No Shortcuts

Thank heaven for Professor Cushing! It appears that despite my efforts to find ways around it - winging it, using software - I am going to have to learn to understand Unity Molecular Formulas. Very basically, I know what Unity Molecular Formulas are; they express the glaze formula as a count of molecules of glassformer, stabilizer (alumina), and flux, with the amount of flux weighted to one (that's why it's called Unity, get it?) and the silica and alumina amounts expressed relative to the flux. I just don't understand how to translate them to batch recipes that I can use. That's where the good professor comes in.

I few months ago, I bought a copy of his handbook. the link above goes to Amazon, the second to an address from which you can purchase from Cushing himself. It's probably worth getting an envelop & stamp, as I see the notebook is selling on Amazon for $190; whereas the professor offers it for $28. It's a great book utterly packed with knowledge and ideas; this particular chapter, though invaluable to me, happens to be on the boring side. I feel like an undergrad at Iowa State again: those soft chairs at the Parks Library were just way too comfortable. If I were sitting there now I'd fall asleep for sure.

And, clearly, I am utilizing another of my undergrad work-avoidance techniques: simple procrastination. Writing a blog post about RO Unity is miles better than reading about it!

Stop that, Lori. Stop it right now. If I post again before noon, EST, somebody remind me that I am supposed to be reading.