The Best Glaze Mixing Accessories For Ceramic Studios

Originally published June 2020. Most recent update: September 2025.

Mixing your own glazes from scratch is cost-effective and allows you to customize glazes to suit your studio. Whether you are mixing a powdered glaze with water, or weighing each ingredient and starting from scratch, having the ability to mix glazes opens up possibilities in your studio. You don’t need a huge set up to get started, a few simple tools and buckets are all you need. Below are reviews of our favorite glaze-mixing accessosories.

This list includes:

• Drills

• Immersion Blenders

• Sieves and Strainers

• Dust Protection

• Mixer Blades

• Scales

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Drills

A drill is one of the most important glaze-mixing tools. Sure, you could get a big whisk or paddle and mix your glaze by hand, but….a drill is just easier and faster.

For a drill, my favorite is the Milwaukee M12 3/8” Drill. It’s compact, well built, and affordable. And it has enough power to mix a 5 gallon bucket and just enough power to mix 10 gallons of glaze. It’s also cordless, which I find easier to use in the studio but you do sacrifice some power and you have to recharge the battery and possibly, spend a bit extra on a second battery.

There are a lot of drill options out there, with all sorts of options, battery and cord styles. For more info, check out the Studio Manager Cordless Drill Review and our Corded Drill Review

Milwaukee M12 3/8” Drill Driver Kit with Charger and 1 Battery
$129 at Home Depot and Amazon

The Milwaukee M12 3/8” Drill.

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Immersion Blender

The Mueller immersion blender.

For small batches of glaze, especially test batches, an immersion blender is a great tool. They won’t mix more than a quart or 2 of glaze, but they really shine for mixing small amounts of glaze.

A great option for studio use is the Mueller 8 Speed Immersion Blender. It doesn’t have the most robust build quality, but at around $35, this is one of the more affordable immersion blenders on the market. If you think you’ll be using an immersion blender all the time, you might upgrade to something with a better build quality, or just consider using a regular drill.

Mueller 8 Speed Immersion Blender
$35

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Sieves and Strainers

A sieve is an important part of mixing glazes. A sieve insures that particles are broken up and that the ingredients are evenly distributed in the glaze. Proper mixing and straining also reduces glazes flaws, generally resulting in a more even glaze. If you are mixing glazes from dry powder or from scratch, you must run them through a sieve. Generally, I have a variety of sieves in the studio including a simple kitchen sieve, a smaller tea strainer, and specialized tools such as the Talisman Rotary Sieve.

The Talisman Rotary Sieve.

Talisman Rotary Sieve

The best tool for sieving glazes is the Talisman Rotary Sieve. This is a large, hand-cranked sieve that will fit over a 5 or 10 gallon bucket. It has three brushes which can be removed for cleaning (or replaced if worn out) and removable screens. This allows you to choose which size of mesh to screen your glaze. Typically, this is done somewhere between 80 to 120 mesh. The Talisman Rotary Sieve is expensive, usually $170-250, but it makes short work of the sieving process and the brush system helps break up smaller particles, resulting in a uniform glaze batch. It’s an incredibly well-built tool and if handled with respect, it will hold up for decades of use. Talisman Rotary Sieves are typically only available from speciality clay supply stores, so shop clay stores online or contact your local clay supplier.

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Talisman Test Sieve

Test Sieves

Another option, especially for glaze test batches, is a cup sieve such as the Talisman Test Sieve. These small sieves are stackable, come in a variety of mesh sizes from 5 to 250, and are really well built. Typically, screening your glaze at 40 mesh first and 80 mesh second will get the job done. Talisman sieves are 4 1/2 inches wide at the top and 3 1/4 inches wide on the bottom level.

If Talisman sieves aren’t available, the Labalpha 4 inch wide metal test sieves are great too.

Labalpha 4 inch wide metal test sieve.

Labalpha Metal Test Sieves or Talisman Test Sieves
$24 each at Amazon

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Cuisinart Fine Mesh Steel Strainer

Fine Mesh Steel Strainers

Another useful tool is a kitchen steel mesh strainer. These are not fine enough for a final glaze strain, but the wider mesh is still useful for quickly breaking up chunks of material. They are also great for quickly processing glaze in order to remove any bisque chunks.

When mixing glaze, materials such as Wollastonite, Soda Ash, Borax, Zinc Oxide, and most oxides used for colorants and others must be run through glaze sieve (usually 80 mesh), but if you start with a kitchen sieve, you’ll get the big chunks out quickly and can have an easier time with the glaze sieve. Smaller strainers such as a tea strainer are also useful for quickly running an underglaze or small batch through mesh. Sometimes, a simple mix and strain can bring a thickened glaze, underglaze, or slip back to being easy to use.

A great option for a kitchen steel mesh strainer is the Cuisinart 3 pack of Fine Mesh Metal Strainers. The all-metal design makes it easy to clean and maintain, and the variety of sizes will help with most small to medium glaze batches, or if you need to quickly strain a chunky material before running it through a finer mesh. There is also a link to a similar product by ExcelSteel at Home Depot.

Cuisinart Fine Mesh Metal Strainer 3 pack
$16 at Amazon

Excelsteel Strainer 3 Pack
$17.50 at Home Depot

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Recommended Sieve Sizes

Here’s a useful chart of recommended sieve mesh sizes to use when mixing glaze, slip, and casting slip.

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Face Masks and Dust Protection

Dust protection and personal protection equipment is vital when mixing glazes. The main worry is any sort of airborne particles, particularly the finest particles such as silica. Repeated exposure to these particles, found in all dry glaze and clay materials, can lead to respiratory problems. Some also choose to wear plastic gloves when mixing and using glazes. The best thing when thinking about gloves is to assess your own risk and work to understand what is in glazes and what may be dangerous.

