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TIL that adding too much cobalt oxide to a batch of clear glass makes it look like a murky pond
I was trying to get a really deep blue for a vase last week, so I threw in what I thought was a normal amount of cobalt powder. When I pulled it from the glory hole, the whole piece had this gross, cloudy greenish tint instead of being clear and blue. It turns out I used about twice the amount you're supposed to, and it completely blocked the light. Anyone have a good rule of thumb for measuring strong colorants like that?
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laurabennett2mo ago
That "gross, cloudy greenish tint" thing is everywhere once you look for it. It's like when you add one too many pumps of syrup to your coffee and it just becomes sickly sweet sludge. Or when a room needs one lamp for cozy light, but you turn on all the overheads and it feels like a doctor's office. The perfect amount of something good turns bad so fast.
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the_michael9d ago
@charlesowens Swamp chic is just a polite way of saying you've accepted being part of the problem. But seriously, you're spot on with the coffee and light examples. It's like that friend who adds too much salt to everything because they think it makes them a chef. One pump is nice, two is okay, three and you're basically drinking syrup from the bottle. And the doctor's office lighting thing is too real. I swear my kitchen has two settings: "cozy breakfast nook" and "operating room for knee surgery." Just goes to show how fast quality goes from "just right" to "way too much.
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