Monthly Tech-Tip from Tony Hansen SignUp

No tracking! No ads!

BORY1 - Bory 1 Crystalline Glaze
CELECG - Celestite Crystalline Glaze
FAAO - Fa's All-Opaque Crystalline Glaze
FAC5 - Crystal Number Five Glaze
FO - Octal Crystalline Glaze
G1214M - 20x5 Cone 6 Base Glossy Glaze
G1214W - Cone 6 Transparent Base
G1214Z1 - Cone 6 Silky CaO matte base glaze
G1215U - Low Expansion Glossy Clear Cone 6
G1216L - Transparent for Cone 6 Porcelains
G1216M - Cone 6 Ultraclear Glaze for Porcelains
G1916Q - Low Fire Highly-Expansion-Adjustable Transparent
G1947U - Cone 10 Glossy transparent glaze
G2000 - LA Matte Cone 6 Matte White
G2240 - Cone 10R Classic Spodumene Matte
G2571A - Cone 10 Silky Dolomite Matte glaze
G2826R - Floating Blue Cone 5-6 Original Glaze Recipe
G2826X - Randy's Red Cone 5
g2851H - Ravenscrag Cone 6 High Calcium Matte Blue
G2853B - Cone 04 Clear Ravenscrag School Glaze
G2896 - Ravenscrag Plum Red Cone 6
G2902B - Cone 6 Crystal Glaze
G2902D - Cone 6 Crystalline Development Project
G2916F - Cone 6 Stoneware/Whiteware transparent glaze
G2926B - Cone 6 Whiteware/Porcelain transparent glaze
G2926J - Low Expansion G2926B
G2928C - Ravenscrag Silky Matte for Cone 6
G2931H - Ulexite High Expansion Zero3 Clear Glaze
G2931K - Low Fire Fritted Zero3 Transparent Glaze
G2931L - Low Expansion Low-Fire Clear
G2934 - Matte Glaze Base for Cone 6
G2934Y - Cone 6 Magnesia Matte Low LOI Version
G3806C - Cone 6 Clear Fluid-Melt transparent glaze
G3838A - Low Expansion Transparent for P300 Porcelain
G3879 - Cone 04 Transparent Low-Expansion transparent glaze
GA10-A - Alberta Slip Base Cone 10R
GA10-B - Alberta Slip Tenmoku Cone 10R
GA10-D - Alberta Slip Black Cone 10R
GA10x-A - Alberta Slip Base for cone 10 oxidation
GA6-A - Alberta Slip Cone 6 transparent honey glaze
GA6-B - Alberta Slip Cone 6 transparent honey glaze
GA6-C - Alberta Slip Floating Blue Cone 6
GA6-D - Alberta Slip Glossy Brown Cone 6
GA6-F - Alberta Slip Cone 6 Oatmeal
GA6-G - Alberta Slip Lithium Brown Cone 6
GA6-G1 - Alberta Slip Lithium Brown Cone 6 Low Expansion
GA6-H - Alberta Slip Cone 6 Black
GBCG - Generic Base Crystalline Glaze
GC106 - GC106 Base Crystalline Glaze
GR10-A - Pure Ravenscrag Slip
GR10-B - Ravenscrag Cone 10R Gloss Base
GR10-C - Ravenscrag Cone 10R Silky Talc Matte
GR10-E - Alberta Slip:Ravenscrag Cone 10R Celadon
GR10-G - Ravenscrag Cone 10 Oxidation Variegated White
GR10-J - Ravenscrag Cone 10R Dolomite Matte
GR10-J1 - Ravenscrag Cone 10R Bamboo Matte
GR10-K1 - Ravenscrag Cone 10R Tenmoku
GR10-L - Ravenscrag Iron Crystal
GR6-A - Ravenscrag Cone 6 Clear Glossy Base
GR6-B - Ravenscrag Cone 6 Variegated Light Glossy Blue
GR6-C - Ravenscrag Cone 6 White Glossy
GR6-D - Ravenscrag Cone 6 Glossy Black
GR6-E - Ravenscrag Cone 6 Raspberry Glossy
GR6-H - Ravenscrag Cone 6 Oatmeal Matte
GR6-L - Ravenscrag Cone 6 Transparent Burgundy
GR6-M - Ravenscrag Cone 6 Floating Blue
GR6-N - Ravenscrag Alberta Brilliant Cone 6 Celadon
GRNTCG - GRANITE Crystalline Glaze
L2000 - 25 Porcelain
L3341B - Alberta Slip Iron Crystal Cone 10R
L3685U - Cone 03 White Engobe Recipe
L3724F - Cone 03 Terra Cotta Stoneware
L3924C - Zero3 Porcelain Experimental
L3954B - Cone 6 Engobe (for M340)
L3954N - Cone 10R Base White Engobe Recipe for stonewares
MGBase1 - High Calcium Semimatte 1 (Mastering Glazes)
MGBase2 - High Calcium Semimatte 2 (Mastering Glazes)
MGBase3 - General Purpose Glossy Base 1 (Mastering Glazes)
MGBase4 - Glossy Base 2 Cone 6 (Mastering Glazes)
MGBase5 - Glossy Clear Liner Cone 6 (Mastering Glazes)
MGBase6 - Zinc Semimatte Glossy Base Cone 6
MGBase7 - Raspberry Cone 6 (Mastering Glazes)
MGBase8 - Waxwing Brown Cone 6 (Mastering Glazes)
MGBase9 - Waterfall Brown Cone 6 (Mastering Glazes)
TNF2CG - Tin Foil II Crystalline Glaze
VESUCG - Vesuvius Crystalline Glaze

