Beachcomber Glaze Flight Application Instructions
Congratulations on your new glazes!
We're so happy you're trying our new Beachcomber glaze flight! This set includes our Speckled Ivory, Molasses, Blue Satin, Green Satin, Moss Black, and Metallic Brown glazes. These are all mid-range glazes, and should be used on mid-range clay and fired to cone 4-6. We hope you have many happy hours in the studio experimenting with these glazes individually and in combination.
For best results, follow the instructions below.
Preparing to glaze your piece
Before any glaze hits your pottery, there are a few things you need to consider.

The first thing to consider is your choice of clay. For best results, use a mid-range clay with the Beachcomber glazes. We know all six of the glazes work well with our mid-range clays, but if you're using a different clay body, it’s best to test-fire your clay and glaze before you glaze large batches of pottery.
Apply the glazes to bisqueware (pottery that has been fired to cone 08 to 06). Always clean bisqueware before glazing, because glaze adheres best to clean, dry pottery. A damp sponge works great, and allows your pottery will dry quickly. Don't submerge your pottery in water or rinse it under running water. Allow it to dry before beginning to glaze.
The bottom of each piece must be glaze-free, because any glaze on the bottom of the piece will melt in the kiln and fuse your piece to the shelf. After you have finished glazing, it is important to check the bottom of each piece. If there is any glaze, use a damp sponge to wipe it off. Alternately, a layer of wax resist can be applied prior to glazing to reduce the amount of glaze that sticks to your piece. Even if you have applied wax resist, you should still check the bottoms for residual glaze.
How to mix your glaze (remember to mix well!)
Your Beachcomber glazes come in pint containers and can therefore be shaken (very thoroughly!) in the container to mix. Speckled Ivory and Moss Black contain particulates that must be distributed well for best results, so be sure to mix them extremely well.

When mixing glazes, it is important to pay attention to the consistency of the glaze. Glazes should be a “skim milk” consistency, in other words, quite thin. You may need to add a bit of water to your glaze if it seems thick when you take it out of the container. Always mix it thoroughly first, and if it still looks thick, add water sparingly. Often, mixing the glaze is all that is needed to make it the right consistency. Keeping the lid of your glaze container tightly closed will help reduce evaporation.
You will want to glaze the inside of your pottery first. If you glaze the outside first, your chances of leaving marks and messing up the outside of your piece will go way up. To glaze the inside of a piece, pour the glaze into the internal area and rotate the piece to cover the entire interior. Pour the remaining glaze back into your container. Allow the piece to dry before moving on to the outside. You'll be able to tell it's dry when the glaze no longer has any shine.
How to brush on glaze
Brushing is the most common method for applying glaze to small items, as well as for creating detailed designs on larger pieces.
When brushing on glaze, you should use a nice soft brush that can hold a good amount of glaze. Hake and sumi brushes hold the extra glaze that is needed to cover pottery more evenly. Fan brushes also have the ability to cover large areas smoothly and evenly.
It is also a good idea to have two bowls with water and sponges in them. The sponges help get the glaze off your brush. Always use the first bowl for initial cleaning, then the second cleaning bowl as a rinse.
When brushing on glaze, it is important to apply three coats of glaze and alternate the

direction of your brush strokes with each coat. For instance, your first coat can be horizontal and your second diagonal, and the third vertical. Applying three coats in this way will even out the thickness of the glaze and will help get rid of streak marks.
Make sure your glaze is dry between applying each coat. It is dry when the glaze shifts from glossy and saturated to a dry, chalky appearance, usually just a few minutes. Don’t wait too long between coats, though; extended drying can cause poor adhesion and crawling of the glaze in the final fire. The more layers you apply, the longer you’ll have to wait before applying another coat. Once again, you will be able to tell that the glaze is dry when it loses all its sheen.
How to pour glaze
If you choose to pour your glaze rather than brush it on, use a ladle or a container with a pour spout (like a pitcher) for better control of the glaze as you pour. You should pour the glaze onto the piece over a large container to catch the glaze that runs off your piece. If your glaze is on the runny side, pour the glaze with your piece upside down, as more glaze will therefore build up at the top of your piece (the side facing down while you pour). Excessive glaze at the bottom of a piece risks it sticking to the kiln shelf.

Turn your piece as you pour to completely cover the desired surface. You will only need to pour on one layer of glaze to get even coverage. If a glaze drips on an area that has already been glazed, or if there is too much glaze in one spot, resist the temptation to wipe it off while it's wet. Any extra glaze on your pottery is best taken care of after the glaze is dry. If the glaze is still wet when you try to remove it, you will most likely remove too much or smudge it, and that will show in your finished product.
After your glaze is completely dry, you can use a clean-up tool, metal rib, or sandpaper to carefully remove any extra glaze. (When scraping or sanding, dry glaze dust is created. Don’t forget to wear your dust mask.)
Once your piece is ready to go, fire it to cone 4-6 (2167 - 2232º F).
We hope you enjoy your new glazes. Have fun!