A_Base was a glaze from my UCLA days that is still a favourite with students at the U. of M. where I was teaching. I cringe every time one of them tells me they are using it still. For me A_Base has gone from dependable to nightmare. Due to some change in the composition of the ingredients, it no longer fits some of the better porcelain bodies. It shivers on the edges. This has caused significant losses for me. I had to destroy an enormous amount of work because of the shivering. A loss of both time and money.
I reformulated the glaze to fit grolleg type porcelain (in my case Laguna Babu). It is just as shiny and bright as A but without the shivering. I increased the feldspar by 7.5 and then rebalanced the total recipe back to 100. To avoid confusion, I am giving this new variation the name of E_Base.
If you are using A_Base, check your edges closely. Run your fingers over the rims and handles. Does the glaze feel rough where it pulls from the edge? Try looking through a magnifier. If you see sharp edges where the glaze pulls back, you should make the switch.
E_Base Cone 9-10
G200 Feldspar 32.5
Whiting 18.2
EPK 18.6
Flint 30.7
If I were mixing to dip, I would add 2% Bentonite.
For brushing I would add 1.5 grams of the brushing media per 100 grams dry. I gave up on CMC because it rots so quickly. Liking the Laguna Brushing Media a lot better. Water content should be kept to .7 of the dry weight of the batch for the brushing media to work properly. Too much water causes problems.
