Multiple Test Batches On Same Base

[Stephen]

OK I keep backing off and doing it the hard way because I am paranoid about skewing my results. The hard way is mixing each individual color in 400g batches one at a time even though I am working on the same base. I'm pretty sure this is silly and its making it very tedious to do 10-12 test batches at a time.

 

Tonight I am going to make one large 10000g batch of a semi-matt base I'm trying and then split it into 20 or so test batches and add oxides.

 

Is this how most of you do it?

 

Should I mix the dry ingredients and split out or should I add water and filter it first and then add the oxides to the mixed base?

 

I expect that I will end up making dozens of test with this base trying different percent's of oxides and other possible adjustments so this would speed up my work considerably.

[neilestrick]

You can mix it dry or wet before dividing it. Doesn't really matter. Either way, make sure you get it mixed very well before dividing. I generally do 200g batches for tests. For iron oxide, for example, I'll add 2%, then dip a tile. Then add 2% more and dip a tile, all the way up to 12%. For cobalt I usually work in 1/4% increments up to 1%. Once I find one that's good, I'll run another batch with much closer increments to fine tune the color. Use a stick blender to mix your test batches in the cups.

[Stephen]

Perfect!

 

Never hit me to then take each batch and up the percentage of oxide incrementally until I get where I want running all percentage test from one batch. You just cut my testing hassles down even further.  

 

I have been doing 400g test batches because my better half wanted a little more to work with as once past the test squares we extrude, she likes to do some small form dipping in order to further evaluate b4 I make a larger batch. But that was also because I was making each of these individually and it took forever for her to get another test batch out of me. Now I can cut it to 200g batches because I can give her more test for the ones she likes out of the base.

 

My routine to date has been to then make a 5000g batch of the test ones we like and if we still like it when that's running low I will take it up to 20,000g  for normal production.

 

Now that you laid it out it seems so obvious but I am slow to the obvious sometimes, thanks!