Spraying glazes

[Kathy Ransom]

Does anyone have some advice for spraying glazes?  I use a small airbrush to spray underglazes and of course, have great luck with them going on smoothly.  I don't want to use my really good airbrush for my glazes though because I understand it is very hard on them due to the particle size, and of course I don't want to screen the glazes too finely because the particles give me the effects I'm looking for.  I'm using a larger automotive spray gun I bought at Canadian Tire but it constantly plugs on me and sometimes won't even start spraying.  I did brush my glazes on but really want a much smoother effect and I use a lot of different glazes in a small studio so don't have the space for more than a couple of them in big pails.

NOTE: Replies are posted from oldest to newest, so the most recent posts will be at the bottom of the last page.

[Chris Beloni]

For a shower stall, try Habitat Restore.

Here's another idea, using an IBC container; http://ceramicartsdaily.org/contests/second-diy-clay-tools-video-co....

Rodney Allen Roe said:

Thanks for the picture.  Did you cut a hole to mount the box fan in in the back...or maybe on top?  I sort of live in the middle of nowhere.  Where did you go to look for a used shower stall?  I'll have to check with some people who do remodeling.  This is a lot of help.

[Kathy Ransom]

I stopped spraying glazes for a while because every time I move I lose my spray booth.  Applying my glazes with a brush isn't working at all and as I've been happiest with my work when the glaze is smooth, even and has nice gradations of colour the spray booth quandary is plaguing me again.  I really like Georges' DIY booth made from a plastic tote but would also like a re-circulating water curtain to save the big clean up.  We have an old dishwasher and I know I had seen a great tutorial before on converting a dishwasher into a recirculating water curtain spray booth.  Although I haven't found that particular one I did find this one http://makezine.com/projects/convert-a-used-dishwasher-into-a-spray... and I think between these instructions and the really good tutorial on ceramic arts daily my tech guy (husband) and I can figure something out.  BTW I've been using the critter spray gun for a few years and am totally hooked on it.  

[George Lewter]

Thank you, Kathy. I have had a dishwasher in the garage, that I have been thinking about converting for some time. Just haven't found the time. The dishwasher already has a pump, so a hose with little irrigation nozzles at the top, directed at the two side walls and the back could serve the water bath function. A water reservoir - 5 gallon bucket underneath the dw cabinet might work for settling out particles while drawing out water near the top to recirculate for the water bath. A vent hole in the center of the top would be where one could most easily draw out air, though the back wall would likely work better in preventing any blow-back out of the front of the cabinet. It would have to not suck in much water from the water bath.

[Kathy Ransom]

I've been thinking about the best place for a vent George and wonder if it would be better to vent from the mid to lower back as the spray droplets would fall to the booth floor unless the fan is really powerful.  This has been a terrific discussion with lots of really good input and I appreciate the comments from everyone.  I like to use a big variety of  glazes rather than large quantities of a few glazes I would dip work into which seems to be the way a lot of us are working and spraying works so well for this.

[Carl Ray Crutchfield]

I use a small inexpensive spry gun from Harbor Freight. It came with 5 small bottles.  I do not know spray gun types/terminology but the glaze comes up out of the bottle through a siphon tube and the air pressure comes across the top of that tube... so the glaze does not go through the air gun nozzle.  It is very easy to control but does not allow for spraying large pieces without loading and changing all 5 bottles - easily done as they slip on and off the gun. item number 93506 on harbor freight web site.

[Joan Scott]

Hi George, For the model with stainless steel nozzle do you have a model number?

[George Lewter]

20 oz. HVLP Gravity Feed Air Spray Gun with Regulator

Central Pneumatic - Item#69705 - - - Currently $29.95

Joan Scott said:

Hi George, For the model with stainless steel nozzle do you have a model number?

[Jim Wallace]

I have been using a fiberglass shower stall I pulled out of my house when remodeling.  More than ten years of use just outside my studio with a box fan overhead to pull fresh air in but I still wear a mask.  I modified the shelf by drilling out the side walls to accommodate 1" diameter wooden dowels for shelf supports.  The shelf is a vinyl coated wire rack from a Lowe's closet system. I've been able to spray pieces that weigh over a hundred pounds with concern for structural stability.  I extended the drain from the bottom to lead out back and empty into a bucket to catch glaze that I wash off of the walls of the stall.  I fully recommend these stalls if one has the room to set it up and leave it.  My only complaint is when sub-freezing temperatures arrive it is not comfortable to use.  I have used a Bailey sprayer for fifteen years and love it.  Originally it came with a jar-lid attached to the sprayer to be used with the Bailey supplied jars.  When glaze gets into the threads they can be difficult to screw on and off not to mention interrupting the flow of work.  I removed the screws that hold on the "lid" and now simply hold any cup with the right depth for the suction tube by gripping with a spare finger that isn't needed to hold the spray gun or pull the trigger.