Why this book is needed -- What do we mean by stable or durable glazes? Is that different from "food safe" glazes? -- The Seger Unity formula and its relevance to our work -- Basics of glazing and firing -- Safety first -- Purchase and storage of glaze chemicals -- Weighing and mixing -- Glaze suspension (flocculents and deflocculents) -- Bisque preparation : bisque firing; cleaning; glaze resists -- Applying glazes -- Firing: loading; rate of firing and cooling -- Testing glazes for stability and fit -- Testing for resistance to acids : in-studio testing; quantitative testing by a professional testing laboratory; interpretation of results -- Testing for resistance to alkalis -- Testing for resistance to thermal shock (clay/glaze fit) -- Testing for resistance to knife marking -- Testing for wear and scratch resistance -- Testing for suitability for use in a microwave oven -- Making a stable glaze -- Rule 1. Have enough silica -- Rule 2. Have enough alumina -- Rule 3. Thoroughly melt the glaze -- Rule 4. Use moderate levels of colorants and opacifiers -- Guideline 1; guideline 2; guideline 3 -- What about limit formulas? -- Fitting glazes to your clay body -- Understanding crazing, dunting and shivering : crazing; shivering or dunting -- Determining clay/glaze fit for your materials -- Understanding dilatometer measurements -- Expansion test glazes and how to use them -- Interpreting calculated and measured expansion numbers -- Are calculated expansion numbers useful? -- Expansion test glazes -- Stoneware and porcelain glazes -- Base glazes: high calcium matte/semimatte glazes; general purpose glassy base glazes; glossy base glaze 2; a clear, glossy liner glaze; a zinc semimatte/glossy base glaze -- Specialty glazes : a chrome/tin pink glossy glaze; waxwing brown; waterfall brown; a cone 6 "maiolica" glaze; alumina and magnesia matte glazes -- Developing your own glazes -- Glossy versus matte -- Level of transparency/opacity -- Solid color versus variegated glazes -- Ron's approach to glaze development -- John's approach to glaze development.
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