search  current discussion  categories  glazes - ash 

spraying ash glazes

updated wed 14 feb 01

 

don Ablett on mon 12 feb 01


Hi Jeff,
I spray al my glazes and use unwashed ash. I put mt glaze through only a 40 mesh
sieve and I have never had a problem with the spraying. I use an auto body spray
gun and a compressor that I set at about 80psi. Hope this helps.
Carol-Ann Michaelson

Jeff van den Broeck wrote:

> Craig Martell wrote: "The ashglazes apply best for me by spraying."
> I suddenly was aware that probably I'm even more ignorant than I admitted.
>
> I always tried very hard to sieve (80) my ashglazes and after applying a
> lot of effort to push the ash through, I ended up throwing in my glaze what
> was left in the sieve. If somebody is capable of spraying the ash glazes,
> can he please tell me how he manages?
>
> And as it seems a similar problem for me, how do you pass the frits through
> the sieves?
>
> For your information I don't have a ballmill.
> I would very much appreciate suggestions and solutions.
> What a relief to be able to post this question, I thought it would be one
> of those questions you're too old to ask.
> Many thanks,
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> 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.

Jeff van den Broeck on mon 12 feb 01


Craig Martell wrote: "The ashglazes apply best for me by spraying."
I suddenly was aware that probably I'm even more ignorant than I admitted.

I always tried very hard to sieve (80) my ashglazes and after applying a
lot of effort to push the ash through, I ended up throwing in my glaze what
was left in the sieve. If somebody is capable of spraying the ash glazes,
can he please tell me how he manages?

And as it seems a similar problem for me, how do you pass the frits through
the sieves?

For your information I don't have a ballmill.
I would very much appreciate suggestions and solutions.
What a relief to be able to post this question, I thought it would be one
of those questions you're too old to ask.
Many thanks,

Cindy Strnad on mon 12 feb 01


Hello, Jeff

First, what is the mesh of your sieve? It sounds like you have a very
fine--perhaps finer than you need--mesh there. I used to use one which, I
swear, would take me half an hour to strain a gallon of pure water. I still
use it sometimes for airbrush glazes, but nothing else.

Actually, I find my 80 mesh sieve does a fine job, even for the airbrush. I
know you're supposed to strain airbrush pigments through a finer sieve than
this, but in practice, I haven't had any trouble with the 80 mesh. Be that
as it may, I'm sure you're using a normal-sized glaze sprayer, and I *know*
80 is adequate for that.

When I sieve a glaze with wollastonite, I usually run it through the sieve
maybe 4 or 5 times and still end up with a small amount of residue. But
then, that's what the sieve is for. I have no difficulty with any of my
frits.

If you're still getting a lot of ash on top of your sieve, even with the 80
mesh, then you need to pre-sieve your ash. Nasty, dangerous job. Do it
outside and use a respirator. Protect your body and take a shower and wash
your clothes afterwards. Ash and sweat won't turn you into a lobster, but it
is likely to at least irritate your eyes and more sensitive areas if you
give it the chance. I don't know if you need goggles--wouldn't think so,
really, unless you find your eyes are burning and watering.

Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
USA
earthenv@gwtc.net
http://www.earthenvesselssd.com

Dave Finkelnburg on mon 12 feb 01


Jeff,
For what it's worth, I go outdoors on a nice day to dry sieve the small
amounts of wood ash I use -- through window screen -- mostly to get out the
small rocks, nails, big bits of charcoal, etc. That's probably like a
30-mesh sieve. Then I wet sieve through 80-mesh after I've mixed the glaze,
and just before spraying. As a weight percent, I have very little left on
top of the 80-mesh sieve, so I just toss it. Near-size dry sieving raises
too much dust for me.
I hope this helps.
Dave Finkelnburg, watching the snow land on the birds at the feeder
in Idaho

From: Jeff van den Broeck
>I always tried very hard to sieve (80) my ashglazes and after applying a
>lot of effort to push the ash through, I ended up throwing in my glaze what
>was left in the sieve. If somebody is capable of spraying the ash glazes,
>can he please tell me how he manages?

Craig Martell on mon 12 feb 01


Hi Jeff:

I won't say much about ball milling since you don't have one. But I ball
mill my ash glazes for one hour and then pass them thru a 100 mesh
sieve. The glaze goes right thru with almost nothing left in the
sieve. OK, I'm done with the ball milling.

I wash most of my ash three times over a two week period. You have a
choice of sieving wet when the washing is done or waiting until the ash is
dry. I dry the ash first in bisque bowls and then pass it thru a coarse
sieve and put it in plastic garbage cans. If you want your ash glazes to
be pretty fine in particle size for spraying, it needs to be worked a bit
more. Put it thru an 50 mesh, and then an 80 mesh before weighing and
mixing. That should do it. Then put the wet glaze thru at least an 80
mesh and it should spray OK.

