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Inconsistent Glaze Results?

free specific gravity guide

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MASTERING GLAZE CONSISTENCY

Recent Posts

12 Tips for Managing Glazes at a Busy Pottery Studio
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How to Fix a Hard-Panned Glaze with Epsom Salts
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How the Water in Your Glaze is Affecting Your Results
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A Week in the Life of a Ceramics Studio Technician
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How to Make a Saturated Epsom Salt Solution to Flocculate your Glazes
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Getting Clarity with Clear Glazes
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What to Keep Track of in Your Glaze Journal
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Different Styles of Test Tiles You Can Make for Glaze Testing
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15 Tips to Get Started with Glaze Testing
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How to Calibrate Your Kiln Sitter for Accurate Firings
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A Low Tech System for Recycling Clay Scraps
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How to Make a Good Kiln Wash to Protect Your Kiln Shelves
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Do You Put Witness Cones in Every Firing?
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How to Add Bentonite to a Wet Glaze
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How Well Are You Mixing Your Glazes?
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Why I Don’t Use a Hydrometer to Measure Specific Gravity
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suemcleodceramics

Exploring the art and science of ceramics
Join my free Facebook group - Understanding Glazes with Sue

Today is the last day to join me in my online prog

Today is the last day to join me in my online program MASTERING GLAZE CONSISTENCY. Class officially starts tomorrow, although you get access to Module 1 right when you register so you can start right away.⁠
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This course has been a loooong passion project of mine. I first started working on it in Jan 2019. All I knew about creating an online course at that time was from being an online student so many times.⁠
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The first online course I ever took was about coding websites back in like 2012. Since then, I've almost always been enrolled in some sort of online learning. I'm most excited about life when I'm learning new things. ⁠
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So without really knowing what I was doing, I set out to make my first online course. I gave myself a very unrealistic deadline (as I often do) and powered through to get the course out into the world by April (I was aiming for end of Feb). I called it "Specific Gravity and Flocculation".⁠
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I was proud of what I created in such a short time and I ran the course twice last year. All the feedback I received was positive. My students were fixing their glaze issues and feeling more confident about glazing.⁠
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But I kept thinking of ways that I could make it better. There were more things that I was trying and testing and learning along the way that were helping me and I wanted to add them to the course.⁠
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So, over the past 4 months I decided to tear the whole course apart and rebuild it. I reorganized some of the lessons to flow better, filled in some gaps, and added lots of supporting documents, checklists and action steps to help you integrate what you're learning.⁠
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I re-recorded the whole thing, gave it a new name and now it's out in the world again. I'm so very happy with what it has become!⁠
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If you've been struggling with unexpected and disappointing glaze results, I truly believe that going through my Mastering Glaze Consistency program will help you find clarity and confidence in your glazing skills.⁠
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Registration closes at 5pm Pacific time today. If you have any questions at all, I'm here to answer them.⁠
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For all the details about the course and to register, follow the link in my bio.⁠
🤓

When you join the Guided Group program of MASTERIN

When you join the Guided Group program of MASTERING GLAZE CONSISTENCY you get to participate in the Word Hunt vocabulary challenge.⁠
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As you expand your ceramics vocabulary, you can also win a prize!⁠
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This is a list of words and terms that are part of the course. If you can correctly identify the lesson where each word can be found, you WIN a 50% coupon that can be used for any of my upcoming online courses and workshops.⁠
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Courses/workshops that I'm working on are:⁠
- How to mix glazes from scratch for the beginner⁠
- An intro to glaze chemistry - learn what all the materials do, learn how to use the UMF and Stull chart on Glazy.org⁠
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If you want to expand your vocabulary and win, join the Guided Group program of MASTERING GLAZE CONSISTENCY. Registration is only open until tomorrow.⁠
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All the details can be found by clicking the link in my bio.⁠
🤓⁠
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#masteringglazeconsistency #glazecourse #glazes #ceramicglaze #glazechemistry #glazetesting #specificgravity #flocculation #consistentresults #consistentglazes #glazeconsistency #kilnsurprises #glazeapplicationthickness #understandingglazes #onlineglazecourse #howglazeswork #glazeapplication #glazeworkshop #glazeworkshops #canadianceramics #yyjpottery #yyjceramics #vancouverislandpottery

