BORAX Q

rodney · Post by **rodney** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 2:40 am

im wondering about the borax, for devit,
when applying it,
does more mean better or is light coating enough
thanks
rodney

Tony Serviente · Post by **Tony Serviente** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 9:35 am

I mist it on with a spray bottle. Just a light coating is all it takes. Heavier is not better, but I haven't see it hurt either.

Nancy Juhasz · Post by **Nancy Juhasz** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 9:40 am

HI Rodney, I wish you better luck with Borax solution than I have ever had. I made the solution 1 cut water to 1 teaspoon Borax (20 Mule Team) it didn't work. Changed the water to distilled water still didn't work, added a couple drops of liquid Dawn still didn't work. I decided that brushing it on with a small brush wasn't the way so put it into a spray bottle still didn't work so went to the airbrush nope still doesn't work. I get little blotchy things all over the piece. It looks like loepard spots but all the same color. Now my only thought is that the firing temp isn't hot enough. I did go as high as 1475 which is what a fuse at most of the time. Good luck with the stuff. I will be watching this thread closely. Nanc

Tony Serviente · Post by **Tony Serviente** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 9:50 am

Nanc-Was it irid glass you were using it on? Did you clean it well before the borax? Also, did you get the straight borax. I have been using it for many years with very good results. Biggest problem with the spray bottle is that it goes out of solution in the spray mechanism, and it is a trial to get it going again. Work around this by doing a fresh water flush after use, and reheating the bottle contents in a microwave. I don't use detergent, just tap water and borax.

Bert Weiss · Post by **Bert Weiss** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 12:18 pm

Tony Serviente wrote:Nanc-Was it irid glass you were using it on? Did you clean it well before the borax? Also, did you get the straight borax. I have been using it for many years with very good results. Biggest problem with the spray bottle is that it goes out of solution in the spray mechanism, and it is a trial to get it going again. Work around this by doing a fresh water flush after use, and reheating the bottle contents in a microwave. I don't use detergent, just tap water and borax.

Tony

The dish soap keeps it from beading up.

Nanc I don't understand your problem, but is sounds like temp, except that 1400 should gloss it. Maybe too heavy or uneven application??

Make sure the borax does not also contain detergent. Too much could cause issues for sure.

Tony Serviente · Post by **Tony Serviente** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 1:16 pm

Bert-I know detergent is a surfactant, but for my work there is no difference with and without. Sometimes, when it's late- I want to get the kiln loaded, and the last person to use the borax didn't flush the bottle so it's plugged tight, I have even resorted to filling a cup with water, throwing borax in, mixing it up, and applying it by flinging it from my finger tips. The other method could have been spraying it by mouth, but decided that might impair my ability to enjoy a glass of wine later. Don't do the fling thing regularly, but got surprisingly good results.

Bert Weiss · Post by **Bert Weiss** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 5:37 pm

Tony Serviente wrote:Bert-I know detergent is a surfactant, but for my work there is no difference with and without. Sometimes, when it's late- I want to get the kiln loaded, and the last person to use the borax didn't flush the bottle so it's plugged tight, I have even resorted to filling a cup with water, throwing borax in, mixing it up, and applying it by flinging it from my finger tips. The other method could have been spraying it by mouth, but decided that might impair my ability to enjoy a glass of wine later. Don't do the fling thing regularly, but got surprisingly good results.

I have often used the mouth atomizer. I have also used a sponge brush and a paper towel. Lately I haven't been using it and have been getting clean glass.

Tony Serviente · Post by **Tony Serviente** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 5:46 pm

I like the sponge brush idea. Something that I think I've observed, is that devit is inhibited even with an uneven application of borax. I know a retired scientist who specialized in growing crystals in a lab, and he has reported this phenomena, albeit not in glass. When free time is more abundant, I would like to do a series of tests to see if I can quantify this. I hope I live that long!

Nancy Juhasz · Post by **Nancy Juhasz** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 8:38 pm

Hi Tony and Bert, Borax is 20 Muel Team and yes my glass was clean. I have no idea. Like I said I have done everything by the book and board and get lousy reuslts. I am going to do a few tests this winter since my show season is over and see if I can resolve the problem. I would much rather use borax than any of the other anti-devit remedies. Hey maybe it is the kiln gods that just don't like me.