TROUBLESHOOTING

PC- 9 Vintage Gold

Vintage Gold is a specialty glaze that can give dramatic metallic crystalline results when used correctly. Below find suggestions for the best results.

HOW IT WORKS:

Vintage Gold is a glossy metallic glaze which develops small triangular gold crystals with dark haloes like a glittering patina. This opaque glaze does not break over texture.

A dramatic glaze for sculptural or non-functional work.

LET'S FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WRONG.

STILL NOT GETTING ACCURATE RESULTS? LET'S TALK BISQUE

#1 APPLICATION

Thickness of application can affect the appearance of the metallic glaze. If the glaze is translucent or dark with no crystal growth it may be too thin.

Application

Bisque

#2 BISQUE TEMPERATURE

The temperature to which your ware was bisqued can have an affect on the final piece. We recommend a bisque between cone 08 and cone 03, though a bisque as low as cone 010 will work.

LETS TALK CLAY BODIES

Clay

#3 CLAY BODY

The metallics do best on a clay body that isn’t fully vitrified in the glaze firing. Clay body color doesn’t seem to make a difference.

LETS EVALUATE FIRING TEMPS

#4 FIRING TEMPERATURE

The metallics do best at cone 6 but should be lovely even at cone 5.

STILL NOT RIGHT? TRY A DIFFERENT FIRING SCHEDULE.

Cone 5

Cone 6

Firing temp

#5 FIRING SCHEDULE

Most of our firings are done on a medium speed with no hold and no slow cooling schedule. We tested two alternate firings and found they reduced blistering in problem combinations.

Alternate Firing 1: long hold

Using the regular cone fire program (medium speed) we programmed a cone 5 firing with a 20-minute hold, giving a cone 6 (cone 6 was bent to 3 o'clock).

Alternate Firing 2: slow ramp/hold with drop hold

Popularized by Camille Hoffman, this program was created by Skutt to reduce pinholing and blisters.