Respirator

The 3M Half Facepiece Respirator with P100 cartridge style filters.

The best dust protection is a respirator. These devices are reusable, fit on your face more tightly than a dust mask, and the filters can be replaced as needed. Although moisture can build up, I find them to be more comfortable than a paper or surgical type mask, and they definitely provide a tighter fit. One drawback though, is you can’t really talk to anyone while they are on.

For a respirator, a great option is a 3M half facepiece respirator with P100 filters. They are usually widely available, so it’s easy to find replacement filters in stores or online.

If you don’t want to get a respirator, at the very least get a N95 or KN95 mask and wear it whenever you are working with dry glaze or clay materials. Also be aware, fine particles can remain in the air for a while, use caution when mixing and try to keep dust out of the air.

For more, see our complete article on dust masks for studios.

3M Half Facepiece Respirator with P100 Dust Filters
$28 at Amazon or $29 at Lowes

3M Half Facepiece Respirator with P100 VOC Cartridges
$39 at Home Depot

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Mixing Blades and Paddles

The right mixer blade will make your glaze and slip mixing quick and efficient. It’s best to stock different size mixers for mixing different amounts of glaze. These are the mixing blades I stock in my own studio.

The small Jiffy LM10 Mixer Blade, also called a laboratory mixer.

Small Mixer Blade

To mix pint jars and small cups, the Jiffy LM10 Mixer Blade is just the right size. It’s 10 1/4” long with a 1 1/4” head.

This Mixer Blade can usually be found for around $20

Helix mixer blade for 1 to 2 gallon buckets

MEDIUM MIXER BLADE

For one to two gallons, I prefer a helix mixer designed for 1 gallon buckets. It’s cheaper than a metal blade but it can really mix. As long as you don’t grind the plastic blades against buckets, these economical blades should last for years and also work well for jobs such as mixing plaster. They also have blades for 1 quart and 5 gallons, and these plastic blades are generally more economical than metal mixing blades.

Helix 1 Gallon Mixer Blade
$8.25 at Amazon

The Jiffy ES Mixer Blade for 2 to 10 gallon buckets of glaze.

LARGE MIXER BLADE

For 5 or 10 gallon buckets, the Jiffy ES mixer blade is the way to go. It has a 20 1/2” long, 3/8” shaft and the head is 3 3/4” wide. It’s designed for 2 to 5 gallon buckets but it will mix up to 10 gallons as long as you have a strong enough drill (usually a corded drill or a higher powered cordless drill)

Jiffy ES Mixer Blade
$49 at Amazon

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Scales and Accessories

A scale is a must-have for mixing glazes. An accurate, durable scale is a great investment. My favorite is the Oxo 11 Pound Scale. Click here to read a complete guide to scales for ceramic glaze mixing.

The Oxo 11 Pound / 5 KG Scale is great for home or studio use.

The Oxo 11 Pound Scale is designed for kitchen use but it’s a just as useful in the studio. It runs on 4 AAA batteries, and is accurate to 1/8 ounce or 1 gram. A great feature is the pull-out, light up display that allows you to use the scale with larger bowls. The scale has four buttons: a lb/kg toggle, light switch, zero button, and power. The top stainless steel platform can also be removed for cleaning. This scale can accommodate up to 11 pounds or almost 5 kilograms at a time. It’s an incredible amount of features in a scale that typically costs about $45.

Oxo 11 Pound Scale
$45

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Metal Scoops

A quality metal scoop makes working with dry materials so much easier. In a pinch, I’ve repurposed small yogurt containers as scoops, but a durable, long-lasting metal scoop is better. For large storage bins or bags, you might get a scoop for each material. Or if you have a collection of 2 to 4 different sizes, you can get through most glaze batches without contaminating between materials, and then wash the scoops after glazing. For really strong ingredients such as red iron oxide, I leave small scoops in each bin so I don’t have to clean the scoops each time I use them.

Metal Scoops
5 ounce: $9.56
12 ounce: $11.76

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Wrap-Up

This post has listed my favorite tools and accessories for use when mixing glaze, including drills, immersion blenders, sieves and strainers, dust protection, mixer blades, and scales. It may seem like a lot of stuff, but each tool has it’s role to play in the glaze-mixing process. If you are new to mixing glaze, start with the basics such as a scale, dust-protection and maybe just a wooden spoon, and go from there. You can always add tools as needed.

What are your favorite tools to use when mixing glaze? Let us know in the comments.

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The Best Scales for Ceramic Studios and Workshops 2025

A scale for a studio or workshop is a heavily-used tool that needs to be accurate, easy to use, and durable. These days, you can get a great scale without spending a lot of money. This post will cover affordable but durable scales that get the job done and hold up under the heavy use of an academic or community ceramic studio, but they are also great options for a personal studio.

These scales have been tested and used in ceramic studios for measuring glaze materials, or weighing clay, plaster, water, and packed boxes for shipping. The ratings are based on personal experience and observations of scales in use in numerous academic and community ceramic studios.

An older model of the OXO 11 Pound Food Scale purchased around 2018, still going strong. It’s shown here with the Ohaus Maxi-Scoop bowl and a metal scoop.

The OXO 11 Pound Scale has a removable, metal top and a light up display.

