[Notchka]

When re-glazing an already glazed pot for a second firing, what helps the new glaze to stick so you have some control? If I try to re-glaze and the new stuff is fairly thin, I get bits of no cover and bits of streaks... Can you help?

[Marcia Selsor]

I have reglazed pieces with new glazes with a high clay /kaolin content. Mix them on the thick side. Some people heat the pot first.
It depends on the glaze in my opinion.
Your pot has been sealed in the first firing so that is the challenge. You could try painting the surface with hairspray or cornstarch or spray starch.
see if your glaze would stick to any of those.

Marcia

[Denice]

The only way I can think of is heating up your piece and dipping it in the glaze or maybe pouring it, that would be more difficult to get an even consistency. Denice

[Min]

I have had success with warming the pot up in a 200F oven then spraying glaze. The heat of the pot dries the sprayed glaze quickly so it is possible to spray a couple layers on before the pot cools down and prevents adhesion. If spraying isn't an option then a product called Apt ll also works. You mix a few drops into approx a cup of glaze, the APT ll thickens the glaze and also provides better adhesion to the pot, I have used APT ll with both spraying (large area), and brushing (small area around mug handles etc). If using either method then thicker than normal glaze to start with works better. With my clay/glazes I find I need to refire pots in a slightly cooler part of a kiln or else the original glaze that has already had heat work will be overfired.

Min

[TJR]

I concur. The only way to get glaze to stick is to heat the pot, run with it on tongs to your glaze bucket and dip it in[the pot], without catching your leg on sundry glaze buckets or carpet along the way.
In my opinion, it's really not worth the effort.
TJR.Good luck!

[Pres]

TJR, on 09 March 2013 - 02:13 PM, said:

I concur. The only way to get glaze to stick is to heat the pot, run with it on tongs to your glaze bucket and dip it in[the pot], without catching your leg on sundry glaze buckets or carpet along the way.
In my opinion, it's really not worth the effort.
TJR.Good luck!

I agree with TJR, in most cases reglazing is not worth the effort. However, when working with students, there are times that a broken heart is sometimes best avoided. I have had success with heating the pot up, and redipping, or after heating spraying the glaze on. I often use an atomizer to do this and try to dry the pot with a heat gun between coats. Takes time, and effort and I really would not want to redo a whole load.

[Marcia Selsor]

Sometimes when I have been glazing a lot and a glaze settles. I get the glaze on too thin. Next firing I will add a coat of glaze. I often do it without heating or without adding anything. I just dip it. I must use clazes with a high clay content because it sticks. I do use mostly matt glazes. Maybe that helps. But it is never a good idea to say the "Only " way to do something in ceramics as a few of us have discussed before.

Marcia

[OffCenter]

I'm sympathetic to Pres' agreeing with TJR's concurring except that sometimes it is worth it and methods other than heating work, too.

Jim

[Marcia Selsor]

I also agree with Pres. Teaching really makes one sympathetic to a student's attachment to their work.
I have repaired a lot of pieces with paper clay among other things in efforts to save their work.

Marcia

[Mark C.]

Most times the refired piece is not acceptable anyway after firing-but if you must I suggest warming the whole pot and dipping as noted above-let dry and do it again so the coating is two thin coats as each one will be very thin. Let dry and sponge foot off-you will need to handle very carefully as the glaze comes off very easy.
Mark

[AtomicAxe]

When I re-glaze or add to the glaze ... I will wet sand a piece with fine sand paper, let dry, spray with hair spray ... let dry. then re-glaze. helps a lot. remember, more surface area, easier it is to stick. heating works, but becomes a chore ... and if a piece fails the glazing process the first time ... I rather dislike working to make it work. Then again, if the piece has a glaze that I don't like .. i'm probably throwing an ash glaze on it next so I get the awesome runs and to try to wash out some of the crappy glaze that is on a piece.


Or I take a hammer to it and make another piece.

[Notchka]

Min, on 09 March 2013 - 04:59 PM, said:

I have had success with warming the pot up in a 200F oven then spraying glaze. The heat of the pot dries the sprayed glaze quickly so it is possible to spray a couple layers on before the pot cools down and prevents adhesion. If spraying isn't an option then a product called Apt ll also works. You mix a few drops into approx a cup of glaze, the APT ll thickens the glaze and also provides better adhesion to the pot, I have used APT ll with both spraying (large area), and brushing (small area around mug handles etc). If using either method then thicker than normal glaze to start with works better. With my clay/glazes I find I need to refire pots in a slightly cooler part of a kiln or else the original glaze that has already had heat work will be overfired.

Min

Thanks, for that. You make an excellent point with the temperature...

[Notchka]

TJR, on 09 March 2013 - 07:13 PM, said:

I concur. The only way to get glaze to stick is to heat the pot, run with it on tongs to your glaze bucket and dip it in[the pot], without catching your leg on sundry glaze buckets or carpet along the way.
In my opinion, it's really not worth the effort.
TJR.Good luck!

You conjure up a delightful slapstick scene here. As for it not being worth the effort, I see that somehow you have seen my piece ;-P and yes...I would probably agree! I am trying to make experiments, have all the time in the world, nothing better to do, so will have a go, using all the marvellous tips I am getting here. For which many thanks again! Lets hope for no broken legs!

[Notchka]

AtomicAxe, on 10 March 2013 - 09:38 PM, said:

When I re-glaze or add to the glaze ... I will wet sand a piece with fine sand paper, let dry, spray with hair spray ... let dry. then re-glaze. helps a lot. remember, more surface area, easier it is to stick. heating works, but becomes a chore ... and if a piece fails the glazing process the first time ... I rather dislike working to make it work. Then again, if the piece has a glaze that I don't like .. i'm probably throwing an ash glaze on it next so I get the awesome runs and to try to wash out some of the crappy glaze that is on a piece.


Or I take a hammer to it and make another piece.

I am liking the hammer thing a lot by now. This is a piece of sculpture which is in need of more depth somehow and I think that, if I can make glaze stick to some of the parts will look great, so all your tips are very welcome.

[AtomicAxe]

question. was the glaze an essential component you prepared for while sculpting? Is it a piece that could have done without glaze and just been painted?

Why not try to do some non-glazing techniques on it. you could probably do an oil patina on it or gold leaf to really make it pop. Heck, some good quality oil enamels on the piece in creative design work could really make a piece pop ... and it's not trying to stick more glaze on a piece in the hopes to make it work. Some of my sculptural work never gets a glaze ... still gets high fired to maturity ... but I use enamels, dry brushing techniques and afterwords will spray a protective clear coat on top. For the longest time I used automotive paints and clear coats, but really any good oil paint will do the same thing.

[Notchka]

AtomicAxe, on 12 March 2013 - 05:31 PM, said:

question. was the glaze an essential component you prepared for while sculpting? Is it a piece that could have done without glaze and just been painted?

Why not try to do some non-glazing techniques on it. you could probably do an oil patina on it or gold leaf to really make it pop. Heck, some good quality oil enamels on the piece in creative design work could really make a piece pop ... and it's not trying to stick more glaze on a piece in the hopes to make it work. Some of my sculptural work never gets a glaze ... still gets high fired to maturity ... but I use enamels, dry brushing techniques and afterwords will spray a protective clear coat on top. For the longest time I used automotive paints and clear coats, but really any good oil paint will do the same thing.

Thanks, X, you have a point: sometimes the common-sense approach has better results and I could explore other options... I'll think on your advice some more.