Insight-Live Shares


77C04E - 50:30:20 Frit 3134 cone 6 base
77E05B - Cone 10R Celadon - Luke Lindoe
77E06B - Lindoe Dark Celadon - Lower COE
77E14A - Cone 10R Red Mustard - Luke Lindoe
77E15A - Cone 10R Yellow Mustard - Luke Lindoe
84-G-05-S - Cone 10R Matte Crystal Iron - Luke Lindoe
G 304 - Cone 10R Crystal Iron Brown - Luke Lindoe
G1002 - LEACH'S CELADON CONE 10R
G1129 - MEDALTA CLEAR GLAZE CONE 8-10
G1214M - Hansen 20x5 Clear Cone 6 Base Glaze
G1214Z - Cone 6 Calcium Matte Base Glaze
G1214Z1 - Cone 6 Calcium Matte v2
G1214Z2 - Cone 6 Calcium Matte + TiO2
G1847 - Cone 10R Robin's Egg Blue
G1916M - COE Adjustable Low Fire Clear Glaze
G1916Q - Cone 05+ Expansion Adjustable Gloss Base
G1916Q2 - G1916Q glaze + 5% silica
G1916Q3 - G1916Q glaze + 10% silica
G1916QL - Cone 05+ Low Expansion Transparent glaze
G1916QL1 - Cone 05+ Lower Expansion glaze
G1916S - Cone 06-04 MgO Matte
G1916S1 - Cone 06-04 MgO (using talc)
G1916V - Cone 2 Clear (based on G1916Q)
G1916W - G1916Q with Iron Fining Agent
G1947U - Cone 10/10R Transparent Base
G2415E - Classic Albany Lithium Brown Glossy
G2415J - G2415E Alberta Slip Brown (less Li)
G2571A - Original Cone 10R Silky Matte Base Recipe
G2571B - Cone 10R Silky Matte Base (improved)
G2571BB - G2571B Rutile Bamboo
G2571C - Cone 10R Silky Matte Blue
G2571D - Cone 10R Silky Matte Red
G2571D1 - Cone 10 Marbled Red Glaze
G2571E - Cone 10R Silky Matte Black
G2576B - Cone 10R Tenmoku Glossy
G2584 - Cone 10R Blue Celadon
G2826A - 50:30:20 Gerstley Borate Cone 6 base
G2826A1 - 50:30:20 Frit 3134 base (fixed)
G2826A2 - 50:30:20 Gillespie Borate Cone 6 base
G2826A3 - 50:30:20 GB Makeover Pottery Glaze
G2826B - GB:Frit Raku Glaze
G2826F - GB Honey Amber 04
G2826G - GB Lavendar Satin Glaze Cone 6
G2826M - Gerstley Borate Antique Green Cone 5
G2826N - Gerstley Borate Raku Base NS/GB
G2826R - Floating Blue Original Cone 6 Glaze
G2826R1 - Floating Blue Using Gillespie Borate
G2826U - Floating Blue using Frit 3134
G2826V - Gerstley Borate Cream Oatmeal Cone 6 recipe
G2850C - Ravenscrag Cone 6 Black Glossy
G2850M-C - Ravenscrag Cone 6 Light Blue Matte
G2850P - TEAL BLUE CONE 6 KAT
G2851A - RAVENSCRAG SLIP Matte Blue - Cone 6
G2851AB - RAVENS FLOATING BLUE Cone 6
G2851D - KAT'S RC MATTE - Cone 6
G2851H - RAVENSCRAG Brown Gold Matte Cone 6
G2880 - Alberta Slip Tenmoku #1
G2880A - Alberta Slip Tenmoku #2
G2881B - Ravenscrag Alberta Slip Celadon
G2890B - Randy's Red Original Cone 6 Glaze
G2894 - Ravenscrag Tenmoku #1
