Tip #36: A Collection of Tips
Here is a random collection of good ideas.
1. Have you ever tried fluting a piece (carving straight lines into the
sides), only to find your lines are crooked or uneven? Make a triangle
out of a piece of cardboard, or use a plastic trangle used for geometry
(buy in an office supply store or drugstore). Hold the bottom of the
triangle against the work surface. For straight lines, brace your
carving tool against the straight edge. For angled lines, run your
carving tool along the angled edge. This will make sure the lines are
all at the same angle.
2. For an interesting look with a sprayer: drip latex resist on a piece
and let it run down the sides. Spray the piece and fire. When the wax
burns away there will be a pattern where the wax ran.
3. To make large perfectly round shapes, use lids from an old set of
cook ware. Coat the edges with oil first to keep them from sticking to
the clay.
4. For an interesting effect in an electric kiln, add between 3% and 10%
rutile to any glaze. Your glaze will often get a nice mottled texture
which is similar to reduction glazes. Rutile can also affect the colors
in an interesting way. We also sell a product called a texturizer which
contains rutile and can be brushed on to specific areas, over or under
your glaze. By painting designs on with this, you will get a very subtle
effect where the texture changes. Look under "additives".
5. To make stamps for applying underglazes, cut a pattern out of an old
mouse pad. Glue it onto a block of wood or wood dowel if desired. Coat
the foam side with underglaze and stamp away.
6. Another use for a mouse pad is to protect the rim of a piece when you
turn it upside down to trim, attach feet, etc. Resting a piece on its
rim can weaken it. Even if you don't notice a crack, one might occur
during firing.
7. Cut pieces out of adhesive backed shelf paper and use them for
resist. They will stick to greenware and bisque. Using an exacto knife
you can cut out lines, shapes, and intricate patterns.
8. When pulling handles and making lids, it is often useful to make more
than one of each. Then you can choose the ones that match your pot the
best.
9. Lining your ware shelves with newspaper is an easy way to keep the
shelves from getting stained, and also keeps the pieces free of leftover
clay particles. This is especially useful if you alternate between red
and white clay.
10. Use a spoon to burnish the bottoms of pieces when they are leather
hard. The surface will be nice and smooth. You can also burnish foot
rings after trimming in the same way, for a nice smooth finish. You can
do the burnishing by hand, or while the piece is still on the wheel
after trimming.
Copyright 2001 Cindi Anderson
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