life. to say the least i need some
> help!!!!
> i need help in a way that a beginner can understand. also i need a high
> gloss clear no gb cone 6 ox . i would be most grateful for any help!!!
> Gene Arnold
> mudduck@advi.net
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> 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.
Marcia Selsor on mon 7 aug 00
I add the chemicals to the water. Start with a water level half that of
the chemicals. Then add chemicals to the water. Add more water as
needed. This avoids a dry mess of chemicals if you add water to them.
Next, start putting the liquid through a sieve. Adding some water to
dissolve the lumps left in the sieve. Mix with a glove, but here you
have to take the glove off.
Put a dry finger in the mix. If your knuckle is smoothly covered with
glaze-too thick. You want you knukle lines to show. BUT you don't want
every line on your hand to show. Show be thicker than milk, not as thick
as heavy cream. I have only seen one book that describes this, The
Potters' Primer, I think on page 29 but can't remember for sure.
(retired mind)
Best wishes
Marcia Selsor
Arnolds Home Improvements wrote:
>
> i am new to pottery only 6 months. i have just this week mixed dipped and
> fired my first glaze that was not a ready mix. i used a cone 6 oxidation
> glaze i found in the archives saffire blue. as a beginner that lives an hour
> and a half from the nearest potter i have nothing to use as a reference or
> ask questions to, so here are my problems. how much water do i need to put
> in the glaze? how do i know when i have added enough water is there a simple
> test? the first batch i mixed was too thick and ran off my pots onto the
> shelves the second batch was too thin and hardly had any blue at all mostly
> green. i have read books the problem with the books are they are written as
> if you have potting and glazing all your life. to say the least i need some
> help!!!!
> i need help in a way that a beginner can understand. also i need a high
> gloss clear no gb cone 6 ox . i would be most grateful for any help!!!
> Gene Arnold
> mudduck@advi.net
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> 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.
--
Marcia Selsor
selsor@imt.net
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls/spain99.html
http://www.silverhawk.com/ex99/selsor/welcome.html
Cheryl L Litman on mon 7 aug 00
Since I bought a large graduated cylinder I've been paying more attention
to how much water I add. Seems that most glazes end up with about 900ml
of water to 1000g of glaze. The range is 800-1200ml. Haven't yet paid
enough attention to figure out which ingredients sop up more water so
they all end up with the same 'cream' consistency described below.
Cheryl Litman ---------- Somerset, NJ --------- email:
cheryllitman@juno.com
On Mon, 7 Aug 2000 10:04:59 -0400 "Diane G. Echlin"
writes:
> Gene,
> regarding how much water to add to your ingredients, most glazess in
> my experience
> (and gurus, correct me if I'm wrong) like to be mixed to about the
> consistancy of
> cream. The way I test for the right fluidity is to stir/blend/mix
> the batch really
> well, then dip my hand into the mixture. Then, look at your
> cuticles...you should
> be able to define where the skin meets your fingernails, as well as
> see the small
> hairs on your fingers, but they should be well coated at the same
> time. As you
> will read on this list over and over again, testing is key. You've
> already
> performed two tests, now you need to find a middle ground for
> saffire blue.
>
> regarding cone 6 glazes, check out Don Goodrich's web site, he has a
> million of
> them!
> Good luck,
> Diane in CT
>
> Arnolds Home Improvements wrote:
>
> > i am new to pottery only 6 months. i have just this week mixed
> dipped and
> > fired my first glaze that was not a ready mix. i used a cone 6
> oxidation
> > glaze i found in the archives saffire blue. as a beginner that
> lives an hour
> > and a half from the nearest potter i have nothing to use as a
> reference or
> > ask questions to, so here are my problems. how much water do i
> need to put
> > in the glaze? how do i know when i have added enough water is
> there a simple
> > test? the first batch i mixed was too thick and ran off my pots
> onto the
> > shelves the second batch was too thin and hardly had any blue at
> all mostly
> > green. i have read books the problem with the books are they are
> written as
> > if you have potting and glazing all your life. to say the least i
> need some
> > help!!!!
> > i need help in a way that a beginner can understand. also i need a
> high
> > gloss clear no gb cone 6 ox . i would be most grateful for any
> help!!!
> > Gene Arnold
> > mudduck@advi.net
> >
> >
>
_________________________________________________________________________
_____
> > 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.
>
>
_________________________________________________________________________
_____
> 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.