TOP PICK: OXO 11 Pound Food Scale

The OXO 11 Pound Food Scale is the top pick for a scale in a ceramics or art studio. With accuracy to 1 gram, this scale has a large enough capacity for smaller batches of glaze or plaster-mixing needs. It’s made for home kitchen use but is super tough and has thoughtful design features such as a pull-out, light-up display. It runs on 4 AAA batteries, and is accurate to 1/8 ounce or 1 gram. It is simply incredible that a scale under $55 is this accurate. For similar or more accurate scales (options like this reviewed below) you’ll easily pay $100 or more.

The pull-out, light-up display on the OXO 11 lb capacity scale (Shop at Amazon)

The scale has two buttons: lb/kg toggle, and power / zero. It’s simple and intuitive, and the pull-out display helps if you are using wide bowls. The top stainless steel platform can also be removed for cleaning.

This scale can accommodate up to 11 pounds or almost 5 kilograms at a time. The display will help you know when you’re reaching capacity by displaying more bars on the right-hand side. When mixing glaze, the 5,000 gram capacity is definitely enough. But if you work with larger amounts of material, a higher-capacity scale is reviewed below.

Prior to working with the OXO 11 Pound Scale, I only wanted to use more professional scales with 0.1 gram accuracy. But this is an affordable, durable, well built, and most importantly, accurate scale. The 1 gram accuracy is exact enough for most purposes, and it will survive many years of use in any studio. I liked this scale so much that I bought the smaller OXO 5 Pound Food Scale for use at home in the kitchen.

A note on 1 gram accuracy: For smaller glaze batches, this may not be accurate enough. For example, if you are trying to measure 10 grams of a material for a 500 gram batch of glaze, being off by one gram might change your results. But as you mix larger batches (typically 3,000 grams of dry materials is about 1 gallon of wet glaze) the 1 gram accuracy is enough. It’s a trade off in price versus accuracy. If you need 0.1 gram accuracy, more accurate scales are reviewed below.

OXO 11 lb Scale, typically $55
OXO 5 lb Scale, typically $32
Accurate to 1 gram

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Table of Contents

• Top Pick: OXO 11 Pound Food Scale

• Budget Pick: Accuteck All-In-One 50 lb Scale

• Upgrade pick: MyWeigh iBalance 5500

• Heavy Duty / Large Pick: MyWeigh HD-300 Shipping Scale and Accuteck Heavy Duty Scale

• Manual Scale Pick: LEM Stainless Steel Scale

• Other Scale Options

• Scale Accessories

• Summary

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Budget Pick: Accuteck All-in-One Digital Scale

The Accuteck All-In-One Digital Scale

The Accuteck All-In-One 50lb Digital Scale (Shop at Amazon) is a great budget option. It can weigh up to 50lbs of material, is well-built, and is very affordable—usually priced under $20. It has been a go-to budget scale option for almost 10 years now. It’s not the most accurate, but is great for weighing clay or other general purpose needs.

This scale runs on 3 AAA batteries or an optional 5V plug-in adapter. It is accurate to 0.2 ounce, or about 2 grams. It is definitely not as accurate as our top pick, but if you need something for the occasional glaze batch, it will be ok. It is also great to keep on the wedging table for measuring pieces of clay. If used on a wedging table, it’s not a bad idea to put it in a ziploc bag to keep it clean.

When I originally purchased this, I didn’t expect it to be so well built and have been extremely happy with the purchase. In a world full of low-quality generics and knock offs, I would definitely recommend this scale if you are on a budget. The only drawback is that it is only accurate to about 2 grams. This scale wouldn’t be very accurate if you were measuring small quantities of glaze materials.

Accuteck 50lb Digital Scale, typically $19.99
Accurate to around 2 grams

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Upgrade Pick: MyWeigh iBalance 5500

The MyWeigh iBalance 5500 scale is accurate to 0.1 grams and has a 5500 gram / 12 lb capacity.

The MyWeigh iBalance 5500 (Shop at Amazon) is a great upgrade pick for a studio scale. It’s accurate to 0.1 grams while maintaining a large capacity of 5500 grams or about 12 pounds. It has a stainless steel top, optional AC power adapter, simple and intuitive buttons, and a 3 year warranty. The four feet can be independently leveled.

It’s a workhorse for glaze mixing that allows you to do large batches, or fine tune a small amount of material to a high degree of accuracy. You’ll pay more for this specifity — around $250 at the time of this post — but if you need the range from a few grams to larger amounts, this scale will deliver. There are other models in the MyWeigh iBalance line too, ranging up to 11,000 gram capacity.

MyWeigh iBalance 5500, $249
Accurate to 0.1 grams

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Heavy Duty Picks

You may need a few different scales for all your needs in the studio. If you weigh and ship large boxes or mix plaster, a wider heavy duty scale is what you need. The go to for this category used to be the Rubbermaid Scale, but a few years back that was changed to only be accurate to about 1/2 a lb while still costing over $200.

Previously, this guide recommended the MyWeigh HD-300 Shipping Scale. It’s a great scale and while it still seems to be available a few place, it is harder to find. It’s around $100 and is very sturdy and should last a lifetime.

This guide is now also recommending the cheaper Accuteck Heavy Duty Scale. At only $42 it is quite affordable and while it is used in many studios, it doesn’t have the overbuilt quality of the MyWeigh HD-300, so be sure to treat it carefully.

The Accuteck Heavy Duty Scale features a metal top while still maintaining a thin build.

Accuteck Heavy Duty Scale

The Accuteck Heavy Duty 440 lb Shipping Scale (shop at Amazon) is a great deal at $42, and will provide a scale that can weigh large boxes, plaster, buckets of water, or large amounts of clay or glaze materials. It runs on 4 AAA batteries or a 9V plug, which is included.

