DRY GLAZE MIXING INSTRUCTIONS

On our price list you will find that all of our Hi-Fire cone 4/6 glazes(1100 series),Low Stone Glazes (900 series) and Raku Glazes (850 series) are available dry in 10 lb. bags set up for dipping application as well as wet in pints and gallons set up for brushing application. Also, all of the Hi-Fire and Low-Fire glazes on our price list are available in dry form in 50 lbs. bags and can be prepared for brushing, dipping or spraying application.

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT OUR DRY POWDER GLAZES ARE PROBABLY NOT LIKE OTHER DIPPING GLAZES YOU MAY HAVE MIXED UP. ALL OF OUR GLAZES, INCLUDING THE HI-FIRE CONE 4/6 GLAZES, ARE COMPOSED PRIMARILY OF FRITS AND STAINS. FRITS AND STAINS ARE MUCH HEAVIER THAN THE MATERIALS USED IN MOST GLAZE RECIPES USED BY POTTERS, WHICH USUALLY CONTAIN A LOT OF CLAY, FELDSPAR AND OTHER RAW MATERIALS. WE USE THESE MATERIALS BECAUSE THEY PRODUCE MORE CONSISTENT, DEPENDABLE RESULTS BUT THEY ALSO MAKE OUR DIPPING GLAZES MUCH MORE SENSITIVE TO OVER-WATERING. PLEASE FOLLOW OUR DIRECTIONS FOR THE AMOUNT OF WATER TO BE USED. THE USE OF TOO MUCH WATER CAN CAUSE GLAZE TO SETTLE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE CONTAINER AND IN EXTREME CASES LEAVE ALL THE GLAZE HARD AND UNMIXABLE ON THE BOTTOM.

Safety: Dry powder glaze contains free silica and is hazardous as dust so you must take precautions not to inhale it. This is true regardless of whether the liquid form of the glaze is rated lead free and non-toxic or otherwise. Please read the warnings and precautions on the product label. Prolonged breathing of glaze dust may cause lung damage. It may be harmful if swallowed. When mixing or handling dry glaze material always work in a properly ventilated work area and wear a NIOSH certified respirator for dusts. Wear protective clothing including gloves and safety goggles. Do not eat, drink or smoke while using. Wash hands immediately after use. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. For more detailed safety information refer to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS).

Preparation: When preparing to mix either 10 lb. or 50 lb. bags of dry glaze be aware that even though the powder is thoroughly mixed when it leaves the factory the components will tend to segregate as they are shaken about in shipping. The heavier components of the glaze will settle to the bottom of the bag. Therefore, when you are mixing dry glaze either use the entire bag or if you only want to mix up part of the bag make sure the dry glaze is thoroughly mixed. One way to mix up the dry glaze is to put it in a clean, dry 5 gallon plastic pail with a sealing lid. Rolling the pail on the floor for a few minutes should sufficiently mix the powder. Do not open the pail lid immediately after mixing; wait a few minutes for the dust to settle.

Mixing: When mixing a glaze always use a clean vessel whose volume is at least 25% greater then the amount of glaze you expect to finish with. Put 90% of the required amount of water in the mixing vessel. Then immerse the mixer in the water and turn it on. Slowly feed the powder into the agitated water. The remaining 10% of water can be added in if the glaze becomes too thick to mix properly. If the additional water is not needed hold it back to the end and add it gradually to adjust the viscosity and density, as described in “Guide to Adjusting Glaze Viscosity and Density”. Mixing should be done with a powered mixer, which can be as simple as a drill with a paddle on the end of the shaft. Manual mixing is not recommended. After the glaze is thoroughly mixed it should be screened through an 80 mesh screen to remove any coarse particles.

How Much Water Do I Need? The following recommendations are just guidelines to establish a starting point. The actual quantities required may vary. Please read our “Guide to Adjusting Glaze Viscosity and Density”.The following are some typical examples of the amount of water that is required to mix dipping glazes and the approximate amount of glaze that will be made.