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Post by tileman2 on Jul 21, 2015 18:16:22 GMT -6
For those among us who use this zinc from Horsehead, think I have figured out a dry glaze cracking issue. Of all the ZNO's I have played with; this one seems to crack readily while it is drying. I think the term is hydrophobic? ( sheds water easily) None the less it dries almost twice as fast as the other zincs I play with and cracks three times as bad. I tried EPK, NZ kaolin, bentonite; the usual glaze hardeners/additives. So in the spirit of desperation I mixed a combination of 60% bentolite A10 and 40% EPK; which seemed to fix the issue (mostly). Throwing it out there for those who might be using it. It does grow a good crystal- and certainly processed for high fire use. You know it is high fire when it will not melt under 2270F with enough lithium to sedate a rhino.
Tom
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Post by Koz on Jul 22, 2015 20:14:10 GMT -6
Cerox 506 is the only zinc I've ever used, aside from experimenting (not that there's anything wrong with that), with other brands of zinc just to say that I did so I could fit in with all the cool kids.
Never had a problem with it cracking in any glaze, except for the time I tried it with a super fine food grade amorphous silica. That glaze peeled off the pot like bark off a Shagbark Hickory tree.
So I ditched that mix, and went back to using it with dehydrated water and 1% Vee-gum-T and everything was back to normal.
Yeah, you know, "Normal".
Nice and normal and boring and predictable.
Just the way I like it.
Not that there's anything wrong with that either of course.
Koz
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Post by tileman2 on Jul 22, 2015 21:58:02 GMT -6
Koz:
That is the difference between a studio potter trying to earn a living, and a chronic experimenter who already has. The real ace is not the glaze, the firing, or the formula that works best in your kiln: it is marketing. As cool as crystalline glaze is: it is still the diamond that the buying public has never had the chance to discover in a multi-million dollar kinda way. I spent 42 years being nice and normal, predictable: and yes is got very boring. So now I get to be cool and play, and fit in with the cool kids: I can assure you that there is nothing wrong with that either. Just think of me as TiO2; that critical irritant that crystals grow around.
Tom
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Post by Koz on Jul 23, 2015 7:21:34 GMT -6
The Wizard's zinc don't crack.
That's all I'm sayin', TiO2.
Koz
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Post by mohawkpiper on Jul 23, 2015 8:09:22 GMT -6
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Post by Koz on Jul 23, 2015 10:06:08 GMT -6
Piper,
Now that's just frickin' brilliant! It's so logical.
To think of the thousands of dollars I've spent on the cans of it, and now you show me the way!
Maybe I'll be able to turn this business around and actually make a living makin' fancy $hit out of mud.
I'll have to take a few weeks or more away from the wheel and all production entirely to experiment with it. I will develop my own techniques, theories and speculations, and only then can I proclaim my findings to be facts that will work for everyone!
Just be patient and give me some time folks, I'll have some concrete answers soon.
And I thought I was saving money by making my own ice....that is when I don't screw up the recipe.
I really gotta write stuff down more.
Koz
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Post by tileman2 on Jul 24, 2015 7:22:55 GMT -6
I have always used evaporated milk in my glaze. The added calcium is an effective flux, the Vitamin D strengthens the glaze. Most importantly, the growth hormones fed to most livestock these days seems to work on crystals too. I always like the creamy white field that it produces; so I get some colorant effect as well. Perhaps consider switching.
Tom
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Post by Koz on Jul 24, 2015 7:54:38 GMT -6
Tom, (TiO2)
I already HAVE tried it. Here is what I have learned on my own little postage stamp of space, time and materials....Milk is for BABY COWS!
Just like (for me at least) when it comes to crystalline glazes, potassium is for bananas and chrome is for bumpers. Both of those chemicals are still sitting it the corner of the dungeon thinking about themselves and their unruly, uncooperative, ill behavior. The dragons still point and snicker at them once in a while.
