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200 mesh Western Bentonite Available by the pound or in full bag quantities for best pricing. The full bag from the mine is a 50# bag; brown bag, blue text Volclay, Bentonite
Western Bentonite (sodium bentonite) is most frequently used by potters and is the only type Bracker's carries. Southern Bentonite (calcium bentonite) is not available at Bracker's, but can be found at some metal casting foundry suppliers.
Bentonite is a very fine material that originates from the decomposition of volcanic ash. It is used in clay, slip, and glaze recipes to increase plasticity and suspend materials in slurries. It will also work as a binder and strengthen the clay body in the green and dry stages. In casting slip, bentonite is imperative to getting the slip to dry and pull away from the plaster walls of the mold without tearing.
Bentonite should be mixed with water outside of the mixture and then added in to ensure proper combination.
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database and The Potter's Dictionary of Materials and Techniques by Frank Hamer.
The full bag from the manufacturer is a 50# bag; white bag, black text Marblewhite
Calcium Carbonate, commonly referred to as whiting, is a stable and insoluble material of calcium used to introduce calcia to clay bodies and glazes. This material is used by many different industries, but the calcium carbonate made for the ceramic industry will be the only one that will work properly in clay and glazes. Sometimes used in low fire clay bodies to reduced fired shrinkage and act as a whitener!
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database and The Potter's Dictionary of Materials and Techniques by Frank Hamer.
Soda Ash, also known as sodium carbonate, is a pure and calcined deflocculant. It can be used by itself or in conjunction with sodium silicate to deflocculate glaze and slips.
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database.
Dolomite is a high temperature flux and crystallizer used in glazes. This material does not reach its full potential as a flux until 2138°F (between cone 4 and 5). In glazes with a lot of dolomite, crystalline effects will appear during cooling.
50# bag; brown bag, blue text Limestone and Specialty Minerals
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database and The Potter's Dictionary of Materials and Techniques by Frank Hamer.
Spodumene is a natural source of lithium oxide used in bodies and glazes to introduce lithia, alumina, and silica. Lithium oxide is used because it reduces thermal expansion, melting temperature, and viscosity of the glaze melt.
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database and The Potter's Dictionary of Materials and Techniques by Frank Hamer.
Why did the price of Spodumene skyrocket?We don't have any information at this time except that a very large price increase was just passed along to us. We will update this page with more information as we receive it.
Strontium Carbonate is the slightly soluble carbonate version of Strontium Oxide. Strontium Carbonate is commonly used in glaze recipes.
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database.
Gerstley Borate is no longer being mined, the amount that we have in stock is the last of what is avaliable to us. Gillespie Borate is the substitute for this Gerstley Borate. When we run out of Gerstley we will NO LONGER HAVE ANY TO SELL.
Gerstley Borate is a natural material that is used as a melter in glazes. The material begins to melt at low temperatures, becoming a clear gloss by cone 06. Along with being an excellent melter, Gerstley is very plastic and is able to suspend glazes. Because of this, it is very common to see a glaze recipe with Gerstley Borate that has no clay content. However, the material contains little to no Alumina Oxide, which is essential in a glaze.
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database .
Veegum-T is a material used as in glaze recipes and clay bodies. In glazes, it is used as a suspender and thickener. In clay bodies, it is used as a plasticizer. When adding this material to a glaze slurry, it is very imporant that it is mixed with water before adding it to the rest of the materials. Improper hydration and variations in mixing conditions (water temperature, amount of water, time mixing, mixing power, etc) can produce varied results in glazes.
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database.
Volcanic Ash, also known as pumice, as tiny particles of volcanic glass, mined from material that has been sent into the air by an erupting volcano and then settled on the ground in layers. This material is non-cystalline because of its fast cool when it is created. It is used for its melting properties, instead of melting it will soften over a range of temperatures. Volcanic ash has varying chemistry and make up, sometimes enough to change the way a glaze containing this material works.
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database.
Wollastonite is a low temperature, white material with needle like crystals. These crystal reinforce mechanical strength and durability while reducing shrinkage and heat distortion.
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database.