I love these examples of glazes that are a differe

I love these examples of glazes that are a different colour when thin vs thick. They can explain so mucha bout how application thickness affects fired results!⁠
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This glaze is pink where it's thick and yellow where it's thin. It breaks yellow on edges and it's pink where it pools.⁠
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You can imagine how different your results could be, depending on application thickness. This is why measuring specific gravity for consistent water content is so important.⁠
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Regardless of whether you like it better thin or thick, you can control which result you get by figuring out the best specific gravity for your glaze and then making sure it's always the same every time.⁠
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You also have to make sure your application method, firing temperature and cooling rate are also consistent. These are all topics that we'll cover in my online course MASTERING GLAZE CONSISTENCY.⁠
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Registration is open until Sun, Apr 26. For all the details and to register, follow the link in my bio.⁠
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#masteringglazeconsistency #glazecourse #glazes #ceramicglaze #glazechemistry #glazetesting #specificgravity #flocculation #consistentresults #consistentglazes #glazeconsistency #kilnsurprises #glazeapplicationthickness #understandingglazes #onlineglazecourse #howglazeswork #glazeapplication #glazeworkshop #glazeworkshops #canadianceramics #yyjpottery #yyjceramics #vancouverislandpottery

There are 2 different ways you can take my MASTERI

There are 2 different ways you can take my MASTERING GLAZE CONSISTENCY online course. There's the Guided Group program and the Independent Study program.⁠
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Both options include lifetime access to the full, 7 module course.⁠
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The Independent Study program means you go through the course on your own, Independently 😉⁠
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The Guided Group includes support, such as:⁠
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- a free, private students only Facebook group for course discussions and asking questions⁠
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- a Course Community (a discussion forum that's not on Facebook, another place to ask me questions)⁠
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- 4 weekly Glaze Chat Q&A sessions on Zoom where we get together face to face and talk about YOUR glazes and results⁠
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- a fun Word Hunt vocabulary challenge: find all 24 technical terms used throughout the course and win 50% off a future online course/workshop with me 🤓⁠
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Independent Study program is $197 USD⁠
Guided Group program is $297 USD⁠
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All details can be found on the course info page. Follow the link in my bio.⁠
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#masteringglazeconsistency #glazecourse #glazes #ceramicglaze #glazechemistry #glazetesting #specificgravity #flocculation #consistentresults #consistentglazes #glazeconsistency #kilnsurprises #glazeapplicationthickness #understandingglazes #onlineglazecourse #howglazeswork #glazeapplication #glazeworkshop #glazeworkshops #canadianceramics #yyjpottery #yyjceramics #vancouverislandpottery

Here's an example of how flocculating a glaze can

Here's an example of how flocculating a glaze can increase the "depth" of the glaze. This is really just the result of a thicker glaze application.⁠
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The thicker, flocculated version has more variation where the thicker glass is glossier and breaks matte on the edges. I really like that quality in a glaze.⁠
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This is my own personal preference, of course. The glaze is perfectly fine either way and you may like the thinner version better. What's important is that you know how to achieve both results and you can control which result you get.⁠
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This is one thing you'll learn in my online course - MASTERING GLAZE CONSISTENCY - how to unlock all the varieties that your glazes have to offer so you can decide how you like them the best.⁠
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Registration is only open until Sun, Apr 26. Follow the link in my bio for all the details about the course and to register.⁠
🤓⁠
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#masteringglazeconsistency #glazecourse #glazes #ceramicglaze #glazechemistry #glazetesting #specificgravity #flocculation #consistentresults #consistentglazes #glazeconsistency #kilnsurprises #glazeapplicationthickness #understandingglazes #onlineglazecourse #howglazeswork #glazeapplication #glazeworkshop #glazeworkshops #canadianceramics #yyjpottery #yyjceramics #vancouverislandpottery

Module 7 is the final module of MASTERING GLAZE CO

Module 7 is the final module of MASTERING GLAZE CONSISTENCY where we talk about troubleshooting strategies for common problems.⁠
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Module 7: Improving Your Glaze Results⁠
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Now that you’ve learned all the steps for adjusting your glazes and you’ve done some testing of your own, let’s talk about all the ways you can improve our glaze results by implementing what you’ve learned in this course to solve common glaze issues and inconsistencies.⁠
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Highlights:⁠
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- Gain a full understanding of how to use this course to improve your glaze results and solve common problems that you’re having now or may encounter down the road.⁠
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- Learn how to deal with unexpected running, cloudy clear glazes, very thin wares, titanium glazes, cracking/crawling glazes, glaze drying issues and hard-panning.⁠
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- Celebrate all you’ve learned by glazing some pots and sharing how your results have improved with others.⁠
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Registration is open until Sun, Apr 26.⁠
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For all the details about the course and to register, follow the link in my bio.⁠
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#masteringglazeconsistency #glazecourse #glazes #ceramicglaze #glazechemistry #glazetesting #specificgravity #flocculation #consistentresults #consistentglazes #glazeconsistency #kilnsurprises #glazeapplicationthickness #understandingglazes #onlineglazecourse #howglazeswork #glazeapplication #glazeworkshop #glazeworkshops #canadianceramics #yyjpottery #yyjceramics #vancouverislandpottery

