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For test purposes, 50 gram batches are mixed and applied to small tiles, then fired in my kiln to determine characteristics of color and melt.
After I'm satisfied that the glaze I've tested can be used successfully on my ware, I mix it in larger batches, up to 10 kilo of dry ingredients at a
time.
The firing takes approximately seventeen hours, during which time my kiln’s temperature climbs to 1230° C (2250° F). Pyrometric cones (which look like spikes) are used to indicate how the firing is progressing.
The kiln’s contents glow bright yellow from the heat, making it impossible to see the glazes directly; but when the spikes become soft and bend over, I can assume that the glaze melt is complete.
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The direction my glaze research takes is driven by my curiosity, intuition, and whatever else might inspire me. One of my old computers handles the necessary chemical equations, and also archives the data.
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