Mixing Mason Stains

[Nichols]

I have 5 gallons mixed low fire clear glaze and I have a dark red mason stain dry. Can I mix the dry mason stain with the wet clear glaze to make a red glaze and if so how much of the dry mason stain do I use? People are telling me 10-30%, but I don't understand any of that because I'm mixing dry with wet and I'm new at it. Please help, I would really appreciate it.

[Marcia Selsor]

I would look at your recipe. If you have a high per centage of frit, I'd say you have 10,000 grams. If you have feldspar you might be more in the ball park of 9,000 grams for the 5 gallons. It really depends on the density of dry ingredients, how much dry mix you used. Did you mix this yourself? If so, then you know how many grams you used.

I just mixed a nice red with deep crimson Mason stain and got a great red using 10% I may try 8% next time. You certainly don't need anything higher than 10%. If you were mixing an underglaze stain it could go up to 25% but not for a glaze colorant. If you don't know how much dry is in there, take a 8 ox plastic cup, put 1 1/2 inches of glaze in it and call that 50 grams of dry with water. Then measure out 4 grams..8% of your stain, add to the glaze, sift it, and test fire it. That should give you a good visual for estimating.

Marcia

[Nichols]

Thank you I will try this. I really appreciate it. I did not mix this myself. I bought it from continental clay company.

[Marcia Selsor]

Reference codes for deep crimson are 3,5,9

3= high fire 2380 F

5= don't use with zinc

9= glaze should contain 6.7%-8.4% calcium

 

The ^6 glaze i used fit the above description. Red was very nice at 10% and I may try to tweek it with 8% stain and a dash of iron,

Call continental and ask them if the glaze contains zinc and what is the calcium content. They won't give you the exact recipe maybe, but they should be able to tell you that much.

Best to try a small test to see how the stain reacts to the base glaze. It would be very costly not to do a test and to have a bad result.

Marcia

[Marcia Selsor]

I just posted the recipe I was referring to. A ^6 Ox. red.

There is a jpg on my gallery in the album Forum Discussion

.This is using 10% deep crimson Mason stain in a glaze altered by Ron Roy for Sue Hintz Version#2 ^6 OXIDATION

Cornwall Stone 33.5

G200 22

Whiting 18

Ger. Borate 10

EPK 5.5

Silica 11

Bentonite 2

 

Deep Crimson 10%

[~janie]

I know we are discussing red as the colorant, but can you use another color? Blue, for instance, or chartruse?

 

Thanks for the recipe, I really appreciate it.

 

~janie

[Marcia Selsor]

Yes but you need to know the glaze composition and the reference codes for each stain.

Google mason Stains and find the reference code chart for a started. Then find out if there is zinc in the glaze and what % of Calcium.

Marcia

[TheSmartCat]

Also when mixing mason stains remember that different stains need to be used in different amounts. Blues are *very* strong and need to be used in smaller percentages than say yellows.

[Marcia Selsor]

It is always best to test. I use gradations of color by reducing the percentages. I can go from 12% of greens to 6% to 3% or less of a decrease . I use less for Black which is very strong.

As smart Cat says..not all stains are created equal. You need to test and you need to know the glaze base ingredients in regards to the reference codes.

Marcia

[AnneLPA]

Here is a similar question. Part 1 Is it advisable to mix a mason stain with a slip prepared from white stoneware from Great Lakes Clay? (I am thinking dry stain with wet clay) I have very limited resources for glaze chemistry but would like to see if I can use a selection of colored slips on greenware then add a clear commercial glaze over that. Electric kiln firing. Part 2: can this be raw firing, that is add the colored slip and the clear glaze and once fire it?

 

thanks,

 

AnneLPA

[Marcia Selsor]

Here is a similar question. Part 1 Is it advisable to mix a mason stain with a slip prepared from white stoneware from Great Lakes Clay? (I am thinking dry stain with wet clay) I have very limited resources for glaze chemistry but would like to see if I can use a selection of colored slips on greenware then add a clear commercial glaze over that. Electric kiln firing. Part 2: can this be raw firing, that is add the colored slip and the clear glaze and once fire it?

 

thanks,

 

AnneLPA

 

[Marcia Selsor]

As long as the slip fits , it should not be a problem. Test. Also check the reference codes before mixing. You can find them online at the mason Stain website. Here is a reference chart from the Big Ceramics Store. http://www.bigceramicstore.com/Information/mason-stain-reference.htm

#1 reference code is : can be used as a body stain.

Then check your stain reference codes: http://www.masoncolor.com/ceramic_RefGuide.asp

Example:

6021 dark red codes are 1,3,6

6003 Crimson codes are 3,5,9

The "1" means the dark red can be used as a body stain as in slip, the crimson can not.

 

Marcia