Cheryl Litman ---------- Somerset, NJ --------- email:
cheryllitman@juno.com
BobWicks@AOL.COM on mon 7 aug 00
In a message dated 8/7/00 6:52:23 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
dechlin@CONNIX.COM writes:
<< Diane in CT >>
I use a glaze hydrometer and measure the SG of a liquid glaze that I think is
the correct consistency. This way you can replicate it every time and it
takes a lot of guess work out of the process.
Bob
David Hewitt on tue 8 aug 00
Gene,
A a general guide add 1 litre of water to 1kg of glaze materials, i.e.
the same weight. Should the glaze have a high proportion of any frit
then lower this amount. For most glazes I add some more for a 'finger'
test as others have described. The more clay in the recipe the more
water is needed.
David
In message , Arnolds Home Improvements writes
>i am new to pottery only 6 months. i have just this week mixed dipped an=
>d
>fired my first glaze that was not a ready mix. i used a cone 6 oxidation
>glaze i found in the archives saffire blue. as a beginner that lives an h=
>our
>and a half from the nearest potter i have nothing to use as a reference o=
>r
>ask questions to, so here are my problems. how much water do i need to pu=
>t
>in the glaze? how do i know when i have added enough water is there a sim=
>ple
>test? the first batch i mixed was too thick and ran off my pots onto the
>shelves the second batch was too thin and hardly had any blue at all most=
>ly
>green. i have read books the problem with the books are they are written =
>as
>if you have potting and glazing all your life. to say the least i need so=
>me
>help!!!!
>i need help in a way that a beginner can understand. also i need a high
>gloss clear no gb cone 6 ox . i would be most grateful for any help!!!
>Gene Arnold
>mudduck@advi.net
>
--
David Hewitt
David Hewitt Pottery ,
7 Fairfield Road, Caerleon, Newport,
South Wales, NP18 3DQ, UK. Tel:- +44 (0) 1633 420647
FAX:- +44 (0) 870 1617274
Web site http://www.dhpot.demon.co.uk
Paul Taylor on tue 8 aug 00
Dear Gene
One of the big illusions that we all subscribe to is that glaze recipes
matter so much more than any thing else. This is because they are easier to
write about and discuss or keep secret what ever and those alchemist that
can be bothered to study a little get to sound off so sexy and have the
security of being right most of the time.
While the big secret is that you could have probably got away with some
inaccuracies in the batch weight of your glaze but woe betide you if you put
it on the wrong thick ness and or fire it differently to the designers
intention .
Also the shape and decoration of the pot can make a lot of difference to
the color and textural perception of the glaze.
You problem is shared by all amateurs who are going it alone the rest of
us either trained in an established pottery and have seen it all done right
so many times it would not occur to do it any other way, or learnt the hard
way by ruining the kiln shelves of an educational establishment.
Now the problem is that only you know the properties of the clay you are
using, the absorbability of the biscuit, the smoothness of the body and the
amount of iron in it - and in what form, the size of your workshop and your
personality type, so I can only be very basic with advice.
The most useful tool to buy is a feelerguage for setting spark plug gaps
mine gives hundredths of a millimeter if you are american yours will
probably measure thousandths of an inch. you buy them in auto factors shops.
With this tool it is possible to measure the thickness of the glaze on your
pot.
After dipping the pot cut into the glaze with a sharp knife and remove
enough to put the edge of your gage up against the glaze adjust the little
fingers until you have roughly the right size . If you have a magnifying
glass and three hands it is much easier to see. Do not worry about too
greater accuracy or you will go cross eyed - near enough will do. Healing
the hole in the glaze with a dab of new glaze is easier with a brush but I
am usually too impatient so use my finger. If the fired glaze is a bit runny
you will not have to smooth the surface of the scar down.
How You deal with the catch twenty two situation of filling the kiln with
pots before you have tested the glaze you are going to fill the kiln with is
up to you. One solution is to fire the tests pots with a glaze you have
tried but if you are changing the firing at all you can not. most amateurs
can afford only the one kiln so a test kiln is out of the quesion. My
solution is to make unglazed flower pots and have fun with them. Spray a
very very thin coat of glaze on the outside. That gives a blush to the pot
and you have next years christmas presents. You have improved the throwing
and have pots without the tension in them that the search for perfection
brings.
I surmise from your question that you are not one for caution. This is
an admirable trait of brave freedom that will show in the pots, and a
slovenly ness that will cost a lot of disappointment. I also fond measuring
every thing a bind and while I admire the people that do I secretly distrust
their sole and worry to what extremes this control addiction will take them.
