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Apologies if this topic has been raised many times before. Just wondering if there is such a thing out there as a substitution chart for UK/European potters who encounter American brands of frit. I have found this one at ceramics today, which is helpful for Silica/Alumina Ratio, Molecular Formula and Percentage Analysis, but it would be ideal if there was one that specified particular UK brands such as Potclays, Potterycrafts etc as an alternative to the Ferro frits. Can anyone lend any advice on this? I am excitedly reading through John Britt's Mid-Range Glazes book but a little dismayed that almost all the recipes contain US frits!

Stumped...well sorta of stumped. Cone 04 porcelain frit-ware has some chemistry, that I find challenging. I recall Min talking about having to heavily wedge a Plainsman body that had V-gum T plasticizer. The most colloidal plasticizer used in the pottery biz, to impart plasticity into an otherwise non-plastic formula. Works well for plasticity, but it holds water much differently than more common materials like bentonites or ball clays. The exterior of the ball may be correct, but as you wedge more moisture is pushed to the surface. After wedging numerous times: the problem persisted. Checking the chemistry of 3110, there is little boron sourced. I can only assume this is sheer thinning going on. If it is sheer thinning, how to overcome it? hmmm. Nerd

i all, I've recently set up a raku kiln and have been experimenting with different clay bodies. Someone requested on this forum that I try Laguna's B-mix with grog. I was looking for a nice creamy white clay to glaze with a clear.. I like the clay, but have had a few - not all - pieces came out with a few hairline cracks that were happening during reduction. I've attached a few photos. This past weekend, I fired around 10 different pieces with varying thicknesses, and had only about 3 cracks, so I'm not thinking it's the clay. Could I be doing something wrong in the reduction? The pieces were also bisque fired at cone 04. For the frit - I used 90% Ferro frit + 10% kaolin (another suggestion from the forum), but had a really difficult time brushing it on. I watered it down thinking it was just too thick, but it was still brushing on really thick, and impossible to brush on a second coat. I've used a frit before, and know they are not the easiest to brush on. The previous teacher I had used a Frit + kaolin at the same percentages, but I don't remember it being so difficult to apply. I tried smoothing out the bumps, but when my pieces came out you could really see the uneven brush strokes, making the surface bumpy. As you can see I got some nice crackles, but some pieces gave me hardly any crackles and a lot of black dots. Any advice on frit application? Marcia are you around?? I'm still new to doing this on my own, and am trying to self teach myself as I go along. This forum is a great help! I appreciate any help!! Thanks!!!!!