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australia: granitic rock and glazes - using the grid

updated sat 8 feb 03

 

Ian Currie on sat 8 feb 03


Martin Howard wrote:

> Just get your sample of local granite, marble etc and have it analysed.
> Then put the result in your computer glaze program.
>
> Then break all the "rules" and find something really wonderful!

Hi Martin

One of the advantages of my grid method is that you don't need to know
the analysis. This recipe-based method actually grew out of the desire
to apply a unity-formula-based grid to glazes containing natural flux
materials like ash and volcanic rocks where an analysis is not
available. If you want to include the material in a unity formula
(Seger formula) you need the analysis and the molecular weight. Using
the recipe-based grid however, we can perform systematic variation of
alumina and silica on whatever set of fluxes we choose, and go straight
to the results bypassing the analysis.

You can see on page 205 of my first book, "Stoneware Glazes - A
Systematic Approach" the first experiments where I tried this. Since
then I have simplified and standardised the method so it works with any
set of flux materials, natural or processed, and this is what I refer to
as the "grid method".

And if you enjoy breaking all the rules... you can throw fluxes together
at random and let the grid show where it works and where it doesn't.

I am currently reading about one Clayart message in a hundred as I
prepare for the next workshop tour, so if you wish to guarantee I read
any response to Clayart, please Cc me direct.

I will post the tour itinerary soon.

Regards

Ian
http://ian.currie.to/