It is accurate to 50 grams or 0.05 lbs, which is quite good for a scale of this size. Just don’t use it for small batches of clay or glaze tests.

It is not the strongest build, there are tradeoffs for getting something this cheap, but it will serve you well if you treat it carefully. It is thinner and takes up less space than the MyWeigh HD-300 reviewed below, so that may be a plus if you need something like this but have limited space.

Accuteck Heavy Duty Scale, $42
Accurate to 50 grams

The MyWeigh HD-300 Shipping Scale is a workhorse of a scale with a beefy build quality.

MyWeigh HD-300 Shipping Scale

The MyWeigh HD-300 Heavy Duty Shipping Scale (shop at Amazon) is the top pick for a shipping scale, but it’s also accurate enough for large batches of plaster, concrete, or other studio materials. It can measure up to 300 pounds with an accuracy of 0.1 lbs or to within about 2 ounces. It has a steel top and a remote display on a six foot cord, so you can easily get the weight of even the largest package. It’s powered by 4 AA batteries or an optional AC power adapter. It also has a built-in USB port, if you want to set up communication with printers or other devices. Finally, it has adjustable feet and easy to clean surfaces. This is a great heavy duty scale that comes in around $130. There are plenty of cheaper shipping scales, but if you read online reviews closely, you’ll see that they fail or are inaccurate, while this scale is built too withstand the test of time.

MyWeigh HD-300 Heavy Duty Shipping Scale, 300lb limit, $130
Accurate to 0.1 lbs or about 50 grams

For a complete look at Heavy Duty Scales, click here.

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Manual Scale Pick: LEM Stainless Steel Scale

The LEM Stainless Steel Scale.

The LEM Stainless Steel Scale is a great option for weighing wet clay, plaster, or as a shipping scale. It has a 10” x 8” steel platform, and can weigh up to 44 lbs / 20 kg with an accuracy of 2 ounces or around 50 grams. It’s not accurate enough for mixing glazes, but for just about everything else, this is a great option that is affordable, durable and doesn’t need any batteries or plugs. Sometimes it’s good to keep it simple and for $50, you can’t go wrong with this scale.

LEM Stainless Steel Manual Scale, $50
Accurate to 50 grams

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Other Scale Options

Rubbermaid Commercial 150lb Scale

Rubbermaid Commercial 150lb Digital Scale

The Rubbermaid Commercial 150 Pound Scale is another option for a rugged scale that can measure packages, plaster, or any type of material.

It has a wide metal platform, and the display can be mounted on the wall or pulled to the side with a 9 foot cord. The scale has a capacity of 150 pounds or 68 kilograms, and runs on a 9V battery or option AC adapter.

The drawback of this scale is that it is only accurate to about 1/2 pound. Previous models of this scale were more accurate to around 2/10 of a pound, so it is disappointing that Rubbermaid has let the quality drop. There are also complaints online about this unit, specifically the controller, breaking after a few months of use. That hasn’t been my experience though, so I would still recommend this with the caveat that you treat the control / display panel carefully. It’s priced about the same as the MyWeigh shipping scale, or around $130.

Rubbermaid Commercial 150 lb Digital Scale, $173
Accurate to 0.5 lbs

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The Ohaus CX1201 Scale, 1200 gram capacity with 0.1 gram accuracy.

Ohaus Digital Scale

Ohaus is one of the most trusted names in scales, and the the Ohaus Portable Balance CX1201 is accurate to 0.1 grams with a capacity of 1200 grams or about 2.6 pounds. It costs almot $150 and runs on 3 AA batteries or an optional plug.

I prefer the larger capacity of the MyWeigh 5500, but this scale has a balance of accuracy, cost, and quality that is hard to beat. If you regularly measure smaller batches of glaze and need 0.1 gram accuracy, this scale will deliver.

Ohaus Portable Balance CX1201, $149
Accurate to 0.1 gram

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Triple Beam Mechanical Scales

The Ohaus Triple Pro Scale

Not as common now, but these used to be the standard for glaze labs. Now, almost everyone has switched to digital scales. I definitely have. But, if you want to go old school or want to keep it simple and not worry about batteries or breakdowns, a triple-beam scale is the way to go. They are extremely accurate, long-lasting, and durable. It just takes a bit longer to get a measurement.

There are a variety of generics out there, and Ohaus makes a few models of triple beam scales. The basic model will weigh up to 610 grams and retails for $139. That’s not much weight, but it is accurate to 0.1 grams.

For a larger capacity, look at the Ohaus Triple Pro Mechanical Triple Beam with a 2610 gram capacity that is accurate to 0.1 grams. The scale has a basic capacity of 610 grams, but you can add counterweights to increase the capacity to 2610 grams. If you want to invest in a long-term piece of equipment, this is the kind of tool you could pass down to your grandchildren. It retails for $206.

The generic brand QWORK makes a very similar scale with a 2610 gram capacity and 0.1 gram accuracy for just $60. It has a lower build quality than the Ohaus, but it is significantly cheaper.

Ohaus Triple Pro Scale, 2610 gram capacity, $206
Accurate to 0.1 grams

Ohaus 610 Gram Scale, $139
Accurate to 0.1 grams

QWORK Triple Beam, 2610 gram capacity, $60
Accurate to 0.1 gram

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Favorite Scale Accessories

A scale scoop is great for weighing dry materials.

Scale Scoop Bowl

A plastic bowl with a pouring spout, such as a scale scoop, is my favorite bowl to use on a scale. They do cost extra, but the upgrade might be worth it for your studio. Usually around 10 inches wide with a pouring spout, you can get quite a bit of dry material piled up in this bowl. Of course, you can use any sort of bowl to measure dry ingredients, but this one just seems to be ideal for scales and it’s the one I reach for first when I’m mixing glazes.

