[Ian Currie Test Tiles Forums?]

I use containers 1 quart from home depot for the 4 corners.  The individual cups are used yogurt cups about 6 oz.  The test tile, because I am interested in vertical tests are extruded test tiles long enough to make 5 tests per tile times 7 tiles for the 35 grid.  I only use 300 gram batch  for the corners.  The syringe is 60 cc McKesson Syringe without needle order 102-SC60C20.  Each cup has 48 Milli Litres per sample.

David

[Ian Currie Test Tiles Forums?]

The Currie method is great for revealing what other glazes you might have in the grid from a known glaze.  So he takes a known glaze and makes extreme changes in the Alumina/ silica.  But if you want to make a glaze from scratch take a look at Robin Hoppers book "The Ceramic Spectrum"  The information I posted was a method to look at two colorants and actually uses the same % as the Currie grid after you make the 4 corners using a known glaze.  You don't do anything with the alumina or silica.

David

[Ian Currie Test Tiles Forums?]

I usually make a 20 grid but 35 grid would work fine. A = base glaze + 8% Iron Oxide: B same base glaze + 8% Iron Ox.& 10% rutile;

C same base glaze no colorant: D 10% Rutile.  This gives a line blend from A to C for iron; A to B iron stays at same value but it cross blends with Rutile :C to D line blend for Rutile: This line blend cross blends with iron B to D.  This is impossible to explain but the top row 1 thru 4 Iron is 8%, but 2 to 4 rutile is #2 = 3.33%R + 8% Fe,# 3= 6.67% Rutile + 8% Fe, # 4= 10% Rutile + 8% Fe.  Anyway it is a good method for testing 2 colorants and depending on your base glaze you may get some rutile blue. take a look at www.matrix2000.co.nz

David

[Ian Currie Test Tiles Forums?]

Have you ever tried taking a glaze that you use and run the Currie method on it? You may be surprised that there are many more good glazes in the grid.  Also there are some other very good ways to test colorants.

David

[Old Orton Controller]

I would be inclined to change out the controller for a Barlett.  The kiln itself will be fine but electronics have changed a lot in 22 years and you may be fighting problems due to drying out of compenents, parts no longer made etc.  Euclids can help with getting you up to speed with a new Barlett and possibilily zone control.

David

[Ian Currie Test Tiles Forums?]

No the fluxes don't have to add up to 100.  You are to take a glaze and leave out the clay and Silica, if it has any, and just put in the flux material even though they may  have some AL203 and SiO2 in them.  Ex: Custer feldspar. The calculation on the web site is going to add clay and silica to the batch.  I usually make test tiles because I want to see what happens on vertical surfaces.

David 

[Ian Currie Test Tiles Forums?]

David what Al/Si limits are you using?

I use Matrix limits, Insight limits, and Food safe Cone 6, Cone 10 limits.  Insight and Matrix allow for cones other than Cone 6 and Cone 10. I usually fire to cone 7 in the electric kiln and in the gas kiln cone 9.  That way I only need one stoneware clay body.

David

[Ian Currie Test Tiles Forums?]

Matrix does have the Currie grid and also you can make your own grid.  I make my own grid and make the corners match the Al/Si limits for whichever cone I am firing at.  Matrix also has a very good method for testing colors used in glazes.

David

[Ian Currie Test Tiles Forums?]

I have used the Currie 35 tile method quite often, but found that some of the tests were way outside the functional limits.  I started making other tests inside the grid  for AL/Si limits, which resulted in more good glazes.  I use the Matrix glaze program to do this.

David