Mayco Stoneware Dry Glazes: A Studio Guide
- Details
- Last Updated: Thursday, 12 February 2015 15:12
Mayco is very proud to introduce most of our Stoneware glaze products in a Dry formula. Potters, teachers and hobbyists will love the ease of use this product offers. Dry formulas are sold in 5-pound and 25-pound bags.
Why use Dry?
Dry formulas are added to water and used in buckets for dipping techniques. Many functional potters prefer...
Many functional potters prefer dipping to painting for perfect coverage. Dipped glazes are great for pieces with a lot of surface texture and for layering techniques.
 |
|
SD-105 Frost Blue over SD-119 Cinnabar at cone 6 |
Are Mayco's Stoneware Dry Glazes the same as the Mayco Stoneware Glazes that I buy in pints?
The colors and formulas are identical with one exception. Mayco Stoneware Dry glazes (SD is the prefix, it stands for Stoneware Dry) do not contain any organic gums. In our Stoneware (liquid) line of products, gums are added to allow proper consistency for brushing. Too much gum added to a dipping version of the same glaze can cause it to lose the 'sheeting' action that is desirable in dipping formulas. The glaze will seem too thick and will take a long time to dry. Also, the glaze will sometimes cling to the piece to thickly.
So, you can look at it this way:
SW glazes are liquid Stoneware glazes which have added gum. They are perfect for brushing, pouring and using in a sliptrailer. SD glazes are the exact same thing in dry form, minus the added organic gums. They are great for dipping application.
Do Mayco's SD glazes have a Shelf Life?
The lack of organic gum in the SD line of products allows it to not "go bad" in the bag or the bucket. (If properly mixed and maintained.)
Is mixing dry glazes a safe process?
Is it very important that users wear an approved NIOSH respirator mask any time when mixing glaze. Following the instructions for mixing and using a good respirators makes the process totally safe for users.
How do you mix the Stoneware Dry glazes?
Tips:
- Start with a clean 5 gallon bucket
- Add one pint of distilled water per pound of dry mix you plan to add. (If you start with a 5 pound bag, put 5 pints water in the bucket first. This will usually make a somewhat thick mixture. Add water to get the consistency you prefer. Be careful though, if you add too much water, you can offset the intended ratio enough to cause product to hard pan. Your initial purchase should be for at least 10 pounds of dry glaze. This makes a nice depth of mixed liquid glaze in a typical 5 gallon bucket.
- after adding the dry mix to the water, allow glaze to slake down into the water and become completely saturated before stirring or moving the mixture. (With most of our Dry glazes, running the mixture through a sieve is optional, thanks to fine particle size)
- Stir with a wood paddle or stick.
 |
|
SD-123 Sapphire over SW-102 Silver Sage at cone 6 |
How is this product and process going to save my studio money?
Your initial purchase of 10-25 pounds of dry glaze will be the big investment. Once you have mixed a bucket of glaze with added water, that bucket will only need an occasional "recharge" or addition of 5 pounds of dry.
Most artists just keep this system going for years. Some artists will add gum or bentonite to their mixes. This is an acceptable technique to customize the consistency of the product for individual needs.
What makes Mayco Stoneware Dry glazes so good?
Our studio and lab tests have shown extremely positive results on the performance of the SD glazes.
They do not hard pan. All dipping glazes will settle after being stirred. A lot of homemade or even competitor glazes tend to settle to a very hard consistency in the bottom of the bucket, making it very difficult to remix at the time of use. This is called "pancaking." All Mayco Stoneware Dry glazes are formulated to prevent pancaking when mixed. Our dry glazes consist of very fine and uniform in particle size, which keeps them from settling out hard, if mixed properly.
They sheet off of bisqueware quickly, causing a barely noticeable dry mark. Again, the fine particle size is the reason. They grip perfectly to bisque and in second dips.
The quality is remarkable; try them and see.
To be directed to our YouTube video to watch step-by-step instructions on how to properly mix Mayco's Stoneware Glazes as well as other instructional videos, click here!