G2894A - Ravenscrag Tenmoku #2
G2908A - Alberta Slip Floating Blue
G2917 - Ravenscrag Floating Blue
G2926 - Perkins Clear
G2926A - Perkins Clear with Frit 3134
G2926B - Cone 6 Clear Glossy Base
G2926BL - G2926B Cone 6 Gloss Black
G2926J - G2926B Reduced COE (Li2O)
G2926S - G2926B Reduced COE (MgO)
G2931 - Worthington Cone 06-2 Clear
G2931F - Zero3 Ulexite Transparent Glaze
G2931G - Zero3 G Low Expansion Low Fire Clear
G2931H - Zero3 H High Expansion Variant
G2931K - Zero3 K Cone 03 Transparent Glaze
G2931L - Zero3 L Low Expansion Variant
G2931L2 - Zero3 L Low Expansion w/F-69
G2932 - Deb's Clear #1 Cone 04-02
G2932A - Deb's Clear #2
G2933 - Gerstley:PV Clay low fire clear
G2934 - Cone 6 Magnesia Matte Base
G2934A - High Dolomite-Testing glaze
G2934BL - G2934 85:15 Adjustable Matte Black
G2934J - G2934 with ZnO for Brown Stains
G2934J1 - G2934 (glossed using ZnO)
G2934Y - G2934 (lower-LOI)
G2934Y1 - G2934Y (Anti-Crawling)
G2934Y2 - G2934Y (Higher COE/Stony)
G2934Y3 - G2934 Super Durable
G2934Y4 - G2934 Super Durable #2
G2934Z - G2934Y Red Using F-69
G2936 - Ravenscrag Low Expansion Cone 6 Base
G2936B - Ravenscrag Low Expansion White Base 2
G2936C - Ravenscrag Original Cone 6 Base Glaze
G2938 - Wright's Water Blue Base
G2941A - Leach's Satin Clear Original
G2941C - Leach's Satin Clear - Craze fix
G3806 - Panama Blue Cone 6
G3806A - Panama Blue 2 - More clay, Copper Oxide
G3806B - Panama Blue 3 - Copper Carbonate
G3806C - Panama Cone 6 Adjustment 2015
G3806D - Panama c6 - Lower COE #1
G3806E - Panama c6 - Lower COE #2
G3806F - Panama c6 - Lower COE #3
G3806K - Panama c6 - Lower COE #7
G3806N - C6 Fluid Clear Final Recipe #10
G3808 - Cone 6 Bright Clear - Shaun Mollonga
G3808A - Cone 6 Bright Clear using Frits
G3813 - Campana Cone 6 Transparent Glaze
G3813B - Campana Clear Lower Expansion #2
G3813C - Campana Clear Low Expansion (no Spodumene)
G3814 - Low Zinc High Feldspar Fritless base
G3822 - Spectrum Clear 700 Dipping Glaze
G3834 - Tenmoku Cone 6
G3840 - Shino Trial Number 1
G3868 - Gold - Cone 6
G3868A - Gold Using Spodumene
G3868B - Gold Using Fusion Frit 493
G3868C - Gold Using Frit #2
G3875 - Tangerine 4 (Orange)
G3875B - Zinc Clear cone 6
G3875C - Tangerine + Orange Stain
G3879 - Cone 04+ UltraClear Glossy Base
G3879C - Cone 04 UltraClear Low-Expansion
G3879E - Cone 04+ UltraClear Glossy Base
G3879F1 - Cone 04+ UltraClear Glossy Base
G3888 - Kieth Davitt High-fluid-melt copper blue
G3892 - Val Cushing Satin White #71
G3903 - Alberta Slip + Frit FZ-16
