Hydrometer use with small amounts of Glaze

[Mark C.]

If you need to check water content (thick or thin) with ahydrometer

 

Working with smaller than say ¾ of a five-gallon bucket of glaze this home made tool will help. I picked my 1 inch tube up at Tap plastics online and cut the tube in a 3 pieces and made a few for potter friends as well. Drilled out some wood and JB wield epoxy it into base. Place on level surface (not like photo which is very unleveled).

 

Now you can add a small amount of glaze and check with your hydrometer. I usually work with large glaze amounts but this works with small amounts which many use.

 

Mark

[LilyT]

Oh, very clever!

[DAY]

I use a trick I saw here (in a video). Weigh 6 oz of water (166 grams), then weigh 6 oz of the glaze. Divide glaze by water, and the specific gravity is the answer. Standard has a SG chart for their ^6 glazes.

[Guest JBaymore]

I use a trick I saw here (in a video). Weigh 6 oz of water (166 grams), then weigh 6 oz of the glaze. Divide glaze by water, and the specific gravity is the answer. Standard has a SG chart for their ^6 glazes.

 

 

Generally speaking that is called the "Pint Weight" approach. Old traditional way of adjusting glazes to the proper consistency.

 

best,

 

................john

[Christine]

If you need to check water content (thick or thin) with ahydrometer

 

Working with smaller than say ¾ of a five-gallon bucket of glaze this home made tool will help. I picked my 1 inch tube up at Tap plastics online and cut the tube in a 3 pieces and made a few for potter friends as well. Drilled out some wood and JB wield epoxy it into base. Place on level surface (not like photo which is very unleveled).

 

Now you can add a small amount of glaze and check with your hydrometer. I usually work with large glaze amounts but this works with small amounts which many use.

 

Mark

 

 

 

Thank you, Mark - just the sort of thing that makes me think "why didn't I think of that" - so simple and practical .... brilliant

 

Christine

[christerrell]

Thank you, I've been trialling hydrometers from our science department to find one suitable for this. The tube is a good idea.

[docweathers]

thanks for the suggestions

 

I understand Marc's approach and that is a clever idea that will work fine.

 

I don't understand Day's "Pint Weight" strategy. You say "then weigh 6 oz of the glaze." 6 ounces of glazes always weighs 6 ounces??

 

I would hope to find a strategy that I can measure the specific gravity of my small amount of glazes in the mixing container versus having to pour it into something else and lose some of it in the process.

[weeble]

I picked up a tube and a hydrometer in the brewing supplies at a Whole Foods store... Same thing, basically, except with a plastic base. Works sweet!

 

Doc, think kitchen ounces instead of post office ounces. A cup of goo is 8 ounces no matter what it weighs. Measure out that way then weigh.

[docweathers]

Duh!!

Maybe my problem is my familiarity with kitchen chemistry doesn't go much beyond making a hamburger

 

I have a strategy that will utilize the pint-weight idea to assess specific gravity in my mixing container.

 

My standard mixing container is a 32 fluid ounceyogurt container (without yogurt).

1) Weigh the container empty

2) Calibrate a dipstick for the container by pouring successively larger quantities of water into the container.

3) use the dipstick to measure how many fluid ounces I have

4) Weigh the container with my liquid glaze in it.

5) Subtract weight of container from total weight of container and glazes

6) Use pint-weight formula to determine specific gravity

 

Larry