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ghastly borate

updated thu 24 oct 02

 

Lily Krakowski on wed 23 oct 02


That is how that stuff is marked on my studio container. While i complain to
dealers who list Flourspar for Fluorspar, I take the liberty of marking that
loathesome stuff appropriately. And I always have hated it. Since it came
in to replace Colemanite.

Gerstley Borate is like the most fickle of lovers. It can be lovely,
adorable, totally pleasing and then turn on you, betray you, and let you
down, always at your most vulnerable moment!

I know. It had an unhappy childhood. It's mined and the seams are varied
and irregular--it all is like having a disfunctional family.

Having now raved: GB, and I cannot find the source right now, is also one
of the ingredients that deteriorates "in the slop" as the Brits say. sO
having stored a GB glaze for a long time may be the problem.

I agree that you should reformulate the recipe and use a frit. AND I
PERSONALLY had great success not reformulating things at all but subbing
frit 3124 directly for GB. If it were mine to do I would do a straight line
blend with A being a direct sub of 3124 for GB and going down to maybe 75%
of the GB.

Good luck.







Lili Krakowski
P.O. Box #1
Constableville, N.Y.
(315) 942-5916/ 397-2389

Be of good courage....