Quartz Frit Paste Recipe. 2 QF

Suggested firing temperature 980'C.(1796'F.)

Quartz Frit Paste Recipe. 3 QF

Suggested firing temperature 980'C.(1796'F.)

Suggested firing temperature 940'C.(1724'F.)

The consistency of the paste should be like putty, and is fairly easy to handle. It can be dried on boards without losing soda. The paste may have a tendency to become sticky if it becomes warm through excessive handling, or by leaving it in a warm place.

It may be found more satisfactory to use a fritted soda material such as high alkaline frit in place of PART of the soda ash. Doing this would cut down the amount of leaching out and it would tend to cause the body to flux more and become more richly coloured if colourant oxides are added to the body. Do some experiments.

Additions of 5% of fine white grog or molochite can strengthen the body and give it a grainy quality.

COLOURANTS :

Blue/green/turquoise: Copper oxide or carbonate from 2-6% Persian Blue 10% Copper carbonate. + 0.5% Cobalt carbonate.

Blue generally Cobalt can be added in amounts as low

as 0.25% for pale blues. 1% will give

a deep bright blue

Pink 0.2% Manganese dioxide(in some recipes)

Deep Purple 2% Manganese dioxide

Yellow 0.5% Chromic oxide

Apple green 1-2% Chromic oxide

Other metallic oxides can be tried as also can all the body stains, though they vary in their effectiveness.

MAKING - SOME SUGGESTIONS:

Until you become experienced stick to simple small shapes. Work quickly, only handle while plastic. Shapes are usually modelled or press-moulded. Try pressing from LIGHTLY oiled small metal or wooden shapes - cookie moulds in the kitchen? Press quickly, then allow to dry. Use cutters and stamps to make and decorate small tiles. Roll into tiny balls and string on a few inches of kiln element wire and suspend between two small kiln props for drying and firing.

DRYING & FIRING:

Avoid rubbing or touching the object when it is drying, as the whitish powder which forms on the exposed parts is the glaze! Allow the air to reach as much of the surface of the body as possible to prevent any patchiness or dry mat surfaces. In some cases drying on stilts and firing on these may be needed. Frit paste beads can be threaded onto heat resistant nichrome element wire before dry and fired on the wire. Remember, the parts of the object which are not exposed to the air when drying will not be glazed. For example the underside of any paste object or pot will not be glazed unless it is dried on three dots, stilts or open wire mesh.

The paste should be very dry before firing otherwise there is the possibility of flaking and in general it is best to fire as high as possible without destroying the colour, usually to about 940-960'C.(1724-1760'F. Do a series of tests to find the temperature which produces the quality of surface and colour you prefer. In a small kiln you can switch off, extract a sample with tongs, close door and switch on to continue heating. Repeat over a range of about 100'C.or 200'F. Choose the example you prefer and fire to that temperature next time.