"So far your site has been a blessing in that I don't feel I have to go anywhere else to get my information, you have it all (at least as far as I can see now) right here in one place. I am new to glaze formulation but not to ceramics. Recently I have had a crazing problem with a certain clay body I am using and as of today I feel confident I can solve it using information on your website. It is I who want to thank you for making such a clear and concise information depository that can be used by all, especially those new to glaze chemistry."
"I am a builder / developer / consumer of ceramic tiles. You have a sea of information on your site."
"I am at the point where I'm ready to go beyond the hit or miss approach to finding workable glazes. So far I'm finding you book most helpful. It is clearly written, and most of all understandable for a non-chemist like myself. I look forward to trying the Insight program soon. Your website is a great source of information. Thanks and keep up the great work."
"I just got the Magic of Fire Reference from IMC. Good stuff in there. Have you seen it?"
"Thanks - your help has always been prompt and useful."
"This is the first time I have used this site, and I am impressed. I use HyperGlaze software on my PowerMac with pleasure, but this data site is an up to date boon. Congratulations!"
"I Everyday visit your website http://digitalfire.com. Fantastic knowledge you have....thanks ."
"Your Magic of fire was a waker upper, had to read it a few times this past few months just to give my head a shake. Yes, I am having crazing issues, and its past time to get away from Gerstly Borate. Just purchased numerous frits and actual commercial stains. After 30 years in the biz, I am going to do this!"
"I must say I am amazed by what I saw here. I am even more surprised to see so much of cermaic material stuff here."
"I would like to stay connected to your program. In my glaze workshops, I use your 5/20 glaze as our Cone 6 reference so I often mention you and Digital Fire.com to all of my students. I also tell them about all the great articles and reference materials you have with the level 2 program."
"A short, but comprehensive description with lots of needful information like yours is rarely to be found in the internet. Bravo!"
"I join others (I'm sure) in thanking Tony for the incredible resource that is the digital fire library, and for the insight glaze calculation software and now website. Not a week goes by when I don't use all three of them and usually quite extensively."
"On a small aside. I want to thank you for all the work you have done over the years, firstly to inspire people like myself to see the technical side of ceramics as such a beautiful side of the art and not just a finished result that was lucky. And on that note with how much I read your blog, waiting for daily posts, reading all the old articles again and again, I see your mugs with the wheat grass on them all time, and was wondering if you ever put them up for sale. It's been an icon of my learning and would love to have one of the infamous mugs themselves."
"Love Insight-live. Have been using it a few months and now that I know my way around a bit, I have come to rely on it. Love having a web based program, since I bounce between Windows on several machines and also a Chromebook."
"I have mostly used store bought glazes and fooled around some with stains. I have never approached anything scientifically. Your website seems wonderful. Seems that I could spend a few years with what you have shared. I will start with one of the base recipes and let the fun begin."
"Thanks Tony. You are offering a very valuable service to the potters."
"I am a Brazilian potter and, despite my difficulty with the English language, I have learned a lot from this site. I want to thank you very much for the immense help you give me in the "most difficult times". "
"I think you have done a great job in developing the on-line version. It is very easy to use. We meet once a month to discuss any glaze problems, test glazes in teams, and I do a presentation on an aspect of glaze chemistry. One day, I said something technical and one of the member's jaw dropped and she said "Hey, I just realized I understood what you said". It was a proud moment."
"I have really been enjoying using insight."
"Thanks for doing the timeline. I’ve told you before but it never hurts to say it again, this is great stuff and I get so much info from your posts. Extremely valuable!"
"I have a lot of respect for the tremendous work she made."
"The program really is changing the way I think about glazes."
"Your support for Linux is a big reason why I purchased your program."
"I think you have an exceptional product and it would be great for the students."
"I am the only one using INSIGHT, almost everyone here lives under the influence of the Glaze Dragon. I am beginning to change their minds but it is taking me a lot of time... but one step at a time. It is incredible how a big company still trust the old way of formulating glazes. Thanks to your program and book Magic of Fire, I have been able to develop, correct and optimize glazes according to our clients needs! "
"Just got done teaching my glaze class and have a couple of students that are going to buy Insight as a result. Keep up the good work. "
"I have no problems with your software and I think it is quite interesting tool, namely in the combination with your technical support published in the education part. I have never seen so nice ceramic web pages and this is the reason why I am recommending them to my present and former colleagues to read. It is quite evident you are experienced ceramist."
"I continue to use Insight almost daily and it is a fantastic tool. "
"Thank you soooooooooooooo much!!! Thank you again for your excellent support and care!"
"From this cursory prospective I can offer this review: "Wow"!"
"Your comments about the ethics involved in selling functional wares make sense to me, but not to my studio friends. I'm studying ceramics under studio potters (making functional wares) who NEVER test new glazes for durabilty, leaching,etc. (despite? college degrees in ceramic art)."
"We are using your 1916 glaze recipe on low fire ware and my students are asking a lot of questions about the safety of the pottery they are making, does it leach. I do not know how to answer them. Please help."
"I have been doing a LOT of reading and learned of your software through the book Mastering Cone 6 Glazes by John Hesselberth and Ron Roy. It became obvious in my reading about glazes that to glaze a piece and know that it was safe for others use and handling was paramount to me, ... people will always use an object in ways you never imagine:) I also want to know why for everything."
"I have a huge concern about liner glazes. I have run across some potters who have taught classes where they gave no direction about what is suitable for liners. When doing a simple lemon test their glaze failed miserably."
"I am now at a point where I want to build my own kiln and develop my own pallet of glazes as well as a clay body ... I want to understand better why glazes do what they do ... how to fix them. I also want to make sure they are safe. When a friend from Japan comes in the summer I try and figure out what he does and why but he, being a master potter, seems to just go by the look and consistency of it. Boggles my mind!!!"
"Because of media warnings to make people wary about using brightly coloured pottery, I would like to put together some advertising that I can distribute with the work to give people confidence in using brightly coloured hand made pottery. I am wondering if there should be anything further that I could do to have this work tested to guarantee no toxicity in leaching? .. You have no idea how grateful I would be if you can help me or advise me re the above. I am reluctant to do any production until I am satisfied that my work is safe for people to use. "
"Food safety of our product has suddenly come to our attention. The biggest health problem I think we have is crazing (maybe some leaching). We need a way to solve this yesterday."
"Could we print your article on leaching in our newsletter. Many members are really concerned about the safety of the pottery they are making."
"I have large cobalt blue glasses in my kitchen. At night I leave water in one when I go to bed. I noticed a distinct metal taste in the water each morning. I tried putting water in an identical sized clear glass and noticed no metal taste after more than 24 hours. I repeated the experiment with different water(bottled). I got the same result. After 24 hours the cobalt glass reeks of metal taste. Can cobalt glass actually excrete cobalt into water?"
"There is a local potter who has been selling for 30 plus years. He has sells all of his work as food safe and dishwasher safe. One of my students bought a black piece, sent it through the dishwasher and it turned blue, we did a 12 hour vinegar test and it turned green."