G3904 - Original Recipe Using Frit 3124
G3904A - 3134 Mistake Recipe Fixed
G3909 - Ravenscrag Cone 10R Matte Blue
G3910 - Fritted version of G1947U #1
G3910A - Fritted version of G1947U #2
G3912A - Surface Tension White Tin
G3914A - Alberta Slip Gloss Black
G3918 - Red Mustard in G2571A Base #1
G3925 - Perfect Clear
G3925B - Perfect Clear Make-Over #1
G3926B - G2926B with Tin/Zircopax
G3926C - G2934 White Tin/Zircopax
G3933 - G2934:G2926B Oatmeal - Cone 6
G3933A - G2934:G2926B Oatmeal Cone 6
G3933E - G3933 Oatmeal Ravenscrag #2
G3933EF - G3933 Oatmeal Ravenscrag #4
G3933G1 - G3933 Oatmeal Alberta Slip + Li
G3939A - Cone 6 Oxidation Marbled Red
G3948 - Red Orange Glazy Original
G3948A - Plainsman Iron Red Orange
G3948A1 - Red Orange - Plainsman Spodumene
G3948A3 - Red Orange - Plainsman Spodumene #2
G3955 - N505 Base Satin White - Opaque
G3966 - Cone 10R S2 - Luke Lindoe
G3971 - Lead Bisilicate Glaze
G3973 - Hilda Ross Rust
G4546 - Pattis Crystal Clear Cone 6
G4594 - 3B as a glaze
GA6-A - Oringal Alberta Slip Amber/Honey base
GA6-F - Alberta Slip Cone 6 Oatmeal
GR10-A - Ravenscrag Cone 10R Transparent Base
GR10-C - Ravenscrag Talc Matte
GR10-CW - Ravenscrag Cone 10R Talc Matte White
GR6-H - Ravenscrag Cone 6 Oatmeal
H0009 - 1945 MEDALTA FILTER CAKE
L2553B - Imco Carbondale Clay - C-Red
L2596E - H550 Casting Body #5
L2596F - H550 Casting Body #6
L2596G - H550 Casting Body #8
L2626 - Barnard Slip
L3127E - Boraq 1
L3127G - Boraq 2
L3127I - Boraq 3
L3127N - Boraq 5 #4 (available materials)
L3146A - Foundry Hill Creme+Nepheline
L3146B - New Foundry Hill Creme
L3146C - FHC + Kyanite
L3146D - FHC + Pyrax
L3164A - Cordierite Flameware - more bentonite, added grog
L3500 - Alberta Slip Original cone 6 base glaze
L3500G - Alberta Slip + Frit 3249
L3500H - Alberta Slip + Frit 3249 and Silica
L3523 - Cone 04 Gerstley Borate matte base
L3523A - Compare Boraq 5 #1 with GB in a glaze
L3523B - L3523 glaze using Boraq 5 L3127L
L3523C - L3523 glaze using Boraq 5 L3127M
L3523D - L3523 recipe using Boraq 5 L3127N
L3617 - Cornwall Stone substitute #2
L3619 - Cornwall Stone Average Analysis
L3660C - Flameware - Very High Pyrax with Molochite
L3660G - Pyrax/Kaolin Flameware
L3660P - Pyrax Flameware (low fire)
L3664A - PV CLAY Feb 2013 Shipment
L3673 - Laguna Barnard Slip Sub
L3685U1 - Zero3 Engobe Recipe
L3685Y - Cone 03 Terrastone 2 Engobe
L3685Z2 - Z2 White Cone 04 Engobe Base (no frit)
L3685Z3 - Z3 White Cone 04 Engobe (5% frit)
