Ann Semple on sat 12 jan 02
Earl has just raised a question on which I could use some advice . My water is from a well, and very hard (pH 8.1, and 145 mg/l (milligrams per litre)hardness total according to the analysis.
Included in this analysis are Fluoride, Boron, Barium, Calcium, Chromium Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, and Zinc.
Actual quantities were not given, just <0.01( less than) for manganese for example. The exceptions were Magnesium with 7.59 mg/l and calcium with 42.0 mg/ml.
My question is, does any one know of a reasonable priced filtration system that would remove minerals at least to the extent that they wouldn't effect my glazes?
Please note, I'm in Canada and if the system is not available in Canada reasonable Stateside = reasonable plus 63% plus delivery, customs and 14% tax . ( you should see what that did to the purchase price of my new kiln!!!
Hope someone can help me out here.
Ann
annsemple@shaw.ca
If you enjoy what you do, you'll never work another day in your life.
Confucius
Earl Brunner on sat 12 jan 02
Ok, I asked for a reason, (I'm sure you could sort of tell where this was going). Porcelain, especially the translucent kind, approach very nearly the melting point of the body. In my experience, they tend to be much more
glasslike when fired then regular stoneware. Recycled clay may pick up more minerals from the water that you use, and in this case, many of your minerals are fluxes, "may" begin to melt more.
Your solution may be as simple as tossing a handful of refractory material into your recycle, or it may be more complex.
You might look into the cost of a reverse osmosis drinking water system, they can remove between 80-95% dessolved solids and a residential unit will typically produce between 5-15 gallons per day. They use water pressure to
"push" the water through the filter medium, leaving the solids behind, so water pressure is a factor. In my other life I used to work for a company that installed and serviced these type of units. If your water is that hard,
it wouldn't hurt for you to be drinking the processed stuff.
Ann Semple wrote:
> Earl has just raised a question on which I could use some advice . My water is from a well, and very hard (pH 8.1, and 145 mg/l (milligrams per litre)hardness total according to the analysis.
> Included in this analysis are Fluoride, Boron, Barium, Calcium, Chromium Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, and Zinc.
> Actual quantities were not given, just <0.01( less than) for manganese for example. The exceptions were Magnesium with 7.59 mg/l and calcium with 42.0 mg/ml.
> My question is, does any one know of a reasonable priced filtration system that would remove minerals at least to the extent that they wouldn't effect my glazes?
> Please note, I'm in Canada and if the system is not available in Canada reasonable Stateside = reasonable plus 63% plus delivery, customs and 14% tax . ( you should see what that did to the purchase price of my new kiln!!!
> Hope someone can help me out here.
> Ann
> annsemple@shaw.ca
> If you enjoy what you do, you'll never work another day in your life.
> Confucius
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> 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.
--
Earl Brunner
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
mailto:bruec@anv.net
Cindi Anderson on sat 12 jan 02
Hi
Why don't you just get a filter for drinking water? It removes most of that
stuff. Like the PUR pitcher or faucet mount ones that are $10-$30 plus an
occassional filter change.
Cindi
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ann Semple"
To:
Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2002 11:03 AM
Subject: Hard Water - was problem porcelain
My water is from a well, and very hard (pH 8.1, and 145 mg/l (milligrams per
litre)hardness total according to the analysis.
> Included in this analysis are Fluoride, Boron, Barium, Calcium, Chromium
Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, and Zinc.
> My question is, does any one know of a reasonable priced filtration system
that would remove minerals at least to the extent that they wouldn't effect
my glazes?
> Ann
> annsemple@shaw.ca
John Hesselberth on sat 12 jan 02
on 1/12/02 2:03 PM, Ann Semple at annsemple@SHAW.CA wrote:
> My question is, does any one know of a reasonable priced filtration system
> that would remove minerals at least to the extent that they wouldn't effect my
> glazes?
> Please note, I'm in Canada and if the system is not available in Canada
> reasonable Stateside = reasonable plus 63% plus delivery, customs and 14% tax
> . ( you should see what that did to the purchase price of my new kiln!!!
> Hope someone can help me out here.
Hi Ann,
Are you sure the minerals are affecting your glazes? Those levels are not
likely to affect the composition of your glazes in any meaningful way. What
they can affect is the flocculation/deflocculation situation. Are your
glazes settling like a rock or are they not going onto your pots the way you
want them to. If you have one of those problems it might be easier to work
on that rather than work on your water. Another thing some people do is
collect rain water. I think it might even be cheaper to buy distilled water
than to put in some fancy water cleanup system--unless you also want it
cleaned up for reasons other than glazes. But if you are not having any
current problem with your glazes I wouldn't worry about it.
Regards,
John
web sites: http://www.masteringglazes.com and http://www.frogpondpottery.com
EMail: john@frogpondpottery.com
"Pots, like other forms of art, are human expressions: pleasure, pain or
indifference before them depends upon their natures, and their natures are
inevitably projections of the minds of their creators." Bernard Leach, A
Potter's Book.
Maid O'Mud on sat 12 jan 02
Hi Ann:
I have a long story to tell, but I hope it helps you :-)
I had been working with/fighting with my glazes for a few years. They
seemed to change on me every now and then. I couldn't figure it out. Of
course, this was WAY before Clayart.
I went up to help with a workshop, and I mixed up my usual glaze receipes
with the local tap water. My glazes looked amazing! I was shocked. I
spoke with my mentor, and he said it was probably the water. We have a
well, and we had noticed seasonal changes to the water - but I had not put
that together w/glaze problems.
When I got home, I purchased some distilled water and mixed up my glazes.
They looked just like they did at the workshop.
To make a long story a bit shorter, we ended up purchasing a reverse osmosis
system. It's not cheap but the filters hardly ever need changing (unlike
the Pur, Brita etc. systems) and we now enjoy better tasting coffee, tea, OJ
etc. As you will be using it to make glaze, you can write the costs off
against the business.
Try purchasing some distilled water from the pharmacy. It's usually about
.99/4 litres and see if it helps your glazes at all. A cheap way to test
before purchasing an expensive water cleaning system.
Hope all this rambling helps.
sam - in snowy, muddy Melbourne, Ontario
Maid O'Mud Pottery
http://www.geocities.com/paris/3110
scuttell@ody.ca
| |
|
