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Laguna Crystalline Glaze


Chloe Marie

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Hi y'all!

 

I'm about to order a couple pounds of Laguna Crystalline Glaze (Crystal Palace) and try it out.

 

http://www.axner.com/lagunawc-561crystalpalace10glazedrysoldperlb.aspx

 

Laguna's website says it fires from cone 5 to cone 10, but I'll be doing the first firing at cone 10 in a gas kiln. Has anyone here had prior experience with this glaze? I haven't been able to find much information other than that it is a good base for other crystalline glaze recipes (no info on what those recipes end up looking like though).

 

I'm trying to figure out if it plays well with other glazes and what kinds, as well as different ways to tweak the recipe. Any tips would be much appreciated so I can make the most out of the once-a-month firings!

 

Chloe

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i'm not much of a glaze person and have relied on commercial and studio glazes a lot and only recently have been mixing my own in an effort to get results I'm happier with. so I've tried one batch of laguna crystal palace, i think it was around 20 pounds of dry glaze to start with. i did a number of cone 10 firings in a small electric kiln with an automatic programable controller and experimented with a range of soak periods from 15 min stages to stages of 2 hours, the soaks were in the 1900 to 2100 range if i remember correctly (whatever is posted in the firing schedules on the Laguna web site). my results were very disappointing, very small crystals and very few crystals, this was on Laguna southern ice porcelain. my glaze was mixed i think locally according to the laguna formula, but because i did not mix it myself, i don't know how carefully everything was measured out and i feel something is off. next time i try crystals i will mix my own from a good known recipe, the Brit Book is very good.

 

the glaze is very clear and bright on porcelain also very runny i would recommend you throw small stilt trays to do the firings on. take the bisques tray and cement it to the bottom to the crystal glaze piece with kiln wash. after firing you score and remove the tray and grind the base smooth. doings will save a lot of work cleaning the kiln shelves afterword.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi Chloe:

 

I am new to this forum; my first post in fact. I work with crystalline glaze primarily, and cone 6 periodically. I custom mix all of my glazes, so I do not have any frame of reference for this commercial blend. With that said: crystalline glaze will only work in an oxidizing kiln environment due to the required chemical reaction called REDOX. The crystals form because the silica donates oxygen atoms to the zinc to create zinc silicate crystals: which will not happen in an oxygen starved environment.

 

I would recommend you fire to the middle of the road: cone 7-8. Assuming you have a programmable controller: natural cool to 2018F and hold for one hour, then natural cool to 1945F and hold for one hour. You should produce an inner and outter growth ring at these temperatures: check which one has uniform growth. This will tell you which temp this perticular glaze mix likes. Zinc comes in several varities: and each has its own soaking temps that favors crystal development. If you are firing a cone 6 load anyway: then program a 15-20 minute hold to allow for extra heat work. I would also recommend you do small test tiles first to dial in the right soak temperatures.

Once you have fired a few, post a pic so I can check crystal formation and development: then I will be able to tell you rather you need to increase or decrease soak temps. You can soak for several hours if you are after large crystals. Have fun- enjoy!

 

My name is Tom: my local supplier assigned my moniker.

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Crystalline glazes have worked best over porcelain (try a few different clay bodies) use a bisque pedestal-saucer to catch the glaze. As mentioned above fire in oxidation. Firing schedule is critical to the success of these types of glazes. Good luck.

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Sloan:

 

Yes it is possible: two primary areas that help to control that is the amount of SiO2 in the formula. The second is the firing schedule on the way down. Most crystalline information focuses on the recipe and the upper firing/ ramp schedules. However, a controlled cooling from 1100F down to 250F can also solve alot of the problems. Some porcelain bodies work better with this glaze than others because their C>O>E is closer to the C>O>E of the glaze. Even if there are minor grazing issues, they can be remedied fairly easy with a strike fire. ( annealing).

 

Glaze Nerd

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Was in my suppliers warehouse the other day and noticed several premixes. I "assumed" when you said Laguna crystalline glaze- you meant the only premix sold that makes macro crystals? The reason I asked, I discovered another company makes a line called crystals. This product has pieces of colored flakes that spread out in the glaze that have an appearance of crystals: but not macro crystals. I do not use premixed glazes, so I am not overly familiar with the varieties. So if I mistook the type of glaze you were wanting to try- please forgive.

 

Glaze Nerd

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Was in my suppliers warehouse the other day and noticed several premixes. I "assumed" when you said Laguna crystalline glaze- you meant the only premix sold that makes macro crystals? The reason I asked, I discovered another company makes a line called crystals. This product has pieces of colored flakes that spread out in the glaze that have an appearance of crystals: but not macro crystals. I do not use premixed glazes, so I am not overly familiar with the varieties. So if I mistook the type of glaze you were wanting to try- please forgive.

 

Glaze Nerd[/quote

]Laguna is a large ceramic supplier with 3 locations spread thruout the US

They make glazes as well and this question is about one of those pre made glazes

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  • 11 months later...

This post seems to have dried up. I am looking to experimenting with some crystalline gazing and was wondering if anyone has tried this gaze yet ? http://www.axner.com/lagunawc-561crystalpalace10glazedrysoldperlb.aspx. I would love to see some pic if they have.   I am a hobby potter and not sure I want to get into mixing my own glazes yet and would like to see what results I could get from a pre-mix. Thanks

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Mboday:

 

It has been over a year since you first asked: with no responses. I would take that to mean, that of current forum members: no one has used it. All the crystalliers that I know of: mix their own from scratch. I looked at the firing schedule associated with this recipe: more importantly the soak temperature. Usually cone 10 recipes, soak at higher temps: 2000-2024F. Mid high cone 8-9: soak from 1950 to 2000F. This glaze recommends a 1950F soak for 3 hours. So I would test it at 2290F or so for peak. I realize you are a hobbyist: but you are either going to have to dive in, or not. Curb your expectations: this is a safe body: meaning it was developed to hit the maximum market. Do not expect to see extra large crystals: that can only be done with very careful manipulation of the glaze, and of the clay body.

Nerd

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Thanks Neberd,

Not sure I asked this a yr ago, but the but the thread is definitely old, either way I thank you for your response.. I whole heartily agree with you and just need to "dive right in" .  I have been doing a lot of research and have even upgraded the controller on my brand new kiln to ensure I have enough firing segments for the crystalline firing schedules.  Additionally I understand this type of glazing takes a lot of experimenting and tweaking and maybe some magic to get the results your looking for. Keeping in mind that its much like snow fakes, no two every alike.  Again Thanks.

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Md:

Remember glaze application is a critical part of crystal growth. On test tiles: application rate should be 0.50 grams per square inch. Run a test, let me look at the pics: will tell you what you need to do from there. Do the peak at 2295F with very short hold.

 

DO NOT add any sodium or potassium fluxes: both hinder crystal formation.

 

Nerd

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Md:

Remember glaze application is a critical part of crystal growth. On test tiles: application rate should be 0.50 grams per square inch. Run a test, let me look at the pics: will tell you what you need to do from there. Do the peak at 2295F with very short hold.

 

DO NOT add any sodium or potassium fluxes: both hinder crystal formation.

 

Nerd

 

Thanks Nerd I appreciate the help.

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