Timing Of Applying Glazes

[dhPotter]

After glazing the inside of a piece, should you let the piece dry, say overnight, then begin glazing the outside?

 

Also, when applying layered glazes, should you wait another day for drying after each layer has been applied?

 

I have always glazed the inside then when the sheen has gone start glazing the outside. Also, with layering, I apply the first glaze, wait for the sheen to disappear then add the next glaze. I don't know if this is correct or if there is a better more consistent way.

 

What glaze procedure do use for ^6 electric oxidation firing?

 

Thank You.

 

 

 

 

[LeeU]

I've been going by the sheen-off measure and as long as the surface is essentially dry, so far so good. I am not well-versed on commercial glazes, which is what I am using at this time, in ^6 electric, but I've been happy with my layering results as well.. 

[MatthewV]

Applying glaze works with a system. The bisque temperature, wetting the pieces slightly first (or not), piece wall thickness, and the glaze thickness all need to work together. There isn't one right way to apply glazes to have excellent results.

 

I personally rinse the bisqueware at the sink, let it sit an hour or so, and then I start applying glazes. I am done with my glazing work before the night is over. Every once in awhile I have poured the inside but didn't get to the outside until the next day. With these pieces I see more pinhole voids. So I try very hard to not let pieces dry out fully after glazing has started.

Touching wet glaze will almost always be disastrous.

Waiting long enough for all signs of wetness to be gone is correct.

 

I teach beginners and the usual problems come up. Mostly when their work is too thin. The body of the clay absorbs in the water -- this is why glaze should quickly dry. A thin wall cannot hold much water and will "run out of dryness". This is when someone might have to start waiting a day. Not getting thin pieces wet before starting to glaze is a good practice. (An even better practice is making pieces thick enough!)

[rayaldridge]

Maybe I'm wrong to do it this way, but I have always dipped glazes continuously-- not waiting for any particular set of developments in the glaze coating.  Bowls I usually glaze with tongs, all at once.  Large pieces I tend to glaze inside and immediately glaze the outside.  Mugs I tend to dip all at once, unless I'm using a liner glaze.

 

I'll add that I do not use glazes that are particularly demanding in terms of application.  If a glaze does not work except in a narrow range of circumstances, I stop using it.

[Mark C.]

I never wait more than for it to dry enough to handle it to apply more glaze.

I work in series so I glaze say 50 mugs on the inside then the same 50 mugs on the outside

I do not wash or wet bisque ware unless it is dusty or dirty

Waiting is for baking cookies

There are glazes like shinos that need time but those are not what I,m referring to as everyday glazes which I use every week.

Some of these glazes do take longer to dry than others before o can handle them

[Babs]

I think the porosity of the bisque, thinness of the ware, and the water content of the glaze and the effect you want will have a play in here. If the ware is thin and the pot porous then it may be difficult to get a thickness in the second used glaze that you desire unless you wait for the first glaze to dry..

[dhPotter]

Thanks a million for the response. It helps to have an experienced voice say your technique is Ok or not. Advice always welcome. Bisque to ^04.

[neilestrick]

It all depends on how thick your work is. If your piece is thin, then you may need to wait overnight to apply the other glaze because the pot will be saturated from glazing the inside.

 

When double dipping, the first glaze should not be totally dry or it's likely to come off the pot when you do the second dip. Dry to the touch is usually sufficient, although some glazes need to be drier than others. You just need to get to know your glazes well and figure out what works best.

[MatthewV]

It always seems the core of pottery advice is "make more mistakes" :-)

[Babs]

It always seems the core of pottery advice is "make more mistakes" :-)

That is where learning occurs!