Hello everyone,
(I'm new here, my apologies if I get something wrong.)
I'm trying to replace my Gerstley Borate basic raku glaze with something less ... volatile ... and struggling. I tested alkali frit + kaolin (85:15) and alkali frit + nephelyne syenite (85:15) and found I preferred the latter; I mixed up a batch with gum solution and 1% bentonite but am having lots of problems. I've already added more water (as per the instructions on the gum) as it was super thick, but I'm still really struggling to brush it on. It's separating within literally seconds of being mixed — I'm adding more bentonite at the week-end — and bubbling like crazy when it hits any kind of texture. This includes the previous coat! I'm trying to fix the bubbles but missing a few, and I can't seem to regulate the thickness so I either end up with glaze holes over carvings and nearly bare patches on untextured bits, or glaze so thick it obscures textures, carvings, etc. On the plus side, when it works, it's lovely!
I'm reading and researching, but I can't get my head around all the different ingredients, possibilities, etc., at the moment. I know learning the chemistry is important, but I've recently had to give up my other work (literary/academic) due to cognitive issues, and this is just not sinking in. (I have autoimmune disease and autonomic dysfunction, which cause brain inflammation among lots of other fun stuff.) Ceramics had become more or less my sole income, but now it's hit and miss whether I can even glaze successfully. I'm soldiering on with learning as much as I can, but I thought I'd ask here in case anyone could please shed any light.
Is there anything I can do to fix my current recipe, or should I go with something else entirely? I have seen (in another thread here) that frit 1254 + kaolin (90:10) can work very well, so I'm thinking of trying that? (I'm in France.)
Thank you very much for any insight you might be able to offer.
Have a good whatever time of day it is for you.