If you see the Ohaus Maxi-Scoop, that’s a great option.

Another option is the Penn Scale Scoop, which is 10 inches wide at the rim, 2.75 inches tall, and has a 6 inch wide base. It’s listed at $33.

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Metal Scoops

Metal scoops are the easiest way to pick up glaze materials, plaster, or any dry material. They are also long lasting and easy to clean. A variety of sizes works, or some people like to keep an individual scoop in each bucket of material.

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Ohaus Footed Scoop Bowl

The Ohaus Footed Scoop Bowl.

The Ohaus Footed Scoop is another great option for mixing dry materials. It doesn’t hold as much material as the Maxi-Scoop, but the design of this bowl is much easier to pour.

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Summary

This post has covered a variety of scale options suitable for a ceramics, sculpture, or art studio. Many of these will work at home too. My top pick is the OXO 11 Pound Scale for it’s combination of accuracy, durability, and price. But there are a variety of other options too, along with my favorite accessories for mixing glaze and other materials.

What scale do you use in your studio? Let us know in the comments.

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How to Ship Ceramics, Sculptures, and Other Heavy or Fragile Objects

Shipping ceramics or any fragile object can be a daunting task. But with this guide, you should get all information you need to become a shipping expert.

This post includes

• Guide to packing and shipping fragile objects using the “double box method.”

• Recommendations on tape, boxes, wrapping materials, and void fill.

• Guide to shipping scales

• Review of thermal packing label printers

Let’s dive in to packing and shipping first.

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How to Pack and Ship Ceramics, Sculptures, or other Fragile Objects

This is the best method to pack your ceramics and other fragile objects to insure that nothing is broken or damaged during shipping. The method uses two nested shipping boxes.

Start by wrapping your object with Ranpak Ready Roll (shop at Amazon), bubble wrap, or tissue paper. Then pack the wrapped object into a box with packing peanuts or foam, so that it is surrounded by about 2 inches of packing material on all sides. Give the box a light shake to insure it’s tightly packed and nothing movs. Then, place this box inside a box that gives another 2 inches of packing room on all sides and once again, make sure it is packed tight enough so that nothing moves.

This method results in around 4 inches of packing material surrounding the object in each direction, giving you plenty of assurance that you can ship via the postal service, FedEx, UPS, DHL etc, and your sculpture or pottery will be fine.

Here’s a detailed how to of this method with pictures.

Step 1: Select boxes that will nest

After always having random boxes around, I’ve found it useful to stock boxes I know will nest. In this example, I’m going to use an 8x8x8 inch box that will pack into a 12x12x12 inch box, giving equal space on all sides.

After taping the bottom, you can always double check to make sure the boxes will nest.

Step 2: Wrap Object

A stoneware flask ready to be wrapped in Ranpak packing material.

In this example, Ranpak is used for the initial wrap. It’s perfect for ceramics, and can be reused or recycled easily.

I usually avoid tape if possible, so it’s easier to reuse the packing material, and another bonus with Ranpak is it will sort of “grip” the opposite side and stay wrapped on it’s own.

Shop Ranpak Ready Roll at Amazon

Shop Ranpak Ready Roll at Staples

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Step 3: Packed Wrapped Object in First Box

The Ranpack-wrapped ceramic nested inside packing peanuts, inside the smaller box.

Next, put some packing material on the bottom of the first box, put your wrapped object in, and fill until it’s full and nothing moves when you close and shake the box. If it all seems good, tape it shut.

Step 4: Pack first box inside larger box.

About 2 inches of packing peanuts at the bottom.

Start with about 2 inches of packing peanuts at the bottom of the larger box, place your sealed first box inside, and then fill with more packing materials. You may need to push some material down the sides, to make sure you pack everything tightly.

Place packed smaller box inside.

Fill sides with packing materials.

After making sure sides are well packed, place material on top.

Step 5: Seal and label your box

That’s it! You’ve packed your box. Close it and give it a test shake. If nothing moves, seal the box shut and then you are ready to attach a label.

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Guide to tape, boxes, wrapping materials, and void fill

Here’s a few hints on tips on materials for your shipping needs.

Tape

Gummed paper tape in a Paper Mart brand dispenser at top, Scotch Heavy Duty tape in a dispenser at bottom.

For shipping, you have two options: plastic shipping tape and Kraft tape also known as gummed paper tape.

Plastic shipping tape is pretty straight forward and dependable. It’s easiest to use with a quality tape gun or dispenser. The main drawback is that it’s not easy to recycle. Within the plastic tape category, you have packing tape, regular shipping tape, and heavy duty tape. Some of the basic tapes can be pretty thin and weak (and sometimes don’t dispense easily) so for my studio I go with Scotch Heavy Duty shipping tape. I’d rather not fight with the tape. Mostly, I use the clear tape for covering labels.

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The Paper Mart Kraft tape dispenser.

Kraft shipping tape or gummed paper tape is a nice option, but it does take some set up for easy use. It’s super strong, looks great, and can be used to patch older boxes. (Unfortunately, Kraft tape with fiberglass reinforcement is not recyclable.) The only drawback is that you have you have to activate the gum with water.

For occasional shipping needs, you can cut the tape with scissors, then apply water with a sponge. This makes a bit of a mess on your table but it works.

If you are shipping more often, a tape dispenser with a water reservoir is very helpful. In my studio, I use the basic Paper Mart Kraft tape dispenser, but there are higher tech models out there. All of them help you dispense, wet, and cut the tape.