I use a Paashe #62 spray gun for my glazes. It does a fine job. If you
want some real good info on ash glazes and spraying, check out the CM
article on Richard Aerni. I don't remember the date of publication but it
was a few years back. Richard gives some real good advice about sprayers
and spraying ash glazes.

later, Craig Martell in Oregon

philrogers pottery on mon 12 feb 01


Hi Jeff,

Throw away what you can't get through the sieve but increase the ash in the
recipe to allow for this discard. I don't have a ball mill either but I
don't like sieving ash either dry or twice. So, I sieve once, after I have
added the water and just before adding it to the glaze slop. By this method
there is always a residue of grit and charcoal, odd fag ends ( for you
Americans that's a cigarette butt!) silver foil etc. etc. Usually amounts to
about 20% of the total.

Jeff, it's all in the book!! Hope all is well with you. Love to Angie and
Carlo,

Phil.


----- Original Message -----
From: Jeff van den Broeck


> Craig Martell wrote: "The ashglazes apply best for me by spraying."
> I suddenly was aware that probably I'm even more ignorant than I
admitted.
>
> I always tried very hard to sieve (80) my ashglazes and after applying a
> lot of effort to push the ash through, I ended up throwing in my glaze
what
> was left in the sieve. If somebody is capable of spraying the ash glazes,
> can he please tell me how he manages?
>
> And as it seems a similar problem for me, how do you pass the frits
through
> the sieves?
>
> For your information I don't have a ballmill.
> I would very much appreciate suggestions and solutions.
> What a relief to be able to post this question, I thought it would be one
> of those questions you're too old to ask.
> Many thanks,
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> 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.

John and Dorothy Weber on tue 13 feb 01


We add colorants to our ash glaze and then spray. Has anyone tried spraying
with clear ash then overspraying with an oxide wash? Do you do this over a
base glaze or on to bisquit ware?
Thanks
Dorothy Weber
Manakin-Sabot, Va.
-----Original Message-----
From: philrogers pottery
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Date: Monday, February 12, 2001 4:14 PM
Subject: Re: spraying ash glazes


>Hi Jeff,
>
>Throw away what you can't get through the sieve but increase the ash in the
>recipe to allow for this discard. I don't have a ball mill either but I
>don't like sieving ash either dry or twice. So, I sieve once, after I have
>added the water and just before adding it to the glaze slop. By this method
>there is always a residue of grit and charcoal, odd fag ends ( for you
>Americans that's a cigarette butt!) silver foil etc. etc. Usually amounts
to
>about 20% of the total.
>
>Jeff, it's all in the book!! Hope all is well with you. Love to Angie
and
>Carlo,
>
>Phil.
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Jeff van den Broeck
>
>
>> Craig Martell wrote: "The ashglazes apply best for me by spraying."
>> I suddenly was aware that probably I'm even more ignorant than I
>admitted.
>>
>> I always tried very hard to sieve (80) my ashglazes and after applying a
>> lot of effort to push the ash through, I ended up throwing in my glaze
>what
>> was left in the sieve. If somebody is capable of spraying the ash glazes,
>> can he please tell me how he manages?
>>
>> And as it seems a similar problem for me, how do you pass the frits
>through
>> the sieves?
>>
>> For your information I don't have a ballmill.
>> I would very much appreciate suggestions and solutions.
>> What a relief to be able to post this question, I thought it would be one
>> of those questions you're too old to ask.
>> Many thanks,
>>
>>
>___________________________________________________________________________
_
>__
>> 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.
>

ASHPOTS@AOL.COM on tue 13 feb 01


Well i spray all my ash glazes.I end up with a 80 mesh.A lot does NOT go thru
the screen and gets thrown away.As far as i am concerned that is part of
using ash glazes.
If i had a ball mill and milled them and used all the glaze it would change
my glaze. I think it would make them more runnier{nice word}. I will keep
going the way i have been doing it , throwing away the stuff that doesnt go
thru the 80 mesh sreen.
I am still using 50%ash50%red clay.Of course there is more ash in volume then
clay becuase the clay is heavier. So it all works out. I think????????

Capt Mark

Craig Martell on tue 13 feb 01


Dorothy asked:
>We add colorants to our ash glaze and then spray. Has anyone tried spraying
>with clear ash then overspraying with an oxide wash? Do you do this over a
>base glaze or on to bisquit ware?

Hello Dorothy:

I've sprayed overglaze colorants on an uncolored woodash glaze. It works
fine once you get your colors tweaked and worked out for visual
appeal. I've sprayed ash glaze and overglaze colorants on raw and bisque
fired porcelain.

regards, Craig Martell in Oregon