L3685Z5 - White Cone 04 Engobe for L4170B (3% frit)
L3685Z6 - Brown Engobe for Snow
L3685Z7 - Cone 04 Brown Engobe for Snow
L3685Z8 - White Cone 2 Engobe for L215, L210, L4170B (2% frit)
L3693E - Alumina Lining for Crucibles
L3693E1 - Zircon Lining for Crucibles
L3693H1 - Plastic Refractory Alumina Body H1
L3724N2 - Zero3 Stoneware
L3728 - Cone 6 Dolomite Testing Glaze
L3778D - Cone 6 Translucent Grolleg Plastic
L3778D1 - Cone 6 Grolleg Pink/Blue Porcelains
L3778G - Cone 6 Translucent Grolleg Casting
L3798C - M340 Casting Body
L3798G - M340C Casting Body Revision 7
L3802E - Crystal Ice - Cone 10
L3806L - Panama c6 - Lower COE #8
L3840 - Diatomaceous Earth (Ant Killer)
L3868 - Craft Crank - From PotClays, UK
L3868A - Craft Crank - Base
L3868C - Craft Crank Clone 2
L3869 - Crank Industrial - From England
L3869A - Industrial Crank Base
L3894D - PV Calc Mix 4
L3906 - P300 Cone 6 Casting Body
L3911 - Bizen Clay
L3916 - Bizen Duplicate using Plainsman Materials
L3924C - Zero3 Porcelain - Experimental
L3924J - Zero4 Plastic Porcelain
L3924L - Zero4 Casting Porcelain
L3954B - Cone 6 White Engobe Recipe
L3954F - Cone 6 Black Engobe
L3954J - Black Cone 10 Whiteware Engobe Recipe
L3954N - Cone 10 Engobe for H550
L3954R - Super-White Engobe for Cone 6
L3954S2 - White Engobe for M340, M390, L215, L210
L3972 - 98 Mix
L3977 - BGP Low Stoneware Body
L4001 - Plainsman Super Kiln Wash
L4005D - M390 Casting Version 5
L4023F - Proposed H440 Casting Body #5
L4028 - G2571A Rutile Bamboo
L4053B - Cone 6 Black Clay Body - Type 1
L4068 - Barnard Chemical Substitute
L4115J3 - L211 Stnwre 3D:OM4:NS
L4115L2 - L211 3D:OM4:NS:Talc 42 mesh
L4115L2a - L211 3D:OM4:NS:Talc 80 mesh
L4158 - Cimtalc 15 Talc lab test
L4159 - Cimtuff 9115 Talc lab test
L4163 - Red Art Cone 1 Clay Body
L4168G5 - H440C (concentrate) #5
L4168G9 - New H440 Functional Proposal #8
L4170 - L215 Terra Cotta Casting #1
L4170B - Terra Cotta Casting #2
L4170F - Terra Cotta Casting #3
L4208C - MNS Cone 6 Fine Stoneware
L4208D - 3B +200# particles sieved out
L4217G - M370-like Cone 6 Faster Casting
L4227 - Plus Clay
L4228 - Fimo Clay
L4239 - H550 Casting Body #7
L4244 - BGP Clay:Flyash F 50:50 Mix
L4244A - Flyash F:Bentonite 10:90
L4245 - LaFarge Fly Ash F:Bentonite 95:5 Mix
L4245F - Fly Ash F:Bentonite:BallClay 80:10:10
L4246 - A2 +200# particles sieved out
L4247 - A3 +200# particles sieved out
L4248 - Old Hickory M23 Ball Clay
L4249 - 3D +200# particles sieved out
L4249A - 3D MNS 325 Mesh
L4249B - 3D 100 mesh
