mel jacobson on thu 22 feb 07
of course ron and john are totally correct.
measuring by volume is very much like driving an
old 1934 ford...fun to do, it gets you from place to place...
very nostalgic, but i really would rather use my brand new
car for every day.
i have very good scales, and a neat little gram scale that is
electronic. i use them every time i make glaze.
some of my large recipes/50 gallons, i use pounds...convert
from grams by .0022x2354 grams=5.17 pounds, then round off to
5+pounds. then i can use an entire bag of feldspar if i care to.
my take has always been that folks should know and understand
the variables....when in a place that does not have a gram scale
or high quality measuring devices...what do you do? i use
volume, and realize it is not accurate or scientific, but i can
make a simple 1234 glaze and get it to work. i can make a 60-40
ash glaze, and it works every time...`good enough for those using it`.
add some cobalt, and we have glaze. in fact, it is the seat of the
pants science that often impresses and turn students into good
research glaze makers. just try screaming at a kid...`my god wally,
you have 3 grams too much feldspar in that glaze...you stupid dork...
do good science, be careful...want to ruin everything.` kid never makes
an experimental glaze again. we have chipped lots of glaze off shelves
from new glazes at school, who cares...they learn.
start simple, experiment, make mistakes and learn to be complex.
time does that. roll out a bunch of thin clay slabs...put them under
your new glazes...saves your shelf.
mel
any heat you put in a kiln, works toward the final temp. if you fire
slow, you use less gas to get there during the early stages, who cares?
if i fire over night with a tiny burner, i am heating my kiln...it does not
go to waste, i am heating my kiln. if i turn on two big burners on high to
get to the same place...500F i use a great deal of gas real quick. i still
use gas. it takes X amount of gas to get to 2420F. it will always take
X amount. what do you save if you fire both burners on high so they will
go, as quick as they will to get there? nothing. but, you may ruin your firing.
what is that worth. slow down, enjoy the process. same for cooling.
slow down..turn your kiln back on...hell, let it take three days. who cares.
how much is an entire kiln full of pots worth? always do the simple math.
81 potsX30=$2,340.00. (make an average of what you sell. come up with that
figure, keep it in your head...it is important.) five dollars worth of
extra gas may be the difference between 81 racers, or 81 half pricers.
from: mel/minnetonka.mn.usa
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
Clayart page link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
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