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sprayed glazes lifting problem

updated mon 15 nov 04

 

Leslie Laurent on sun 14 nov 04


Hi,

I've been meaning to write and thank Vince for
his article in Clay Times ( 2 years ago January?)
with instructions on building a spray booth.

Those instructions combined with the information
in his book helped my husband and me build one
this spring. And it's working great.

I've been spraying one glaze over another and
frequently the first glaze will lift - it's
small round bubbles. I'm having trouble getting
enough second glaze on the pot before the first
glaze starts lifting. I don't have a problem
unless I'm spraying one glaze over another. If
it's just one glaze all is well.

I've tried letting the first coat dry overnight,
or NOT letting the first coat dry, and lowering the
bisque from 04 to 06 so the pot is more absorbent.
I've tried thicker and thinner glazes. I sponge
the pots, I spray them off with a blast of air
from the compressor. I've done everything I
can think of to make the pot as clean and receptive
as possible short of smearing it with white glue
and that's starting to sound good. I can usually
smooth the glaze down but it's pretty time
consuming so I would like to find a solution.

Is there something I can add to my glazes to make
them stickier? I just got Robin Hopper's new book
( WOW ) and he mentions that sprayed glazes
don't adhere to the pot as well as dipped glazes.
I can certainly testify to that.

Or is it my spray technique? I'm using a Paasche
P62 sprayer. And I just got a Critter but haven't
tried it out yet. I go past the pot
and stop the spray - like painting a car. (Which
I've done - yes, I'm old).

I've also tried dipping the first coat and spraying
the second. Still lifting.

I've been using MC6G Glossy Base 2 with additions
of oxides and stains, so I don't think it's the
combination of glazes that repels them from the
pot. Although I do get crawling with 1 stain
that I don't get with any others. I wonder if I
could lower the alumina a little. If a
2% addition of a refactory stain pushes the glaze
to crawl, is that a hint about how to solve the
lifting problem?

Anyway, if you've conquered the
lifting thing, I would appreciate a suggestion.
Or maybe if you can refer me to a book. Or a
web page. Or a fortune cookie.

Thanks,
Leslie

annsemple on sun 14 nov 04


Leslie
I took a Tom Coleman work shop last summer and he recommended getting =
that second coat on BFEORE the first had dried - have you tried that?

>> I've been spraying one glaze over another and frequently the first =
glaze will lift -...<<

Ann
www.annsemple.com
www.clayfootcrockery.com