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For Kraft tape, I’ve tried a few options and the most dependable option was the Duck Brand Fiberglass Reinforced Kraft tape. While this tape is not recyclable, it does seal very well and is easy to work with. (I’m currently looking into other recyclable Kraft tape options and will update this post if I figure anything out.)

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Shipping Boxes

When it comes to boxes, there are lots of options for where to buy. Take a look at what you are shipping, and try to stock sizes that work for you. There are plenty of box suppliers online, and there may be a specialty shipping supplier in your area that will deliver without too high of a minimum. Usually, they will have lower prices per box but they will charge shipping. If you are shopping online, a few links are below:

For this double-box shipping method, the standard weight boxes work just fine. But you can also upgrade to the heavy-duty boxes if desired. They have thicker walls and are sturdier.

As mentioned in this post, I used to just have random boxes but when I got more serious about shipping, I started stocking in sizes I knew would nest together. That means, I usually have a variety of boxes ready to go in 8”, 10”, 12”, 14” and 16 inch cubes.

Here are the exact boxes used in this pictures above:

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Void Fill / Packing Peanuts

Along with tape and boxes, wrapping material and void fill are important parts of the shipping set up.

As mentioned, I love Ranpak Ready Roll. It’s tissue paper surrounded by honeycomb-cut brown kraft paper. It’s perfect for wrapping ceramics. If you have something more fragile, you may need to get stiffer foam such as museum foam, and create a custom chamber for your piece. But for my needs, I’m happy with the Ready Roll, which I then surround with biodegradable packing peanuts.

Packing peanuts are available in styrofoam or biodegradable corn starch. The corn starch peanuts cost about the same and are just as easy to use and are reusable, as long as they don’t get wet. For packing peanuts, unfortunately there aren’t a lot of great online options. The bags of peanuts are big and bulky, resulting in a high shipping cost (Some retailers, especially online, list the peanuts with shipping included.) For peanuts, it’s best to go with your local shipping supplier. If you bundle your purchase with boxes and tape, it should be quite economical to get a delivery as needed.

For smaller volumes of peanuts, check the links below.

Other Options for Void Fill

Shipping stores stock a variety of void fill, or you can make your own. Here are a few ideas to fill up space in a box:

• Crumpled newspaper (although ink can get on things)

• Sheets of crumpled kraft paper

• Bubble wrap

• Ranpak Ready Roll

• Clean egg cartons

• recycled bubble mailers

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Guide to Shipping Scales

Any scale that is accurate can be used as a shipping scale. Typically, shippers are going to round up to the nearest pound, so your scale doesn’t have to be super accurate. But you want it to work.

A package on the MyWeigh HD-300 Shipping Scale.

In my studio, I use a dedicated shipping scale, the MyWeigh HD-300. It’s a beefy scale with a metal plate, a detached readout, and can be used with batteries or plugged in. It also doubles as a robust scale for measuring plaster or other large amounts of materials.

For our complete guide to shipping scales, click here.

For a guide to scales for mixing glazes (may also work for small shipping scales) click here.

The MyWeigh HD-300 Shipping Scale retails for around $130.

The Accutek scale can be used with batteries or plugged in, and can weigh up to 50 lbs.

For a light-duty scale that can be used for weighing small balls of clay, and small packages, the Accutek all-in-one scale is a great budget option that costs just $20. It has a plastic top, decent build quality, and can weigh up to 50 pounds. It will just be hard to read if your package is wide, as it does not have a detachable screen.

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Thermal Label Printers

The Rollo printer with a stack of labels ready to print.

The final piece of shipping set up is a thermal label printer. These printers print in black on 4 x 6 inch stickers that can be used for labels or any use. You don’t need a thermal printer if you are planning to take your package to a shipping service, but it’s a must have if you want to prepare your own labels and drop your packages off or have them picked up.

The Rollo printer opened up, with a stack of labels.

The two main competitors for thermal printers appear to be Rollo and Dymo. In my studio, I went with a plug-in Rollo model and I’ve been very happy. The printer itself is well built, easy to use, and connects to my computer via USB. The extra power source plug is a normal size electrical item, but it is external to the printer.

For me, it took a bit of effort to get everything to work on the computer end (I find it best to use the Rollo browser extension to download a PDF of the label, then print) but you may find it easier to print directly from the service that you use.

The Rollo usb-connected printer retails for $200.
The Rollo wireless printer retails for $300.

Both printer work with any brand of thermal labels, but you can get 500 Rollo 4x6” labels for $19. Shop here.

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Summary

This post has covered just about everything you need to know to get started with packing and shipping fragile objects, along with the tools and materials required to get the job done.

The “double-box” method is what I use and it has never failed me, and it’s what I recommend to anyone packing and shipping ceramics. Just make sure the piece is packed securely and doesn’t move or shake around, and that it is double-boxed with about 4 inches of packing material in every direction.

This method requires boxes, tape, Ranpak Ready-Roll or bubble wrap, and void fill such as starch packing peanuts.

To help complete your shipment, it’s great to have a tape dispenser, shipping scale, and thermal label printer, so that you can prepare your shipment in your workspace, and easily drop it for shipping or have it picked up.

How do you pack and ship fragile objects? Any questions about this process? Let us know in the comments.

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How to Test Specific Gravity in a Ceramic Glaze and Why It's Important

A hydrometer is one of measuring the specific gravity of a glaze. For ceramic glazes, use a hydrometer that measures between 1.00 and 2.00.

