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November 9, 2007

Tip of the Week: Eliminate Popping and Glopping when Glazing

by W. Kern Hendricks | Read Comments (2)

Putting a contrasting glaze on the rim of a cup or a vase can produce dramatic results and usually requires dipping the glazed piece rim-first in a bucket of the second glaze. However, doing so may result in too much or too little rim glaze — often tilted at an angle — along with a glop of unwanted glaze on the interior of the piece caused by the “pop” from the air inside the vessel being compressed as you dip. Pouring glaze in a shallow pan to the correct depth solves the first problem, but as you dip the rim into the glaze the air is still being compressed inside your cup or vase.

Here's how you can solve both problems at once. First, take an eight inch square cake pan and drill a hole in the center. Next, attach a “through hull” fitting so that the top of the fitting sits an inch or so above the pan bottom (you can find fittings in the plumbing section at your local hardware store). Level the pan on a surface and add your glaze to the desired depth of the glaze stripe you want. Now, when you dip your piece in the glaze over the fitting, air can escape from inside your cup or vase (no more "popping" and "glopping") and the width of your glaze stripe is how you want it. Thanks W. Kern!

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Other great tips
1. Scrap pieces of rigid foil-faced insulation are perfect surfaces for rapidly drying pots in the sun. Their firmness prevents warpage, while the foil radiates heat through the pots for quick, even drying.

2. For straight lines on oval forms, try using rubber bands to resist the glaze. Rubber bands come in various widths and lengths, are easily applied and removed, and hold tight to any geometrical form.

3. In the winter, hands and fingertips are especially vulnerable to the drying qualities of clays and glazes. To avoid dry-skin cracking, try the following: Throw with a sponge in at least one hand to guard against abrasion from grog. Keep a bucket of water nearby to submerge and rinse hands between throwing pots or working with wet glazes. The water can be reused as the clay and glaze settle, but should be changed periodically. Use a nail brush to ensure that cuticles and nails do not harbor any residue. Always wear rubber gloves when applying wet glazes. Finally, if cracking does occur, try a waterproof barrier, such as petroleum jelly or Bag Balm (sold at farm-supply stores). Use on clean hands before and after throwing. Be aware, however, that this and other products will leave greasy fingerprints on bisqueware.

4. Tools keep rolling away? Too slippery when wet? Try sliding on those soft plastic triangles that draftsmen use to keep pencils from rolling off the board. You can buy these triangles at office or art supply stores for about $0.25 each. They come in a number of colors so you can even color code your tools.

Not sure about a term you see here?
You can find definitions and explanations for more than 500 ceramic terms—from agateware to zirconium—in the Ceramic Arts Daily Glossary.