This kiln wash is suitable to protect your shelves in any firing UP TO Cone 10. Kiln wash is applied to kiln shelves to protect them from glaze drips. On a washed shelf, drips can be easily removed without gouging or marring the kiln shelf. This kiln wash is used successfully at all temperatures to Cone 10. Mix the kiln wash with water to a thin cream consistency. Apply only one coat at a time. Use a wide paintbrush or utility brush (a 2” - 3” wide, soft-bristle brush generally works best). Three individually fired-on coats of kiln wash are preferable. You may fire bisque or unglazed ware for the first two firings, but your shelves will not be completely protected against glaze drips until 3 coats have been applied. Most potters kiln wash only the tops of their kiln shelves. We discourage applying kiln wash to both sides of your shelf, but if you do, carefully check each shelf when loading to prevent kiln wash from flaking off and dropping onto your ware. When you’re applying kiln wash to your shelves for the first time, it helps to dampen the top of your shelves with a wet sponge or a water-filled spray bottle first. This makes the kiln wash go on easier and more evenly. If you notice that your kiln wash is flaking off, use a paint scraper (or something similar) to remove any loose bits, then reapply kiln wash. If glaze drips onto your shelf, use the paint scraper to pop the glaze drip off and clean up any loose flakes around the area, then dab some more kiln wash in the bare spot. COVERAGE EXAMPLE: furniture kits for a 10-sided kiln with the equivalent of 3 layers of kiln shelves, we include 2# of kiln wash. This is sufficient kiln wash to mix up and cover 3 full coats. You should also have extra dry kiln wash for later touch-ups in the future. We typically have 1# bags, 2# bags, and 5# bags already weighed out and available in our retail store for walk-in customers.
Limited supply available. In 2021, the talc mine was closed for commercial sales.
50# bag; white bag, red and blue printing, AMTAL C-92 printed on side
Alberta Slip Substitute is the 1:1 alternative to Albany Clay. Albany Clay was mined in the region of Albany, New York and could be used as a glaze on it's own, creating yellow, blacks, and browns in cone 10 reduction. Alberta Slip Substitute is more plastic than Albany, causing shrinking and cracking while drying and crazing when fired.
Information gathered from digitalfire.com and The Potter's Dictionary of Materials and Techniques by Frank Hamer.
Alumina Hydrate is the hydrated form of alumina, used to give fluidity to glazes. Too little in glazes causes them to run and too much causes them to pinhole. The hydrated version of alumina alows the material to suspend better in the mixed glaze and adhere to ceramic.
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database and The Potter's Dictionary of Materials and Techniques by Frank Hamer.
Alumina (properly called aluminum oxide) powder as used in ceramics can be a white granular material (like table salt) or an exceptionally fine silky white and dense powder (depending on the type and processing method).
In clay, alumina causes a flat crystal and gives the clay plasticity. In glaze, alumina stabilizes the fluxes and glass formers and affects the stiffness of the glaze when it is being fired. Too little of alumina has the glaze run but too much has the glaze pinhole and or crater.
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database and The Potter's Dictionary of Materials and Techniques by Frank Hamer.
***Please note**** Lithium prices have skyrocketed due to so many technology items in our society that use lithium ion batteries. It is in high demand which means it's cost is just going to keep going up. We're very sorry but it's out of our control.
Lithium Carbonate is a powerful melter and used in many reactive glazes to brighten and whiten the mixture. This material will also lower thermal expansion which will sometimes lead to shivering in a glaze. It is slightly soluble and can deflocculate a glaze slurry, making it not need as much water.
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database.
Barium Carbonate can be used in clay and glaze recipes. In clay, it can be used to reduce scumming on bisque ware. In glaze, it can work as a refractory filler, opacifier and matting agent. Barium carbonate is most commonly used for it's ability to create barium crystals in glaze, which are affected by kiln temperature and cooling.
This is a blend of minerals that closely simulates Barnard (Blackbird) Clay, a widely used clay that contains iron and manganese. Barnard clay has been used as a source of iron in dark firing glazes. It has a low plasticity and a high shrinkage rate. because it is a clay, it suspends very nicely in slurries it is added to. This is incredibly messy and will stain everything it comes into contact with!