L4264 - Raku Crackle Glaze Base - Frit 3110
L4264A - Raku Glaze Base #1
L4264B - Raku Glaze Base #2
L4264C - Raku Glaze Base #3
L4264D - Raku Glaze Base #4
L4273 - G3806N1 + 2% Zircopax
L4280 - L215 : M390 Mix for Cone 1 Stoneware
L4287 - Midfield Clay Yukon
L4287A - Catchment Clay Yukon
L4292 - Monte Marte Air Hardening Clay
L4293 - DAS Air Drying Clay
L4294 - Sculpey PE08 Oven Bake Clay
L4398 - Ravenscrag Cone 6 Raspberry
L4404A - Refractory Casting Slip
L4404B - Plastic Refractory (heavy duty)
L4404C - Refractory Plastic (low expansion)
L4404D - Refractory Casting (low expansion)
L4410L - L213 NS:Dolo 30:20
L4410P - L213 40:10 Dolo/NS
L4421 - Seed pelleting clay and binder
L4441A - Minspar
L4441B - Minspar Calculated Substitute
L4453C - 3D:A2 Body Base H550 Blend
L4458 - Lithium Flameware Test
L4482B - Alumina Wadding #2
L4484D - 2018 3B+6% 6666 at 100#
L4498 - Low Expansion Super White Cone 6 Fritware
L4498A - Low Expansion Fritware Casting
L4530 - Carbondale M390 #1
L4530A - Carbondale M390 #2
L4532A - Pyrometric cone pressing body #2
L4532B - Cone pressing body #3
L4532D - Cone pressing body #5
L4532F - Cone 5 Cone-casting v.1
L4543 - Firebrick & kiln post/shelf clay - v1.0
L4543B - Firebrick & kiln post clay v2.0
L4543C - Refractory kiln post clay v4.0
L4557 - Volumetric Screw Feeder Design - ESP32 based
L4558 - M390 Casting (M370+C-Red)
L4558A - M390 Cone 6 C-Red Casting #1
L4558B - M390 Cone 6 C-Red Casting #2
L4567 - Cat Litter
L4575 - SIAL Refractory Slip
L4575A - SIAL refractory slip Duplicate
L4588 - Red NZK Cone 6 Porcelain
L4597 - Luke Lindoe Fired Samples
L4599 - Slip for Slipware
L4599A - Slip for Slipware - #5 Ball Clay
L4608 - Kyanite Bisque-Fix, Kiln-Patch
L4655 - Titanium Dioxide in GA6-C
L4655A - GA6-C Titanium + Iron
L4655B - GA6-C Lower Thermal Expansion
L4696 - Cordierite Flameware
L4697 - Flameware body from French mfgr
L4705A - GA6-C Using Frit 3195 and Titanium
L4768D - Cone 6 Black Casting Body - Type 2
L4768E - Cone 6 Black Casting Body - Type 3.1
L4768H - Cone 6 Black Casting Body - Type 3.3
L4807 - M370-like Super-Fast Casting Porcelain
MHSCUL - MASTER RedArt Sculpture Clay
MRG6B - G2850A Ravenscrag Cone 6 Light Blue
MRG6C - Ravenscrag Cone 6 White Glossy
MRG6E - G2850P Ravenscrag Cone 6 Raspberry
MRG6G - G2851H Ravenscrag Cone 6 Light Blue Matte
P4738A - 98 BGP RETEST
P4808 - 45D
P5867 - Sculpture Clay
P6385 - M2 ST
P6821 - L215 Production Run - Mar 2020
P7088 - H440
PC-32 - Amaco Glaze: PC-32 Albany Brown

