I've been creating this process for mixing glazes. Here are six of the seven 500 gram batches I've mixed of dry glazes. It's really not tough when you get into it; it all just takes LOTS of time if done well and right. These batches are awaiting silica and gerstley borate--- both of which I have 50 lb. bags for- and well, I'm waiting till the end to get those out and will do that close to outside because of the dust and will be ever-careful! Goggles and dust mask for sure. If you zoom on the picture, you may be able to see the names of the test glazes.
Here are some test glazes with some underglaze on them. Will also make some test glazes with some wax resist to learn how the glazes run.
Went to Asheville this weekend and LOVED time there. More pics of my trip in the next post. For now, here are a few. Bought these plastic dishes at Target- they were on sale. I'll make plaster molds out of them. Great shapes!
Here's a quick pic of my makeshift table that I use for the glaze measuring--- a very inexpensive chair and table! See previous post for the same table with the triple beam scale on it.
Went to Highwater Clays and of course, loved time there. Got a bit more of zinc oxide and whiting. And decided to get some plate setters. Can hardly wait to load the kiln. Except...
that before I glaze the pieces, I need to put this on the bottoms of the pieces. Wax resist. Oh, and I need to make kiln wash and apply it. Plan is to do a test glaze firing this next weekend and then after that, a glaze firing. I continue to love the pottery world, more than I can say.
Some flowers I bought earlier this summer are taking root. These are. Forget what they're called. Never have watered them. They love the sun and sand.
This is a lantana; one of my favorites. It's getting ready to bloom...
Well, I figured out a way to zero my triple beam scale. First, found a lighter container--- a ziploc one. If you look closely, you'll see a small gray weight that I found in my odds and ends (nuts and bolts) in my toolbox. Thanks Dad! It hardly slides and I am careful to zero it out each time. It worked real well tonight as I added oxides and carbonates to test glaze mixes.
Next- pictures from Julie Wiggins' studio as I visited her while in Charlotte and pictures from my short 24 hour retreat in Asheville! Asheville was especially amazing.
Many thanks to all who have shared their wisdom along the way this far. It helps so much!
5 comments:
Glaze testing certainly does take time and patience, but there is a certain satisfaction in it too! Always so much to discover. When I am testing a whole lot of glazes I try to remember to do some tests of the glazes over other glazes, as well as the tests of just the single glaze. I'm wondering what the little yellow flowers are now??? The leaves are a bit hard to make out, but they look to me as if they are about 12 leaflets arranged in a circle like little multi-bladed propellers? Am I seeing them right? Anyway, hope the tests go well. Looking forward to the results. P x
Peter, Hi- yes, so much to discover. Will try to find out the name of that plant- I think it's a kind of portulaca. thanks for your encouragement and comments.
There's a knob on your Ohaus triple beam so you can put your container on the scale and then zero the scale. The knob is just below the scale plateform. See this tutorial: http://www.ohaus.com/input/tutorials/tbb/TBBins.html
Michi
Michi- thanks; tried that and it works when nothing is on the scale, yet the adjustment knob doesn't work to zero when I put even a small plastic container on the scale; the adjustment knob is too minute.
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