Here's our Blue Green Pink glaze again, same glaze

Here's our Blue Green Pink glaze again, same glaze from my post on Sunday.⁠
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The test tile on the left shows the glaze after bringing the specific gravity down to 1.48. Sometimes when you add water to bring the SG down to where you want it, your glaze will become quite thin (low viscosity).⁠
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This results in a super thin glaze coat. Look how pale it is. And it's so thin that you can feel the texture of the clay.⁠
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At this point (after adjusting specific gravity) if the glaze has low viscosity you can flocculate the glaze with saturated Epsom salt solution. This increases the viscosity (thickens the glaze) which gives a more substantial glaze coat. All without adjusting the water.⁠
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Changing the viscosity of a glaze without adjusting the water is the magical part of glaze chemistry that happens BEFORE the firing.⁠
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We often think of glaze chemistry as what happens when we put glazes in the kiln. But there are reactions that take place before we ever get to the kiln.⁠
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That's what my online course MASTERING GLAZE CONSISTENCY is about. The chemistry that's happening in our glaze buckets. When you understand this side of glaze chemistry, you have much more control over the results coming out of the kiln.⁠
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I hope you'll join me in my recently updated and improved online program. Registration is open until Sun, Apr 26.⁠
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For all the details about the course and to register, follow the link in my bio.⁠
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#masteringglazeconsistency #glazecourse #glazes #ceramicglaze #glazechemistry #glazetesting #specificgravity #flocculation #consistentresults #consistentglazes #glazeconsistency #kilnsurprises #glazeapplicationthickness #understandingglazes #onlineglazecourse #howglazeswork #glazeapplication #glazeworkshop #glazeworkshops #canadianceramics #yyjpottery #yyjceramics #vancouverislandpottery

MASTERING GLAZE CONSISTENCY Module 6 is where we d

MASTERING GLAZE CONSISTENCY Module 6 is where we decide whether our ⁠glaze needs to be flocculated or deflocculated, based on the viscosity of the glaze AFTER adjusting specific gravity.⁠
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Module 6: Assessing and Adjusting Viscosity⁠
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How do you know when your glaze needs to be flocculated or deflocculated? In this module, you’ll learn a couple of methods for assessing the viscosity of your glaze in order to decide if it needs adjusting. ⁠
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Highlights:⁠
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- Understand when a glaze needs a water adjustment vs a flocculation adjustment⁠
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- I’ll share my experiences with different flocculants and deflocculants and explain why I choose the ones I recommend.⁠
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- Learn what happens when you add too much flocculant or deflocculant⁠
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- Perform my Multi-Viscosity Experiment by testing each of your glazes to find the sweet spot for where they work the best for you.⁠
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- View my own Multi-Viscosity Experiments with full explanations of the results.⁠
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Registration is open now until Apr 26.⁠ For all the details about the course and to register, follow the link in my bio.⁠
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#masteringglazeconsistency #glazecourse #glazes #ceramicglaze #glazechemistry #glazetesting #specificgravity #flocculation #consistentresults #consistentglazes #glazeconsistency #kilnsurprises #glazeapplicationthickness #understandingglazes #onlineglazecourse #howglazeswork #glazeapplication #glazeworkshop #glazeworkshops #canadianceramics #yyjpottery #yyjceramics #vancouverislandpottery

There are a couple of reasons why your glaze could

There are a couple of reasons why your glaze could be running.⁠
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Reason #1: Your glaze is over-fired.⁠
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Every glaze will run if it's fired hot enough. A glaze that's running because it's over-fired either needs to be fired to a lower temperature, or have the formula adjusted to melt at a higher temperature.⁠
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Reason #2: Your glaze application is too thick.⁠
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Glazes become liquid during the firing. Depending on how long your glaze spends in the liquid state and how thick your application is, gravity will start to pull the glaze down toward the kiln shelf. The thicker your glaze layer, the more chance it will have of running.⁠
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This photo shows 2 test tiles, dipped in the same glaze, for the same number of seconds and fired to the same temperature. The only difference is the amount of water in the glaze.⁠
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The glaze on the left tile had less water in the glaze bucket, resulting in a thicker application layer and a big drip running down the side of the test tile.⁠
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The glaze on the right tile had more water in the glaze bucket, resulting in a thinner glaze application and the glaze stays where it was put.⁠
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In order to control which result you get from this glaze, you just need to keep the water content consistent by keeping the specific gravity consistent.⁠
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You can learn all about measuring specific gravity and glazing consistently in my online course MASTERING GLAZE CONSISTENCY. Registration is open until Apr 26.⁠
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Follow the link in my bio for all the details and to register.⁠
🤓⁠
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#masteringglazeconsistency #glazecourse #glazes #ceramicglaze #glazechemistry #glazetesting #specificgravity #flocculation #consistentresults #consistentglazes #glazeconsistency #kilnsurprises #glazeapplicationthickness #understandingglazes #onlineglazecourse #howglazeswork #glazeapplication #glazeworkshop #glazeworkshops #canadianceramics #yyjpottery #yyjceramics #vancouverislandpottery

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