Monthly Tech-Tip from Tony HansenI will send practical posts like these (from thousands I maintain). No ads or tracking. We are troubleshooting the confirm email, for now you will be subscribed immediately (the first monthly email will provide one-click unsubscribe). BlogCone 6 transparent way better without Gerstley Borate.I surgically removed it to create G2926B!![]() These are the original cone 6 Perkins Studio Clear (left) beside our fritted version (right). You cannot just substitute a frit for Gerstley Borate (GB), they have very different chemistries. But, using the calculation tools in my account at insight-live.com, I compensated for the differences by juggling other materials in the recipe. I even upped the Al2O3 and SiO2 a little on the belief they would dissolve in the more active melt the frit would create. I was right - a melt-flow GLFL test comparison (inset left) shows that the GB version flows less. Using this on ware exhibited another issue (after doing a IWCT test): Crazing. The very good melt flow on my G2926A fritted version is thus good news: It can accept more silica - the more silica, the more durable and craze resistant it will be. How much did it take? 10% more! That ultimately became the recipe for our standard G2926B cone 6 transparent. Context: A Low Cost Tester.., Trafficking in Glaze Recipes.., Click here for case-studies.., Glaze Chemistry, We Developed the G2926B.. Monday 31st March 2025 Alberta Slip based black passed all four leaching tests![]() This is the G3914A recipe on Plainsman M340 test tiles. They were fired at cone 6 using the PLC6DS schedule. We tested them in four different caustic liquids (using the GLLE test), there is no sign of leaching on any of them. This recipe contains only 4% black stain, that is enough to stain the base GA6-B glaze to a jet black. The surface has a unique iridescence that is not found in any other glossy black we have used. Context: Cone 6 oil-spot glaze.., Two black cone 6.., Two methods to make.. Sunday 30th March 2025 Knapping Zero4 porcelain![]() Wikipedia terms Knapping as “the shaping of flint, chert, obsidian, or other conchoidal fracturing stone through the process of lithic reduction to manufacture .. flat-faced stones.” In other words, it is the process of carefully breaking off pieces to create sharp edges and controlled surfaces. Context: GoKnapping com - Supplies.., Flint Knapping at Wikipedia.., Zero4 Saturday 29th March 2025 Matte base glaze cutlery marks.Add 10% glossy glaze. No marking.![]() This is G2934Y (a version of the G2934 cone 6 matte base recipe that supplies much of the MgO from a frit instead of dolomite). Like the original, it has a beautiful fine silky matte surface and feels like it would not cutlery mark. But, as you can see on the left, it does! The marks can be cleaned off easily. But still, this is not ideal. The degree of matteness that a glaze has is a product of its chemistry. But can we fix this without doing any chemistry? Yes. By blending in some G2926B clear glossy (90:10 proportions). The result: The marks are gone and the surface is only slightly less matte. This underscores the need to compromise the degree of matteness, on food surfaces, enough to avoid staining and cutlery marking. Context: G2934Y, Concentrate on One Good.., Matte Glaze, Dolomite Matte, Cutlery Marking Friday 28th March 2025 Test bars from a few days of firingsHere is how to enter the data into Insight-live![]() Multiple batches of fired test bars, organized by temperature, have already been weighed and measured (the weights and lengths are written on the sides of the bars). Each batch is accompanied by the cones from the firing in the test kiln (these influence how the temperature is recorded and adjustments to kiln firing schedules). Since we are working on many runs, tests and projects at any given time, these tests pile up rapidly. And they generate a lot of SHAB test data that needs to be input into your Insight-live.com account promptly. Context: Shrinkage/Absorption Test, Entering TestData Into Insight-Live.., Physical Testing Thursday 27th March 2025 Orientation is important when 3D printing a mold![]() This is a mold to test the shape and size of a Medalta Potteries ball pitcher. The shape and orientation of this 3D printed mold has worked better than others done