I just checked out the original recipe for Val's Turquoise and it appears to be a more stable glaze, conforming more closely to limit formulas and have a thermal expansion rate of 7.09x10-6 which is very close to my clay bodies. So I'm going to test this as well. To me this is a better place to start than with a wildly out of balance glaze that one tries to bring back to usefulness when the changes will have to be drastic enough to change the characteristic you're trying to save.

Recipe Name: Val's Turquoise

Cone: Color:
Firing: Surface:

Amount Ingredient
35.6 Feldspar--Custer
21.8 Gerstley Borate--1999
27.5 Silica
3.7 Dolomite
11.4 Whiting

100 Total

Additives
2.9 Copper Carbonate
1 Bentonite

Unity Oxide
.094 Na2O
.13 K2O
.067 MgO
.709 CaO
1.000 Total

.257 Al2O3
.274 B2O3
.002 Fe2O3

3.216 SiO2

12.5 Ratio
7.1 Exp

Comments:

RESULTS - Turned out to be a pretty attractive slightly variegated turquoise with a bit of movement. Am really looking for a matte surface though. 

Chris Clark's glaze starts with Pete Pinnell's Weathered Bronze recipe base. All the ingredients and colorants are the same. I use it quite a bit. I put the glaze on fairly thick. When I dip I double dip with this one. To keep it in suspension I add 2% bentonite. I can reglaze quite easily with this glaze and build up layers by spraying, heat gun and spaying until satisfied.

I thought I would pass this simple discovery on to anyone who has trouble keeping track of test glazes. I am about as organized as a junk drawer. I can get organized but how to stay that way eludes me.The affliction is know as "Illdoitlatterism". As my life move ever onward toward chaos, any attempt to slow the progress is appreciated. The pain of this affliction is made most acute with the discovery of hardened hocky pucks of glaze rattling in the bottom of some unmarked yogart containers. The first thought upon discovery? "Gee wonder what these were?". This is followed by a self inflicted lecture on how and why not to do this again and a quick analysis of my IQ level. I use yogart containers to mix test glazes. They are the perfect size for 100 grames of glazes. I mix them carefully on slow with a single beater mixer, stir in the edges that he rounded beaters can't reach and mix again. At first I wrote the name or number of the glaze on the lid but that ruined the lid for the next test and I ran out of lids for the containers. I tried putting pieces of paper on the containers, knowing that the would never get lost or relocated.  HA!What a disappointment that was. So I started using garden row markers, they look like plastic tounge depressers. Write the name on it and leave it in the container but that got to be to expensive. You had to go to a garden supply store to get them. I would pay a nickel 98 for the markers and a whole bunch for a flat of plants that I wouldn't have bought if I had just stayed away from the store. Now I write the name on the white plastic spoon and leave it. It is so simple. Now when I need to match my fired test tile with the container that birthed its color, to my great glee there it is. The right glaze hardened around the spoon that bears its name. I can rehydrate it to do more test or add it to the batch. Most the time I put the dry glaze and the marked spoon into a plastic zip-lock sandwich bag. That way when I want to do more test latter it is already made up. No more mystrey glazes plopped into the hash bucket. It is almost an embarrassment to admit to needing such a simple way to stay organized, but I bet I am not the only one. I hope this will help anyone who intends to be organized but finds they fall a bit short of the mark. Ain't clay fun, Kabe

Putting out a call. We had a member who said she new to glaze mixing. When I started it seemed a bit overwhelming. It's not that bad. If you have tips on safety, measuring, storing chemicals, how to test results, how to make test tiles, what type of scale, good deals, and all the other stuff that goes into mixing your own. Please dazzel us with your knowledge. That way we all learn. Happy Firing

Matte green?

I have been searching for a matte green like this for months and can't find anything. I have done a little testing with no success. Anyone have ideas or glazes that are similar?

thanks!

Question? I have the book "The Glaze Book" by Stephen Murfitt. Nice book ,great photos. The recipes seem to jump from cone 05 to cone 9/10 with very few cone 6 recipes in between . Has any one tried to modify any of the higher temp glazes to put them in the cone 6 range? I know it can take more than just upping the flux. Just wondered if anyone has tried or if the rest of you just know better. Happy Firing

Gearing up to start doing currie grid test! Working on a celadon for porcelain, and a black matte to go with it.

Anyone else on here conduct currie test?

Joseph Fireborn, I see you are making a fold to press test tiles, just remember you will have the form shrink when you bisque fire and then your test tiles will also shrink. So you may want to check on the size of the mold form.  It is great fun to work on the grid for testing. I also found it easier to mark the bisque form with letters and numbers for making test tiles. John

not fold but form

John,

Yea my tile squares are 1.25 inches x 1.25inches. The picture might not look like it, but I am hoping after shrinking they are close to 1 inch. 

Hello,

I am new to this and have not figured out how to see the whole thread so pardon me if this is redundant or ends up on the wrong thread.

I have done several Currie tests. Two thoughts:

1. Test tiles. I use a plywood form to make my tiles. The raised ridges can be formed by cuts into the surface. I use WD 40 as the release. I use a rubber mallet to press the form into my slab. Bisque takes care of any oil residue.

2. The Currie method uses equal volumes of the 4 base glazes and mixes by volume. An alternative I used was equal weights. Add approximately 100 gms (ml) of water to each 100gms of base batch. Vary as necessary; some glazes need more, some less.

You can then do the individual tile mixtures by weight using the same ratios as the volume method. I use little plastic bathroom cups with numbers on them, a balance and I dispense the mixtures from squeeze bottles. With a little practice this can be very quick. Don’t be afraid to toss whoopses and redo if necessary.

Bill,

Neat ideas. I will start a currie thread as I don't want to get confused either with this being the discussions for general group. I am excited that so many people have done the currie method on cone6pots. Cause I haven't tried it yet as my mold is drying but I am excited. I have got to order some volumetric cylinders and find some cups to use for mixing.