S Kellam on sat 27 nov 04
I am really starting to go nuts as far as pottery goes. It seems like just when I get one thing figured out something else becomes glaringly wrong.
I am having a problem with crazing. I have tried doing the glaze firing slowly as well as having them cool completely to room temperature before taking them out, and it works SOMETIMES. I have also changed my clay body and my glaze several times in hopes of finding the right combination, but to no avail.
I currently use Low Fire White that I fire to Cone 04 then I apply Ceramichrome Clear Coat that I fire to Cone 06. I feel like I am probably still using the wrong combination as everything that I have read tells me that if it crazes right away sometimes, then it is going to eventually craze on all of my pieces later which is really disturbing.
Does anyone have a good combination of clay and glaze that I could use? The clay needs to be white or off-white, it needs to have minimal shrinkage, and the glaze needs to be (almost) lead-free and clear. Other than that, I am wide open to suggestions.
PLEASE HELP ME BEFORE I 'FIRE' THE KILN!!!! Pun intended.
Thank You,
Sherri Kellam
angel_prints@sbcglobal.net
Mike Gordon on sun 28 nov 04
Sherri,
I have a few questions, is the Ceramichrome Clear the pink colored
stuff? I have used it before if that is the glaze you have. But I can't
remember the manufacturers name off hand. I had no problems with
crawling. Second where do you live? Have you tried using B-Mix? Leslie
Ceramics in Berekeley Calif. makes a good clear glaze that I used for
years with no problems. Mike Gordon
On Nov 27, 2004, at 4:43 PM, S Kellam wrote:
>
> I currently use Low Fire White that I fire to Cone 04 then I apply
> Ceramichrome Clear Coat that I fire to Cone 06. I feel like I am
> probably still using the wrong combination as everything that I have
> read tells me that if it crazes right away sometimes, then it is going
> to eventually craze on all of my pieces later which is really
> disturbing.
>
> PLEASE HELP ME BEFORE I 'FIRE' THE KILN!!!! Pun intended.
>
> Thank You,
> Sherri Kellam
> angel_prints@sbcglobal.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.
>
Crystal on sun 28 nov 04
It is a known fact that crazing makes people crazy? hee hee. I knew it
before you finished your message that the glaze you were using was clear. I
had problems with several clear glazes that kept crazing no matter how I
fired. Now I fire to cone 6 but the problem may be the same. I found by
accident the trick was to apply thinner. Try applying varying thickness on a
test tile and see if the thinner part on the tile doesn't craze and the
thicker part does craze. Start with a very thin application. If you find a
difference then you've solved your problem. I've also heard that increasing
silica in 5% increments until the crazing stops works. Although that sounds
like a commercially prepared glaze.
Good luck,
Crystal
----- Original Message -----
From: "S Kellam"
To:
Sent: Saturday, November 27, 2004 6:43 PM
Subject: [CLAYART] HELP, Going Nuts -- Crazing!!
>I am really starting to go nuts as far as pottery goes. It seems like just
>when I get one thing figured out something else becomes glaringly wrong.
>
> I am having a problem with crazing. I have tried doing the glaze firing
> slowly as well as having them cool completely to room temperature before
> taking them out, and it works SOMETIMES. I have also changed my clay body
> and my glaze several times in hopes of finding the right combination, but
> to no avail.
>
> I currently use Low Fire White that I fire to Cone 04 then I apply
> Ceramichrome Clear Coat that I fire to Cone 06. I feel like I am probably
> still using the wrong combination as everything that I have read tells me
> that if it crazes right away sometimes, then it is going to eventually
> craze on all of my pieces later which is really disturbing.
>
> Does anyone have a good combination of clay and glaze that I could use?
> The clay needs to be white or off-white, it needs to have minimal
> shrinkage, and the glaze needs to be (almost) lead-free and clear. Other
> than that, I am wide open to suggestions.
>
> PLEASE HELP ME BEFORE I 'FIRE' THE KILN!!!! Pun intended.
>
> Thank You,
> Sherri Kellam
> angel_prints@sbcglobal.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.
