BY VINCE PITELKA
It has been ten years since I’ve written
on this subject, so I think it’s time for a
recap and update ... In most ceramics
programs or community studios, we
often find only minimal tools and
equipment for glazing. Your work
will benefit greatly if you have the
proper gear.
Shop Talk I Tool Times
Tools for Glaze Mixing
and Application
Tools for Mixing Glazes
In this section, I am not addressing
tools for mixing glazes from scratch,
but rather those for bringing a glaze
into suspension when it’s been
sitting for a while. Occasionally you
come across one tool that works so
much better than any other available,
and that’s the case with the JiffyMixer model ES drill impeller-mixer
attachment (pictured, top right).
We occasionally encounter a glaze
that settles rock-hard and even
the Jiffy Mixer won’t touch it. Such
a glaze needs to be adjusted or
abrade down through hardest
settled glaze. Be forewarned that
it will go right through the bottom
of your glaze bucket if you’re not
careful. Hanson impeller mixers
are available from Axner and other
ceramic suppliers.
For the best efficiency with any
impeller mixer attachment, use
a plug-in 3/8" VSR (variable-speed
reversible) electric drill rather than
a cordless, and get one with a high
top speed. Stick with quality brands
like Makita, Bosch, Ryobi, Dewalt,
Hitachi, etc. The Bosch 1006VSR is
only $55 and has a top speed of 2600
RPM, far faster than most cordless
drills, and you don’t have to worry
about whether the battery is charged.
If you routinely mix glazes and slips
or need to blend recycled slurry, get
a good VSR drill and a Jiffy Mixer
Hanson Plunge Mixer
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CLAYTIMES·COM n 20TH ANNIVERSARY • AUTUMN / WINTER 2015
You’ll find a variety of inexpensive
impeller mixers at the home
improvement superstore, but the
cheap ones with the “quick spiral”
are far less effective and will splatter
glaze in your face if you go full speed
on your drill. The Jiffy Mixer ES costs
$50, but it’s all stainless steel, and an
examination of the “cage” structure
reveals that it moves material up,
down, and in from the side. It’s the
only design that removes stiffened
glaze from the sides of a bucket as
well as from the bottom, and it does
so without any risk of abrading into
the bucket itself. Jiffy mixers are
available from amazon and some
ceramic suppliers.
reformulated, but in the meantime,
the Hanson Casting #003 plunge
mixer attachment (pictured below)
has nubs on the bottom that will
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