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Devitrification Spray
Although commercial sprays for preventing
devitrification are widely available under brand names such as Spray
"A" or Superspray, it's fairly easy to make your own solution.
There are several recipes for the spray, but
here's one that many people have tried. Most find that this
recipe works just as well as the commercial sprays. It's also
significantly less expensive to make.
To make the spray, you will need borax
(available from ceramic stores or in groceries that carry the 20
Mule Team borax brand of laundry detergent), either Thompson's
Klyr-fire or a dishwashing liquid (such as Dawn), and water
(distilled is best).
The ratio of the three ingredients is
1:1:16. For example, (and using US measurements) a large
quantity can be made by using one cup of borax, one cup of Klyr-fire
or dishwashing liquid, and one gallon of distilled water. A
small quantity can be made with one tablespoon borax, one tablespoon
Klyr-fire, and one cup water.
Start by mixing the borax with most of the
water. Warm (but not boiling) water is best. Let it
settle and cool, then pour the liquid into another clean container.
Dispose of the residue.
Next mix the Klyr-fire or dish detergent
with the remaining water. Add this to the borax/water mixture
and mix well.
That's it! To use, just brush
liberally on the top surface of the glass prior to firing. A foam
brush works well. Do not stir the mixture; instead, leave any
crystallized borax in the bottom of the container. If needed, wash
the brush with distilled water.
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Copyright 2005 Brad Walker.
All rights reserved.
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