Louis Katz on sun 28 nov 04
Getting a lowfire commercial white clay and glaze that fits and works
reliably may be difficult, and then again you might get it by calling a
supplier. If your supplier does not have a combination that meets your
needs try another. You will pay more in shipping usually as the clay
will come from farther.
I would suggest that the time and enery spent going cone 6 might be
well spent. it is wasier to get good clay and glazes that fit at cone
6. It is easier to get a clay that is more vitreous and still easy to
work. Sorry I can't be more help. I have been using plates by Lisa
Marshall from Livingston Montana for years. The white ones are still
craze free.
Louis
Sherri Kellam on sun 28 nov 04
Thank you for your response. I have actually tried this -- thinking
that it wouldn't craze if it was thinner, but it didn't work for
me. The thinner parts actually crazed more if you can believe it.
And as far as adding silica, I use a commercially prepared product
so I don't think that I can do that.
Thank you again. I suppose I will just continue on my search to
be 'craze-free'.
Sherri
--- In clayart@yahoogroups.com, Crystal wrote:
> It is a known fact that crazing makes people crazy? hee hee. I
knew it
> before you finished your message that the glaze you were using was
clear. I
> had problems with several clear glazes that kept crazing no matter
how I
> fired. Now I fire to cone 6 but the problem may be the same. I
found by
> accident the trick was to apply thinner. Try applying varying
thickness on a
> test tile and see if the thinner part on the tile doesn't craze
and the
> thicker part does craze. Start with a very thin application. If
you find a
> difference then you've solved your problem. I've also heard that
increasing
> silica in 5% increments until the crazing stops works. Although
that sounds
> like a commercially prepared glaze.
> Good luck,
> Crystal
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "S Kellam"
> To:
> Sent: Saturday, November 27, 2004 6:43 PM
> Subject: [CLAYART] HELP, Going Nuts -- Crazing!!
>
>
> >I am really starting to go nuts as far as pottery goes. It seems
like just
> >when I get one thing figured out something else becomes glaringly
wrong.
> >
> > I am having a problem with crazing. I have tried doing the
glaze firing
> > slowly as well as having them cool completely to room
temperature before
> > taking them out, and it works SOMETIMES. I have also changed my
clay body
> > and my glaze several times in hopes of finding the right
combination, but
> > to no avail.
> >
> > I currently use Low Fire White that I fire to Cone 04 then I
apply
> > Ceramichrome Clear Coat that I fire to Cone 06. I feel like I
am probably
> > still using the wrong combination as everything that I have read
tells me
> > that if it crazes right away sometimes, then it is going to
eventually
> > craze on all of my pieces later which is really disturbing.
> >
> > Does anyone have a good combination of clay and glaze that I
could use?
> > The clay needs to be white or off-white, it needs to have minimal
> > shrinkage, and the glaze needs to be (almost) lead-free and
clear. Other
> > than that, I am wide open to suggestions.
> >
> > PLEASE HELP ME BEFORE I 'FIRE' THE KILN!!!! Pun intended.
> >
> > Thank You,
> > Sherri Kellam
> > angel_prints@s...
> >
> >
_____________________________________________________________________
_________
> > Send postings to clayart@l...
> >
> > 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@p...
>
>
_____________________________________________________________________
_________
> Send postings to clayart@l...
>
> 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@p...
Malcolm Schosha on sun 28 nov 04
Most commercially made low fire clear glazes are made for a very thin
application. I would think that a thin application, in general, would
be better for clear glazes where there is surface decoration that you
want to show as clearly as possible; because there is also the
possibity of the glaze clouding when thick, and obscuring the surface
treatment.
Malcolm Schosha
--- In clayart@yahoogroups.com, Crystal wrote:
> It is a known fact that crazing makes people crazy? hee hee. I
knew it
> before you finished your message that the glaze you were using was
clear. I
> had problems with several clear glazes that kept crazing no matter
how I
> fired. Now I fire to cone 6 but the problem may be the same. I
found by
> accident the trick was to apply thinner. Try applying varying
thickness on a
> test tile and see if the thinner part on the tile doesn't craze and
the
> thicker part does craze. Start with a very thin application. If you
find a
> difference then you've solved your problem. I've also heard that
increasing
> silica in 5% increments until the crazing stops works. Although
that sounds
> like a commercially prepared glaze.