Testing the specific gravity of a ceramic glaze allows you to accurately measure the ratio of dry materials to water in a glaze, or basically how “thick” a glaze is. It also allows you to maintain a glaze over time, and remix more that will be exactly the same.

Keep in mind that there is not one specific gravity for glazes, instead, each glaze will vary slightly based on the materials in the glaze and the desired application. But in general, glazes range from 1.40 to 1.60.

There are also a few methods of measuring the specific gravity of a glaze. In this post, there will be three options covered:

• using a hydrometer

• measuring in a graduated cylinder

• measuring in a cup

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Table of Contents

1. What is Specific Gravity?

2. Measuring Specific Gravity with a Hydrometer

3. Measuring Specific Gravity with a Graduated Cylinder

4. Measuring Specific Gravity with a Small Cup

5. Equipment Needed for Measuring Specific Gravity

6. Summary

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What is Specific Gravity in a Glaze?

Specific gravity measures the ratio of dry materials to water in a glaze.

As an example, if you had 150 grams of dry materials mixed with 100 grams of water, your glaze would have a specific gravity of 1.50 (150 / 100 = 1.50)

Water alone has a specific gravity of 1.00 — this will be important in our calculations.

Measuring Specific Gravity with a Hydrometer

Hydrometers are fragile glass tubes with a metal weight and scale.

A hydrometer is a glass tube with a leaded weight that is designed to float and measure specific gravity. They are quick and easy to use, provided that your glaze bucket is deep enough, but they are fragile—extremely fragile. Despite this, they are my favorite way to measure specific gravity. I’ve been using the same hydrometer for years, I just make sure to not drop it and carefully wrap it in paper towels and put it in its box when not in use.

When choosing a hydrometer, make sure to pick a “heavy liquid” or “heavier than water” hydrometer, as there are a variety of hydrometers for different applications. (Shop hydrometers at Amazon)

How to Use a Hydrometer

For glazes, you will need a “heavy liquid” hydrometer that measures between 1.00 and 2.00.

After mixing a glaze, simply place your hydrometer carefully into the glaze bucket and allow it to settle, and then take a reading.

A hydrometer measuring a glaze at 1.50. In this instance, the glaze was placed in a graduated cylinder to create a tall enough column for the hydrometer to floate.

Alternately, if your glaze bucket is not tall enough, pour glaze into a graduated cylinder or smaller bucket, and then take a measurement (as pictured).

After taking your reading, adjust your glaze as needed. In general, I like to add water slowly until I reach my desired specific gravity. You may also need to wait a day and then measure again, to make sure your glaze is just how you want it.

As you use your glaze, note the results you are getting out of the kiln and adjust your glaze if needed. Taking notes really helps!

For every glaze I mix, I note the specific gravity when initially mixed. Then, if it seems to be getting thick or changing in some way (water does evaporate over time!) you can measure and adjust.

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Measuring Specific Gravity with a Graduated Cylinder

If you don’t have a hydrometer, you can measure a glaze with just a graduated cylinder. Use a cylinder that can measure at least 100 milliliters and a scale. You will need a scale that is accurate to 1 gram or even better, 0.1 grams.

For this method, place your graduated cylinder or cup on a scale and zero out the scale.

Then, fill your cylinder to 100 mL and note the weight. As our calculation is (glaze weight / water alone = specific gravity) the calculation is very simple. If the glaze weighs 145, you have a specific gravity of 1.45. If it weighs 150, your s.g. is 1.50, etc.

As before, adjust your glaze as necessary after measuring, and remeasure.

Measuring Specific Gravity with a Small Cup

If you have a scale but no graduated cylinder, you can still measure specific gravity with a small cup.

The best way to do this is to put the cup on your scale, zero the scale, then fill the cup completely full with water. Note the weight of the water and write this down. Even better: write it on the cup so that you have an easy reference.

Then, empty the cup and refill it completely full with glaze and weigh. You will have to do a quick calculation to determine your specific gravity. If the glaze in the cup weighs 375 grams and the water alone in the cup weighed 250 grams, your glaze has a specific gravity of 1.50 (375 g / 250 g = 1.50).

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Shop the Equipment Needed for Measuring Specific Gravity

This heavy liquid hydrometer is available at Amazon for $12.

Hydrometer

To measure the specific gravity of a ceramic glaze, you will need a “heavy liquid” hydrometer, or one that measures between 1.00 and 2.00. These are available at ceramic suppliers, or at Amazon.

Graduated Cylinder

Plastic 250 ml graduated cylinder.

A graduated cylinder is handy for glaze measuring, or for creating a taller column to use a hydrometer.

In my studio, I use a plastic 250 mL graduated cylinder. This is big enough that I can float my hydrometer, or use it to measure 100 mL of glaze.

Scale

In my studio, I like to use the Oxo 11 lb kitchen scale. It’s durable, accurate to 1 gram, can weigh up to 11 lbs, is easy to clean, and costs around $55. It’s a great scale at a relatively modest price.

If you want something more accurate, a check out the MyWeigh iBalance 5500. It is accurate to 0.1 grams, can weigh up to 5500 grams (approx. 12 lbs), and costs about $250.

For a complete overview of scales for ceramic studios, click here.

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Summary

This post has covered three different methods of testing specific gravity in ceramic glazes, and the equipment needed to measure specific gravity. Measuring specific gravity is important for keeping glazes consistent, so that you will get repeatable results from your firings.

How do you measure specific gravity? Let us know in the comments.