Insight-Live Shares (also referencing this recipe)

These add technical detail, development info, variations and improvements.

G3879 - Cone 04+ UltraClear Glossy Base

Modified: 2025-04-06 20:40:46

A super transparent low fire base clear glaze created by reverse engineering a commercial product.

Material Amount Percent
Fusion Frit F-524850.0082.9
Fusion Frit F-6940.003.9
EPK90.008.8
Silica45.004.4
1,025.00 100

Notes

We developed this for cone 06-04 to fit many clay bodies (without crazing), melt well at cone 05 and produce a more transparent glaze (rather than the amber of G2931K and G1916Q). The frit F-524 in this recipe is uncommon among potters but common in industry, it is high quality. We later adjusted this recipe to produce variations (e.g. with whiter kaolin, more of the frit F-69 to get a lower thermal expansion).

We found the inspiration for this on testing many commercial clears and finding one that stood above the others regarding fit and clarity at 04 (we had it analyzed and reverse-engineered it using the materials we have). Frit F-524 is expensive, but this glaze is heads-above a number of commercial clear glazes we have tested (they are not ultra-clear, they pinhole or blister or craze, they are not glossy enough, they do not have dipping versions, they are not adjustable). The F-69 is also expensive, but it enables fitting this to any body.

Additions of tin and zircon produce a white that melts just as well as the clear. To make bright-colored glazes this should be an excellent base (remember, this is the clear glaze recipe currently used by at least one commercial supplier of bright-colored glazes). Encapsulated stains are fantastic at low fire and they can be mixed to fine-tune the color. If you are targeting a specific or exotic color then the ability to achieve it will be determined by your ability to source an exotic stain!

The melt is very mobile at 04 yet not significantly more mobile at cone 1 (even up to cone 2). And it has the amount of SiO2 and Al2O3 that a cone 6 glaze has yet melts well at 06! There is some kind of magic with this chemistry!

It hardens to a powdery surface, some gum solution is required to make it dry hard for dipping (for each 100g of powder mix start with 73g water and 7g Laguna gum solution). To make a brushing glaze: For each 100g of powder mix start with 125 water, 1.5 CMC gum and 1.5 Veegum and blender mix (add water if it gels too much). We find the about 330g of powder produces a 500ml (about 1 pint) jar.

This recipe also has implied adjustability (by increasing the low expansion Frit F-69 at the expense of Frit F-524).

Related Information

How to reverse-engineer a commercial transparent glaze


Melt flows of a commercial glaze and my duplicate

This picture has its own page with more detail, click here to see it.

The commercial cone 04 clear brushing glaze (on the left) works really well on our clay bodies so I sent it away to be analyzed (about $130). That revealed high Al2O3/SiO2 levels, this explains its resistance to crazing on our clay bodies and, even better, indicates high durability. In my account at insight-live.com I was able source the same chemistry from two Fusion frits (plus a little kaolin and silica). The melt fluidities are almost identical (my G3879 has a little more surface tension). I needed to make a dipping glaze version and chose a method that would produce a thixotropic slurry. One caution: An assay lab cannot analyze the complexities of a colored glaze, instead focus on the base clear and add stains to that. The first two-gallon bucket made saved the development cost plus more! And knowing the recipe made it possible to adjust for even lower thermal expansion. Another plus: I can now make my own low SG or high SG brushing version.

SIAL 10F and 25F with G3879 clear glaze at cone 04


This picture has its own page with more detail, click here to see it.

SIAL bodies are made in Montreal, Canada. The glaze was applied by dipping. The fit is still holding on both bodies after many months.

How to stop low fire clays from waterlogging


This picture has its own page with more detail, click here to see it.

Being fired at cone 04, this talc body is quite porous. Water is entering through the unglazed base. During an overnight immersion it penetrated upward to about 1 cm from the rim (and even travelled two-thirds of the way up the handle). So, is this clay and temperature practical for functional ware? Yes. The base can be glazed or siliconed, completely stopping water entry. Heating this in the microwave for an extended period did not fracture it. And even though the mug got incredibly hot the G3879 glaze did not craze - that gives reasonable assurance it will hold up over time. Low-fire bodies have plenty of advantages and they are certainly practical for functional use. Additionally, handmade items deserve common sense care during use (e.g. not leaving pieces in water for extended periods, even hand washing).

Casting Zero3 Porcelain


This picture has its own page with more detail, click here to see it.

Look at how translucent this is! I can fire one of these in three hours, cold-to-cold. I am casting them with molds made using the 3D-printing process. Anyone could do this. Incredibly exciting. And with the G3879 glaze it looks awesome, just like bone china. Notwithstanding this, the Zero3 recipe has to be altered for casting. Initially I have reduced the VeeGum to 1% but it is still casting too slow. And it is not shrinking enough to pull away from the mold well. I am considering strategies on how to increase drying shrinkage and am going to add more frit to take it down to cone 04.

Low fire glaze with the Al2O3 and SiO2 of a cone 6 glaze


This picture has its own page with more detail, click here to see it.