> Good luck,
> Crystal
Sherri Kellam on sun 28 nov 04
Thank you for your reply. The Ceramichrome Clear is actually blue
colored glaze that obviously fired clear.
I have never tried B-Mix, but I will ask my pottery supplier about
it to see if I should switch. And I actually live in the North Bay
so Berkeley is only about an hour away from me. I just might have
to take a drive down there to check it out. Or at least order some
over the phone.
Now, if I used B-Mix and the clear glaze from Leslie Ceramics, to
what cone would I be firing both? 04 and 06?
Also, have you ever heard of using Porcelain that you bisque fire to
Cone 6 then applying Duncan under and overglazes which would be
fired to @ Cone 06? I read that somewhere in my search for an
answer, but it doesn't really sound right to me. Although the
person recommending it, said that it worked. And of course, by
glaze firing to Cone 04-06, then the color doesn't burn off.
Thank you again for your help! I can use all of the help that I can
get.
Sherri
--- In clayart@yahoogroups.com, Mike Gordon wrote:
> Sherri,
> I have a few questions, is the Ceramichrome Clear the pink colored
> stuff? I have used it before if that is the glaze you have. But I
can't
> remember the manufacturers name off hand. I had no problems with
> crawling. Second where do you live? Have you tried using B-Mix?
Leslie
> Ceramics in Berekeley Calif. makes a good clear glaze that I used
for
> years with no problems. Mike Gordon
> On Nov 27, 2004, at 4:43 PM, S Kellam wrote:
> >
> > I currently use Low Fire White that I fire to Cone 04 then I
apply
> > Ceramichrome Clear Coat that I fire to Cone 06. I feel like I am
> > probably still using the wrong combination as everything that I
have
> > read tells me that if it crazes right away sometimes, then it is
going
> > to eventually craze on all of my pieces later which is really
> > disturbing.
> >
> > PLEASE HELP ME BEFORE I 'FIRE' THE KILN!!!! Pun intended.
> >
> > Thank You,
> > Sherri Kellam
> > angel_prints@s...
> >
> >
_____________________________________________________________________
__
> > _______
> > Send postings to clayart@l...
> >
> > 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@p...
> >
>
>
_____________________________________________________________________
_________
> Send postings to clayart@l...
>
> 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@p...
Ivor and Olive Lewis on mon 29 nov 04
Dear Sherri Kellam,
Sounds as though you're between a rock and a hard place.
Since you seem to be using manufactured products perhaps your
supplier, or the manufacturer who makes the formulations you are
using could give you an acceptable answer to solve this dilemma.
Without access to the recipes of the clay and the glaze using any of
the regular solutions to a crazing problem is pure guesswork.
I know it may seem to be a harsh thing to say, but you may have to go
right back to the beginning and design the system which will work for
you. If you are unable for any reason to formulate your own
earthenware clay body, select one that gives you the colour and the
characteristics appropriate to your work. The next step would be to do
some glaze blending tests. If you intend firing at cone 06 select a
readily available Low Melting Point Frit that has a minimum Soda
content. Cross blend this with three other ingredients; I suggest
Silica, a White Clay and something to modify the rate of linear
expansion such as Petalite or Spodumene. Avoid using components that
might be in the Frit. You will learn a lot from your results and
expect to make several 6x6 test tiles before reaching an answer. It
takes time and can b e a tedious exercise but the results are
rewarding.
Should you need more guidance do not hesitate to contact me direct.
Best regards,
Ivor Lewis.
Redhill,
S. Australia.
David Hewitt on tue 30 nov 04
Sherri,
You might find it helpful to read an article on my web site 'Calculating
Crazing' which is listed under 'Pottery Techniques'
David
--
David Hewitt
Web:- http://www.dhpot.demon.co.uk
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