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glaze faults

updated sat 31 aug 96

 

Steve Hoskin on fri 30 aug 96

I recently purchased my first kiln and am firing to cone 6 (oxidation). I
have been making my glazes from base chemicals for the first time and many of
my pots have emerged from the kiln with bald areas (small but obvious unglazed
spots). Does anyone know why this is? Any suggestions?


Thanks,


Michele

Ken L Russell on sat 31 aug 96

I
have been making my glazes from base chemicals for the first time and
many of
my pots have emerged from the kiln with bald areas (small but obvious
unglazed
spots). Does anyone know why this is? Any suggestions?>

There may be LOTS of reasons for what's going on. If you didn't have the same pr
glazed before. Other than mixing your own glaze, did you brush off your
bisqued ware to remove tiny bits of dust? There could be tiny dust areas
on your pots before glazing. Do you use handcreams or eat greasy foods
before glazing? The grease or skin oils can cause what you're talking
about. Do the bald spots occur on overlapped areas? You may need to play
with your water content and/or gently rub tiny drying cracks in the dried
glaze on the side of your pots with your fingers before glaze firing. The
suggestions are a small scratch in the surface of what might be going on
with your glazing but I've experienced them all and know that they've
caused bald spots on my stuff. Hopefully Don Kopyscinski or Tom Wirt
will see your message. They among others are a whole lot smarter than I
am about glazes. Good luck.

Ken Russell
The Arlington Pottery
gone2pot@juno.com