In humans, too much milk with all that vitamin D in it can make your blood acetic.
To neutralize the blood the body then uses calcium. From where you ask?? your bones of course! Leave it to the body to just go ahead and take care of itself.
And they say milk is good for your bones because of the calcium. You want to talk marketing, there ya go. Heck they use to bring it right to your door.
Considering that, you may want to run some tests to see if the vitamin D in your milk glaze is using the calcium before it even gets to see the fire, effectively ELIMINATING the additional flux you THOUGHT you were adding to the glaze.
You might be making your glaze acetic, only to have it neutralize itself.
With the calcium gone now you need a higher top temperature to compensate for the lack of flux.
Just a thought.
Hope you got some litmus test strips left.
Koz
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Post by tileman2 on Jul 24, 2015 10:30:31 GMT -6
Koz:
Every time I come up with an inventive way to fire crystalline; somebody points out the technical issues. So now I am going to start drinking the whiting; for extra calcium. Then have a dose of lithium: all this bad news is depressing. I have a years supply of Viagra (1 pill), might as well throw that in to see if it grows anything. If that does not work; then it is plan B: negotiate a contract with a Chinese plant to produce my pieces for 25 cents on the dollar and quadruple my profit margins. Which by the way that has already been done: has just not reached America yet- but it will.
TiO2
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Post by Koz on Jul 24, 2015 13:43:45 GMT -6
TiO2,
Well that's what the forum is all about when it comes to technical issues. We gotta keep each other on track man! We're all in the same Jungle hackin' our own path in search of the River.
Your supplement ideas are worthy of a good try. Heck, what could possibly go wrong?
I always have wondered how much stainless steel is in each batch of glaze I make in the blender. The blades do wear down and disappear slowly, so it's in there SOMEWHERE, right?
The Jungle Never Sleeps, and the River Waits for No One.
Koz
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Post by tileman2 on Jul 24, 2015 17:08:41 GMT -6
Koz:
A light bulb went off, no; my wife turned the can lights on. I have it figured out now: I am going to titrate my lithium with 7-up. I have been searching for the perfect un-crystal: it has to work.
TiO2
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Post by tileman2 on Jul 27, 2015 17:11:59 GMT -6
Koz:
Now I can officially disclose why I am testing several different varities of ZNO. Had sent several emails out to distributors, and to Zoechem and Horsehead looking for confirmation that Cerox 506 was going to be discontinued. Here is a cut and paste from one email I just opened:
"In regards to Horsehead…Horsehead purchased ZoChem, expanded their Ontario location, and closed the Pennsylvania location where Kadox and Cerox were produced. Their intention is to convert everyone to ZoChem products; thus, whatever Horsehead products are out there, once that runs out, will no longer be in circulation. Hope this gives you a little more clarity on the situation."
Might want to investigate for yourself: but this is straight from the horseheads' mouth.
Tom
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Post by tileman2 on Jul 28, 2015 17:19:28 GMT -6
Part of email I received today from a supplier:
"Some news about Zinc. The Horsehead 506 is no longer available."
Tom
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Post by tileman2 on Jan 20, 2016 23:56:43 GMT -6
My wholesaler forwarded an email from Laguna today (1-20-2016): the inventory of Cerox 506 will be depleted shortly. No further inventory is available, and Cerox 506 will be replaced with Maximo 910 from Zinc Nacional out of Mexico. Cerox 506 was a highly calcined French process zinc and Maximo 910 is an American process yellow zinc milled from sphalerite. Thought you all would want to know. There might be other sources and additional inventory left at wholesale houses: but it looks like Cerox 506 will be gone in a few months.
Tom
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Post by jfox on Jan 21, 2016 9:43:20 GMT -6
the maximo i use is 417(i think)i dont know what process but its white and never hardens up and works good and its cheap ,hope nothing happens to it.i get it from Mike at pacific coast chemicals in Berkeley for $2.13 on 3 bags
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