Ceramic Recipes FAQs Sarah Barnes

Instructions

Ceramic Recipes FAQ

Please visit the Take a Tour page to make sure your question is not answered there.

Can I access CeramicRecipes.org on my mobile device? Yes, the site is fully responsive for all mobile browsers, so you can use it on your phone or tablet in the studio. You can use all the functionality, including uploading your own recipes (it even hooks right into your device’s camera to add photos to your recipes).

How do I get advice on my glazes? The Ceramic Arts Network site hosts a very robust forum with a section dedicated to the discussion of glaze technology.

How can I tell if a material is toxic or not? We recommend you err on the side of caution and treat all ceramic materials as toxic in their raw state. Always wear a respirator when handling them. Some, like heavy metals, are toxic in relatively small amounts because of their chemical properties, while others may be considered toxic only in larger amounts or through exposure over time. For instance, clay contains silica, which can contribute to the chronic condition of silicosis; it’s not going to happen in a few weeks—or even months—but you need to wear your respirator anyway.

How can I tell if a glaze is food safe or not? The only way to truly know if the glaze that you have made and fired is food safe and is not leaching any materials during use after firing is to perform tests on your own as well as have it tested professionally at a lab. Check out this article in the reference section for more information and resources.

I tried one of these glazes, and it doesn’t look like the picture! First, be sure you understand what atmosphere, firing temperature or cone, and specific materials are listed as part of the recipe. As with all things ceramic, we are dealing with natural materials that have geologic variations in the mines themselves, and so testing small batches at first is very important. Also, different sized kilns will heat and cool at different rates, which can dramatically affect some glaze results. Other factors to consider are the density of the kiln load (the number of pieces being fired and the amount of space left between items and between kiln shelves can affect atmosphere as well as heating and cooling rates), the presence of minerals in the water used to mix the glaze, and application technique and thickness.

How do I use the downloadable files for glaze calculation? Once you click on the file for your glaze-calculation software and it downloads, do the following:

Insight (.xml file): Open Insight and select File>Import and browse to the recipe file to select it. Hyperglaze (.hgz file): Open Hyperglaze, hold down the alt/option key while selecting File>Import>Hyperglaze File. Browse to where the file downloaded and select it. Glazemaster (.tab file): Open Glazemaster, click the “Add/Import Recipes” button, browse to the recipe file, and match the field names when prompted. For subsequent recipes, simply select “Last Import Order.”

I see what I think is a mistake in one of the recipes. What do I do? Please email support@ceramicrecipes.org with the full URL of the recipe and the necessary update information. Our staff will update as soon as possible.

What if it’s one of my own recipes that I uploaded? If you have not yet shared the recipe with the community, simply click the “edit” button at the top of the recipe page. If you have shared it, only site administrators can edit it—but we’re pretty fast! Email support@ceramicrecipes.org with the full URL of the recipe and the necessary update information.

I am getting logged out of the site when I try to navigate. What’s wrong? We use browser cookies to verify the users access rights. Cookies must be enabled for the site to function properly. Additionally, it is possible to have a conflict if a previous session was not terminated properly. The best way to correct this problem is as follows: 1.    Log out of the site if you are logged in. 2.    Make sure cookies are enabled in your browser (in your browser preferences). 3.    Clear the cookies from your browser (not your history, though it won’t hurt). 4.    Quit the browser. 5.    Re-open the browser and login normally. These steps should solve the problem.