| Mastering Cone 6 Glazes
by John Hesselberth & Ron Roy
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The authors also tackle the issue of glaze/body fit. What exactly
is crazing, shivering or dunting? When does it happen and what can
be done about it? This is probably a chapter where the authors have
used technical machinery not accessible to the average potter, in
particular the use of the dilatometer, a machine used to measure
expansion of clays and glazes. However, the authors are aware of
this and have formulated a range of cone 6 base glaze for your use.
The next part of the book details stable, durable cone 6 glazes
that they have developed. There are a couple of dozen glazes, including
base glazes and some variants and a few less stable 'specialty glazes'.
But this is not a glaze book in the sense of let's say The
Potter's Complete Book of Clay and Glazes, but rather a
book that will help you to understand and improve the quality of
your own cone 6 glazes. The last section of the book deals with
just that - how to develop your own stable and durable cone 6 glazes.
To do this, some knowledge of Seger Formulas and access to a decent
Glaze Calculation Program
is essential. Glaze formulas that the authors have thrown in are
an added bonus.
Summary: this is a very useful publication, probably not just for
those working in the mid-fire range. Written by two knowledgeable
authors, one of whom has been a potter for 40 years and is also
a technical advisor (Ron) and the other who is a retired chemical
engineer and also a potter (John).
This is a thoroughly researched book with images and graphs to
back up the research, which must have taken many years. Appendices
give some extra information on recommended materials, the Seger
Unity Formula, glaze calculation software, firing cycles, materials
analyses and more.
Again I must mention that this is not an easy 'grab a glaze' type
of book, but one that asks us to approach cone 6 glaze formulation
with a more scientific approach. Still, it is written in an easily
understandable and readable style with not too much technical lingo.
Perhaps I would have liked to have seen a few more recipes offered,
but then again, that is not what this book is about.
If you work in the mid-fire range, this book is highly recommendable.
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