Mix up the glaze to the thick ness of custard a little thinner than you
would like to eat it and dip a pot. Then put some water in the glaze and
dip it up so the custard is such that you would eat it if you were hungary
dip a few pots. Then add enough water that you would send it back to the
Kitchen with a complaint dip a few more. Then add more water so you would
not believe it to be custard dip a pot.
You will have to take some records. You can get a pint weight or record on
paper or try to remember how the glaze looked on the hands at different
stages. I do the latter because I am slovenly. In fact I would probably just
put the glaze on with a thick ness between your previous mistakes and start
worrying about pint weights If the glaze was the type that the thickness
mattered.
The problem with glazing is that you have to have enough glaze to dip
comfortably. if you are a methodical sort of person you would be taking
copious notes from small test pieces. Rigorously testing the new glaze
against your usual bought glaze. Finding out the optimum pint weight for the
glaze ,flocculating it enough to prevent the glaze running in drips and
settling too quickly in the bucket.
I would also be a gung ho sort of potter, but I frequently come some
real croppers as do the best potters. I just sell the pots I have made that
didn't quite make it as seconds. Years latter when I have forgotten my
intention I see the pot as it is, and not a second at all, no longer
disappointed. The conclusion of that is that bashing ahead with out due
testing is asking for trouble.
Being hard on yourself when things do not turn out as planed is what
trickcycalists call twisted thinking( you would think that they could find a
more complex word for it that no one understands - they being
professionals). So taking chances and then beating myself up for it when
the inevitable happens is dusfunctional. Yet we continue to prefer it that
way, and take up hobbies to remove the tension like pottery - no wonder they
make such a good living.
Buy the way do not flocculate the glaze until you are more experienced
and know what you are doing frequent stirring and the glaze running funny on
the pot is easier to deal with that the threat of crawling.
-- Regards Paul Taylor.
Westport Pottery, Liscarney, County Mayo. Ireland.
Ps to all. Please paragraph your posts and put a blank line in between the
paragraphs. I have great difficulty reading large blocks of type from a
screen.
> From: Arnolds Home Improvements
> Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
> Date: Sun, 6 Aug 2000 19:44:10 -0400
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: need help with glazes
>
> i am new to pottery only 6 months. i have just this week mixed dipped and
> fired my first glaze that was not a ready mix. i used a cone 6 oxidation
> glaze i found in the archives saffire blue. as a beginner that lives an hour
> and a half from the nearest potter i have nothing to use as a reference or
> ask questions to, so here are my problems. how much water do i need to put
> in the glaze? how do i know when i have added enough water is there a simple
> test? the first batch i mixed was too thick and ran off my pots onto the
> shelves the second batch was too thin and hardly had any blue at all mostly
> green. i have read books the problem with the books are they are written as
> if you have potting and glazing all your life. to say the least i need some
> help!!!!
> i need help in a way that a beginner can understand. also i need a high
> gloss clear no gb cone 6 ox . i would be most grateful for any help!!!
> Gene Arnold
> mudduck@advi.net
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> 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.
Lorri on tue 8 aug 00
> how do i know when i have added enough water is there a simple
> test? the first batch i mixed was too thick and ran off my pots onto the
> shelves the second batch was too thin and hardly had any blue at all
mostly
> green.
Gene,
I was at the local clay store and was talking to the owner's daughter. We
were discussing commercial glazes and how to tell if they are too thick.
She said there is a quick way to tell with what she calls the "thumb test".
You stick your thumb in the glaze and the glaze should kind of run off of
the thumbnail but stick to the skin. If it does this, it is the right
consistency. I have since used that several other times. It certainly
helped me.
Lorri
Ron Roy on wed 9 aug 00
This is one of the methods I use - but make sure its a dry thumb - or in my
case a dry finger. Just when some of your skin colour starts to show
through. Not the right thickness for all glazes but for the majority.
RR
>Gene,
>I was at the local clay store and was talking to the owner's daughter. We
>were discussing commercial glazes and how to tell if they are too thick.
>She said there is a quick way to tell with what she calls the "thumb test".
>You stick your thumb in the glaze and the glaze should kind of run off of
>the thumbnail but stick to the skin. If it does this, it is the right
>consistency. I have since used that several other times. It certainly
>helped me.
>Lorri
Ron Roy
93 Pegasus Trail
Scarborough
Ontario, Canada
M1G 3N8
Evenings 416-439-2621
Fax 416-438-7849
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