till now for several reasons: Context: CAD tools vs modelling.. Wednesday 26th March 2025 DIY mold making using 3D printing just got easier.Mold natches, spacers, clips and embedsAvailable on the Downloads page ![]() Plastic natches are cast into plaster molds to provide a durable and good-fitting interlock between pieces. The traditional self-interlocking 3/8" or 9.5 mm (nipple diameter) one has not proven suitable for mold making based on 3D printing. Our solution is a four-part system. To use it, your 3D printed mold shells only need matched 13.5mm holes. Context: DIY natches spacers and.., CAD drawing of handle.., Standard 3 8 inch.., Glue-sticking the 3D printer.., Downloadable 3D model for.., Casting Slip, Mold Natches, Mold Natches Wednesday 26th March 2025 Mixing and pouring plaster into a 3D printed shell mold-Size of mixing container needed: 1L per 1000g of plaster. Context: Glazy Plaster Calculator, USG Plaster mixing instructions.. Tuesday 25th March 2025 Mason stains in the G2934 matte base glaze at cone 6![]() Stains can work surprisingly well in matte base glazes like the DIY G2934 recipe. The glass is less transparent and so varying thicknesses do not produce as much variation in tint as glossy bases do. Notice how low many of the stain percentages are here, yet most of the colors are bright. We tested 6600, 6350, 6300, 6021 and 6404 overnight in lemon juice, they all passed leach-free. The 6385 is an error, it should be purple (that being said, do not use it, it is ugly in this base). And chrome-tin pink and maroon stains do not develop the color (e.g. 6006). But our G1214Z1 CaO-matte comes to the rescue, it both works better with some stains and has a more crystal matte surface. The degree-of-matteness of both can be tuned by cooling speed and blending in some G2926B glossy base. You can mix any of these into brushing or dipping glazes. Context: Mason 6021 Red Stain, G2934, Stains Mason, G1214Z1, 5 titanium dioxide in.., G2934 cone 6 DIY.., Here is my setup.., Medium Temperature, Base Glaze, Ceramic Stain, Cone 6 Thursday 20th March 2025 Mason stains in the G2926B base glaze at cone 6![]() This glaze, G2926B, is our main glossy base recipe. Stains are a much better choice for coloring it than raw metal oxides. Other than the great colors they produce here, there are a number of things worth noticing. Stains are potent; the percentages needed are normally much less than for metal oxides. Staining a transparent glaze produces a transparent color, it is more intense where the laydown is thicker - this is often desirable in highlighting contours and designs. For pastel shades, add an opacifier (e.g. 5-10% Zircopax, more stain might be needed to maintain the color intensity). The chrome-tin maroon 6006 does not develop well in this base (alternatives are G2916F or G1214M). The 6020 manganese alumina pink is also not developing here (it is a body stain). Caution is required with inclusion stains (like #6021). Bubbling, as is happening here, is common - this can be mitigated by adding 1-2% Zircopax. And it’s easy to turn any of these into brushing or dipping glazes. Context: Mason 6021 Red Stain, Stains Mason, G2926B, Concentrate on One Good.., Mason 6600 Black Stain, Here is my setup.., G2926B cone 6 transparent.., When using stains customize.., Medium Temperature, Cone 6, Colorant, Base Glaze, Ceramic Stain Thursday 20th March 2025 | Contact MeUse the contact form at the bottom on almost all the pages on this site or let's have a Other ways to Support My WorkSubscribe to Insight-Live.com. It is about doing testing and development, not letting the information slip away. Starts at $15 for 6 months. Help Me on Social
Login to your online account Chemistry plus physics. Maintain your recipes, test results, firing schedules, pictures, materials, projects, etc. Access your data from any connected device. Import desktop Insight data (and of other products). Group accounts for industry and education. Private accounts for potters. Get started. Download for Mac, PC, Linux Interactive glaze chemistry for the desktop. Free (no longer in development but still maintained, M1 Mac version now available). Download here or in the Files panel within your Insight-live.com account. What people have said about Digitalfire
What people have said about Insight-Live
|