Look at how fluid G3879 is at cone 06 even though it has the Al2O3 and SiO2 of a cone 6 (or even cone 10 glaze)! It have found that glazes with lots of boron can tolerate amazingly high levels of Al2O3 and SiO2 and still melt very well. And they create many options to lower thermal expansion that would not otherwise be available. The G3806N recipe has the amazing ability to tolerate large additions of kaolin. Each addition sacrifices some melt fluidity but the glaze stays glossy and gets more durable (because of the increased Al2O3 and SiO2). And the thermal expansion drops even more. A highly melt fluid, super gloss with low thermal expansion is super difficult at cone 6, but here it is. The secret is high boron. From frits.

Why do these cone 04 and 6 clear glazes have so similar a chemistry?


This picture has its own page with more detail, click here to see it.

The glaze on the left (as shown in my account at insight-live.com) is a crystal clear at cone 04. The high frit content minimizes micro-bubbles. The high B2O3 melts it very well (this has 0.66 B2O3, that is three times as high as a typical cone 6 glaze). The recipe on the right is the product of a project to develop a low-thermal-expansion fluid-melt transparent for cone 6 (with added colorants fluid melts produce brilliant and even metallic results and they variegate well). While the balance of fluxes (the red numbers in the formula) is pretty different, look how similar the B2O3, Al2O3 and SiO2 levels are (yellow, red and blue backgrounded numbers in the formula), these mainly determine the melting range. That means that a fluid-melt cone 6 glaze may actually be just a low temperature glaze being overfired to cone 6.

When Supply Chains Broke, Prices Soared.

We haven’t forgotten. Time for DIY!


Bottled glazes, weighing out your own

This picture has its own page with more detail, click here to see it.

Material prices began skyrocketing during COVID. No one is affected more than prepared glaze manufacturers; they have complex supply chains that affect not only price but also availability and consistency of their products. Now might be the time for DIY, to start learning how to weigh out the ingredients to make at least some of your own, especially brushing glazes. You could be armed with good base recipes that fit your clay bodies, without crazing or shivering, by design, not by accident, as with commercial products. And you will be more resilient to supply issues. Add stains, opacifiers and variegators to the bases to make anything you want. Admittedly, ingredients in your recipes can also become unavailable! But DIY give you options. When you "understand" glaze ingredients and what each contributes to the recipe and oxide chemistry, you are equipped to go well beyond weathering material supply issues. You will improve recipes at the same time as adjusting them to accommodate alternative materials. It is not rocket science; it is just work accompanied by organized record-keeping and good labelling.

Low fire heaven: Use commercial underglazes but make your own clear over glaze


This picture has its own page with more detail, click here to see it.

Decorate ware with the underglazes at the leather hard stage, dry and bisque fire it and then dip-glaze in a transparent that you make yourself (and thus control). These mugs are fired at cone 03. All have the same transparent glaze (G2931K), all were decorated with the same underglazes. Notice how bright the colors are compared to middle or high temperature. On the left is a porous talc/stoneware blend (Plainsman L212), rear is a fritted Zero3 stoneware and right is Zero3 fritted porcelain. When mixed properly you can dip ware in this glaze and it covers evenly, does not drip and dries enough to handle in seconds! Follow the Zero3 firing schedule and you will have ware of amazing quality.

Links

Glossary Zero3
The designation for a group recipes for body, glaze and engobe (by Tony Hansen), that potters can use to make low fire stoneware and fritware porcelain at 1100C (2000F) or cone 03.
Glossary Base Glaze
Understand your a glaze and learn how to adjust and improve it. Build others from that. We have bases for low, medium and high fire.

XML to Paste Into Insight-live

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<recipes version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8">
<recipe name="Cone 04+ UltraClear Glossy Base" keywords="A super transparent low fire base clear glaze created by reverse engineering a commercial product." id="141" date="2025-04-06" codenum="G3879">
<recipelines>
<recipeline material="Fusion Frit F-524" amount="850.000"/>
<recipeline material="Fusion Frit F-69" amount="40.000"/>
<recipeline material="EPK" amount="90.000"/>
<recipeline material="Silica" amount="45.000"/>
<url url="https://digitalfire.com/recipe/141" descrip="https://digitalfire.com/recipe/141"/>
</recipelines>
<urls/>
</recipe>
</recipes>
By Tony Hansen
Follow me on

Got a Question?

Buy me a coffee and we can talk

 



https://digitalfire.com, All Rights Reserved
Privacy Policy