Blue/Green Test Glazes and Kiln Wash Recipe

 This afternoon I made about 15 test tiles.  The three on the right in this picture need to be coated, but the other 15 are set.  So, 18 in all with combos from 8 different blue/green celadon like glazes.  Some are transparent, some not.  Am really interested in how all this turns out.  Really like the floating blue glaze and the Leah Leitson chun celadon glaze.  Time will tell which one I use in a bunch of bowls and teabowls that are waiting to wear glaze.   Most of all, am looking for a celadon that is transparent so the writing on my bowls will show up.

I'll be doing the test glaze firing this weekend.  I also mixed some kiln wash today.  Here's the recipe I used, which I got from John Britt, found online.

50% alumina hydrate
25% EPK (calcined)
25% EPK
Additive:
1-2 %  G-200 Feldspar.   (I used 1.5% this time).

Will any test glaze firing wisdom?  I'm all for learning from your pottery experience.
Thanks for reading!

Coming Along- Thank You!

 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!

Scale Questions- Help!

 Okay, so I loved having a day off.  While it rained a bit outside, I created a makeshift glaze weighing station.  I ended up mixing 7 batches of dry glazes, without the additives.  All worked well.  I figured out in time (had forgotten!) that Flint is really Silica and that F-4 Feldspar is the closest to Minspar.  I mixed test glaze batches- 500 g size.  Anyway, I did have one major--- or minor? challenge.

Even though I would zero the scale inbetween each weighing, it sometimes would go off zero easily anytime that ball of clay on the scale (see the right of it) moved.  That threw off the entire weighing.  It was frustrating.  I had to add the clay ball to zero it with the plastic container on it, which I use to hold all the dry ingredients.  Question #1:  How, how can I zero it without using that plastic ball?  The clay ball also changes its weight as time goes on---  drying a bit.  Maybe I just need to use the same process and continue to go slow, not bumping that clay ball, making sure it doesn't move.
Also, #2:  I'm guessing it doesn't matter when the additives are added in a dry glaze, right?
And, #3:  silica--- is it okay to keep that in an airtight container?  Mine came in a 50 lb. bag that had some air holes in it.
The good news is that these were only test batches.  If a few were mixed incorrectly because of the clay ball moving, I'll find that out after the test glaze firing.

Thanks for your help and insight with these questions--- and for reading!

Bisque Firing and Glaze Prep

 Loaded another bisque kiln.  Will fire tomorrow.  The bowl at the rim has the colors that I'm interested in getting.  it was gas fired- cone 10 and I'm on the lookout for celadon type cone 6 glazes.  It's been a fun adventure searching for glaze recipes.

 Many thanks to Tracey Broome with all with her glazing wisdom.  I think I'll be testing 6 or so glazes with all kinds of variations and combinations- with wax resist, black underglaze, etc...  the yellowish sheets are the ones I'll use to mark and check off each ingredient as I add it.  Will weigh test glazes batches tomorrow outside!

 Outside because the less dry glaze dust in my garage/studio, the better.  Yesterday I transferred several dry glazes into containers- wonderful containers that my parents brought for me from their business.  That along with yogurt ones...

 Good thing I eat yogurt for breakfast most mornings.  Saving and recycling containers has been a wonderful thing!  Here is my stash of most of my dry glaze ingredients, aside from a 50 lb. bag of silica and one of gerstley borate, both under plastic.  Good thing too that I love for things to be clean and in order.

 These got left behind from the bisque firing, as they aren't fully dry yet.  Always another firing.

 Began to put black underglaze on some of the words (thinned out a bit from original in Amaco container).  Wiped it off with a sponge.  It's a fairly detailed, time consuming process yet I really like the finished look.  Had one of the most peaceful and best days in awhile yesterday aside from when my parents visited.

 So, here's what the top of the bisque kiln looks like.  Put in some EPK so it can get calcined and then I'll make kiln wash from it.  Have alumina hydrate on hand already.  Tomorrow I'll head to Lowe's to get a paint roller and tray for the kiln wash mixture.

Meanwhile, here's dinner.  Virtually all of it, except the onions are from my parent's garden.  Potatoes and peas are homegrown and the cheese in the creamed onions is from PA- my uncle's business.  Good, good food and as is now the custom, eaten on handmade pottery.  :)  Will try to include a picture of my parent's in my next post.  They are simply wonderful.  I am so blessed.