Using Foam instead of Wax Resist- update

Call me a creature of habit or set in my ways... I found it much quicker to use hot wax instead of the foam. If the inside of the foot ring is raised, the foam did not remove all of that glaze. Also any of the glazes with red iron oxide love to crawl into the crevices of the foam and stay there.

I did like the very straight glaze line you can get from using the foam.

Glazeing Rules of Thumb

Glazing can be very challenging. Everything from picking colors and combination to how long and where to dip can all be confusing.

Opening the kiln is always very exciting. Sometimes there is also disappointment...

Glaze ran right off the pot onto the kiln shelve

Here are some very basic, tips to use as rule of thumb:

• Wax should be applied to the bottom of the piece as well as 1/4 inch up the side
• Mix the glaze completely before using it
• Re-mix the glaze between dips to ensure it has not begun to settle
• Dip no longer than 3 seconds on the first dip and less on the second
• Hold the piece upside down for the drips to fall back into the glaze bucket, this also pools the glaze towards the top rim of the piece instead of the bottom where it is more likely to run off the pot.
  
• Glaze should be the thickness of a postcard
• Using more than 3 colors on a piece can create stunning results or ugly browns and greens
• Use extreme caution double dipping the bottom 1/2 of the piece if using a runny glaze
• To minimize finger prints on the finished piece, wait until the piece is dry before handling (no longer shinny and without darker spots)
  
• Clean all glaze off waxed areas, from the bottom and 1/4 up the side of the piece.

Using Foam instead of Wax Resist

Chris, a potter from New Jersey, has been frequenting drop-in the past few months while he is staying with his sister in Truckee. He showed me how he learned to use a foam pad (consistency of a sponge) to wipe the bottoms of pieces on after glazing.

The idea is to glaze a piece, once the glaze is dry enough to lift with your hands, you push down and twist the piece back and forth on a moist piece of foam. The friction, caused by pushing and twisting, removes the glaze on bottom and up the side a little ways.

First we tried a fairly stiff piece of foam I had laying around the studio, it worked pretty well. Being it is on the stiff side, it only removed glaze about 1/8" up from the bottom. I love the straight line where the glaze has been removed. But, I want a little more clearance since many of my glazes can run and with drop-in pottery nights there are so many people using the glazes who are not failure with them.

Last night at drop-in, we tried foam from Wal-mart which is used for seat cushions. It is much easier to push down on but, does not remove the glaze as well. Some of the "testers" last night commented it took longer to then sponge off the glaze than dipping in hot wax.

I'll keep you posted on the results- last nights glaze pieces are in the kiln as I write this.

Let me know if you have tried something similar or other alternatives to using wax!

Cleaning Bottoms

Bottoms up! I'm talking here about the foot or bottom of pottery pieces... One of the final things I do before putting a price tag on my ceramic pottery is sanding the bottom or foot.

I have had more than one person tell me they purchased handcrafted pottery which scratched thier expensive table top at home so they threw the pottery in the trash! Not only was the new owner of the pottery upset, I'm sure the potter who created the piece would also be upset to know the fate of their hard work.


A few seconds of sanding will make all the difference. I use two differnt types of sandpaper, no special files or tools needed.


For really rough spots or getting chunks of kiln wash off the bottom, a heavy grit belt sander type paper works great, it is called "cloth belt" and comes in sheets, rolls and the circular type (pictured below). The belt grinder cloth is much stronger than typical paper so it won't tear. If you are handy or know someone who is handy with a saw, a block of wood can be cut for to slip inside the circleular sandpaper or it can be held in your hand.

Cloth Belt

Sandpaper sponges are the wonderful invention I use in a fine grit to smooth the botttom as soft as a baby! They last a long time, can be used on greenware, bisque or after the glaze fire, best of all, they are cheap. I get mine at our local hardware store for .39 cents each! 3M makes them under the name of Pro Pad.

Sponge Sanders