From:                                         Phil Hamling [pdh@zircarceramics.com]

Sent:                                           Sunday, February 21, 2010 12:30 PM

To:                                               'Glenn Woods'

Cc:                                               Bill Schran

Subject:                                     Cone 6 crystalline glazes

 

Glenn,

 

You asked me for my thoughts on the upcoming workshop (or something like that). I have been chewing on the "what would I like Bill Schran to discuss" thing and I keep going back to a general outline on the basics of crystalline glazes (which I guess just exists in my head at this point)

 

To sort out what cone 6 crystalline glazes is all about I've been stuck on a discussion of the differences between the various topics in the general outline. I'm not sure if he will approach it this way at the workshop or if, from a cone 6 perspective, cone 6 is the base line and cone 9 - 12 is a deviation from this.

 

Never the less, these basics are, including but limited to:

 

"Crystalline Glaze" definition, examples , range, etc.

 

Object(s) shape, pedestal, glaze catcher, attachment, etc.

 

Clay:

·         Type

·         Chemistry

·         Ingredients, particle size, etc.

·         Surface texture

 

Glaze:

·         Make up, ingredients, particle size, etc.

·         Application method(s), rate and distribution.

·         Applied to green ware & bisque, method(s), etc.

·         Effect on crystallite and spherulite size, shape, orientation, color, frequency, etc.

 

Firing schedule(s):

·         Basic, multi-segment, etc.

·         Segment rates, top temperatures, etc.

·         Effect on crystallite and spherulite size, shape, orientation, color, frequency, location in "thickness", etc.

 

Finishing:

·         Catcher removal methods: hammer, chisel, table top, torch, etc.

·         Bottom and edge finishing: grinding, lapping, other.