Information from the Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database
Manganese Carbonate is the carbonate source of manganese oxides in clay bodies and glaze recipes. Mangenese oxides produce blacks, browns, and purples in glazes. The carbonate form of the oxide will help the color disperse better within the applied glaze, leading to a more uniform color.
Information gathered from The Potter's Dictionary of Materials and Techniques by Frank Hamer.
Bone ash is a material made from ground, calcined cattle bone that is used as a flux in clay bodies and an opacifier in glazes. Di-Calcium Bone ash is the natural form of bone ash, almost always being used for raku purposes.
Information gathered from The Potter's Dictionary of Materials and Techniques by Frank Hamer.
Tri-Calcium Bone Ash is the synthetic form of bone ash. While Di Calcium Bone ash is used primarily in raku glazes, Tri-Calcium is used in primarily all other kinds of glaze recipes. Bone ash is ground, calcined bone used as a flux in clay bodies and an opacifier in glazes.
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database.
Borax, sold here as a granular borax, is used as a source of boric acid in glazes. This material can be used as a flux in glaze and slips for low temperatures.
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database and The Potter's Dictionary of Materials and Techniques by Frank Hamer.
Boric Acid is a boron material that originates around hot springs in Italy. This material is used in preparing boro-silicate frits. It is especially useful in fast fire frits, because of their need for low sodium.
CMC Gum is a material that can be added to glazes to make them adhere better and slows drying. CMC Gum is used in many different applications in ceramics, most common being its use in brushing glazes. The powdered gum is nearly impossible to properly disperse in water, meaning adding it directly to a glaze is not as effective. To correctly mix the gum into a slurry, a gum solution should be made. This can be done by boiling water and the powder and mixing it vigorously with a mechanical mixer. Then to add it into your glaze, replace some of the water with the gum solution. Different glazes require different amounts to work correctly.
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database.
Also known as: Pegmatite. Graven. Gowen. Manx stone. Meldon stone. Growan. Petuntse. Amakusa.Cornwall Stone is a not a single material, but a mixture mined from igneous rock, making it a mix of different components including feldspar, quartz, kaolinite, mica, and a small amount of feldspar. Because of the material's kaolinite content, it responds well to flocculation and deflocculation in glaze slurries and will help glazes adhere to bisque, prior to firing.
Cornwall Stone is primarily used as a flux in clay bodies and glazes. It is often used as a substitute for feldspar because it can introduce different alkalis into the glaze like potash, calcia, magnesia, and soda.
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database and The Potter's Dictionary of Materials and Techniques by Frank Hamer.
PV Clay or Plastic Vitrox Clay is a mineral made of clay, mica, feldspar, and silica used in clay and glaze recipes. It has high silica content, casting proerties, low iron, long firing range, and low loss on ignition. This material will vitrify around cone 6 but turn white closer to cone 10. Its color and working properties have made people describe it as "nature's pure porcelain".
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database
The original 50# bag is light tan and says PRO-TECH (no markings to identify that it's PV Clay or Plastic Vitrox)
Pyrotrol (Pyrophyllite) is a low expansion material that will lower the shrinkage of the other materials around it. It will also make clay bodies stronger as it encourages the growth of mullite in the body.
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database
Ravenscrag Slip Clay is a material that can be added to glaze slurries or used as a cone 10 reduction glaze by itself. At cone 10 reduction, it fires to a silky transparent glaze that can be used as a base for colorants or other additives. When this material is added to a glaze slurry, it suspends the mixture as well as improving eveness of application, drying speed, and reduces shrinkage.
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database.
Nepheline Syenite is a powerful flux used in many clay bodies and glaze recipes. While it is similar to feldspar in chemistries, Nepheline Syenite contains no quartz. This material is so loved because of its white color it adds to clay bodies and for its use in low temperature clay bodies to increase their thermal expansion.
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database.
Gillespie Borate is a man-made material that is a 1:1 substitute for Gerstley Borate, which was commonly used as a melter in glazes. This material is very similar to Gerstley although is does not contain all of the impurities that Gerstley did.
Information gathered from Digitalfire Ceramic Materials Database.
Precipitated calcium carbonate is an incredibly pure version of calcium carbonate. It becomes useful in glaze recipes where regular calcium carbonate will not work correctly.