Review: MyWeigh HD-300 Shipping Scale and other Heavy-Duty Scales

A shipping scale is great for, well, shipping! But it’s also useful if you weigh heavy materials such as plaster or make large batches of clay or glaze. There are quite a few smaller shipping scales but if you want something with a large, sturdy platform and a detached display, it’s generally $100 or more. These large platforms not only allow you to accurately weigh large boxes, but also big buckets of any sort of material or liquid.

The MyWeigh HD-300 has a heavy duty metal platform and detached digital display.

In my studio, I recently got the MyWeigh HD-300 Heavy Duty Shipping Scale. It has a sturdy, well-built platform, detached digital display, and four adjustable legs.

This scale can weigh up to 300 pounds (136 kilos) and is accurate to 0.1 pounds or 0.05 kilos. For me, this is accurate enough for shipping and weighing plaster. It can also run on batteries or plug in, and if desired, you can sync it with shipping software. It also has an incredible 30 year warranty. Based on this personal use, experience with other scales, and combing through online reviews, it’s my top pick for a heavy duty shipping scale.

All in all, this is a great deal at around $115.

Keep reading for more pics and info about this machine and other shipping scales.

For recommendations on a smaller glaze mixing scale, click here.

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Table of Contents

1. MyWeigh HD-300 Shipping Scale

2. Rubbermaid Commercial Food / Receiving Scale

3. Accutek Heavy Duty Shipping Scale

4. Accutek Ship Pro

5. Summary

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More info on the MyWeigh HD-300

A view of the bottom metal platform on the MyWeigh HD-300.

The MyWeigh scales all seem to hit the balance of affordable price point along with well built quality, and the HD-300 is no different. It has a combination of a metal base, adjustable feet, metal platform, and detached digital display that is accurate to 0.1 pounds. It’s not suitable for weighing small batches of glaze, but it might work for large batches of glaze along with weighing out clay, plaster, and boxes.

The scale can accommodate up to 300 pounds. A HD-150 model that goes up to 150 pounds is also listed online but I couldn’t find it available, so I went with the HD-300.

More pics of the MyWeigh HD-300

The MyWeigh HD-300 has a detached digital display.

The MyWeigh HD-300 with a large box on it. The digital display is plugged in to an outlet in this pic, but it can also run on batteries.

The display lights up in a backlit green when in use.

Unboxing: the MyWeigh HD-300 comes securely packaged and ready to use.

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Other Heavy Duty Shipping Scales

The MyWeigh HD-300 is one of a few quality options for a heavy duty shipping scale. Before switching to the MyWeigh, I had long used he Rubbermaid Commerical heavy duty food / receiving scale, but it continues to get more expensive, now around $181, and it is only accurate to 0.5 pound. I’ve also been in studios where they have used the less expensive Accutek scales and while they are not as heavy duty, they get the job done, especially if used carefully.

The following reviews cover other options that meet the criteria of a shipping scale with a detached display so that you can weigh large boxes. For smaller scales, check out this review of scales for glaze mixing.

Rubbermaid Commercial Heavy Duty Food and Receiving Scale

The Rubbermaid Commercial Heavy Duty Food and Receiving Scale features a metal platform and detached digital display.

The Rubbermaid Commercial Heavy Duty Scale used to be my go-to recommendation for a heavy duty scale. I’ve used these in a variety of studios, usually for mixing plaster, but at $181 it’s very expensive for what you get. Essentially, it’s a similar scale to the much cheaper MyWeigh but it’s less accurate, only measuring to 0.5 lbs. This is really not very accurate! Older models of this scale used to be more accurate.

But with this scale, you do get a metal platform and base, detached digital scale with a 9 foot cord, and ability to use via 9 volt battery or plug in. If you have one, it’s an ok scale, but if you are buying new, go with the cheaper and more accurate MyWeigh.

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Accutek Heavy Duty Shipping Scale

The Accutek Heavy Duty Shipping Scale can weigh up to 440 pounds with a 0.05 pound accuracy.

The Accutek Heavy Duty Shipping Scale is a great value (under $40 at the time of this writing) and features a metal platform, detached display, and is accurate to 0.05 pounds or 50 grams. That’s pretty incredible! Friends have used these for measuring clay and glaze materials to good results, although it’s only accurate enough for large batches of glaze. As opposed to the MyWeigh or Rubbermaid heavy duty scales, it doesn’t have adjustable feet but otherwise, it’s a solid effort from Accutek. (Accutek also makes a small scale that is our budget pick for weighing clay)

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Accutek Ship Pro

Accutek also makes the ultra budget Accutek Ship Pro, which can weigh up to 110 lbs at an accuracy of 0.1 pounds. Not bad for a unit listed at $24! It’s an all plastic construction, but does have a remote display so that you can easily read the weigh of a wider box or bowl of material.

I’ve had good luck with the $20 Accutek 50lb all in one scale, so I don’t want to discount this particular model just for being cheap, but I went with the more expensive MyWeigh HD-300 for the metal construction and super long warranty. This Accutek may serve your needs, but as with all super budget electronics, results may vary. More than any other scales mentioned in this post, this model has a mix of negative reviews on various consumer sites.

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Summary

This post has covered a variety of shipping scales with detached displays so that you can easily read the weight on wider objects like shipping boxes. When considering all the factors, the best quality for the prices is the MyWeigh HD-300 Heavy Duty Shipping Scale. It has metal construction, a detached digital display, and can weigh up to 300 lbs. The Rubbermaid Scale is more expensive and less accurate, while the cheaper Accutek models will get the job done but they are not as robustly built. If you want a long-lasting, hardworking studio tool, go with the MyWeigh HD-300.

What scales do you use for shipping and other heavy-duty uses? Let us know in the comments.

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