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| It's always a good idea to
check the inside of your mold before casting. A large soft hair
duster brush does a nice job for this step.
Tip: Shelving molds with large
opening upside down, will help keep dust from getting inside the
mold during storage.
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Band the mold.. and be sure to take a
measurement inside for your casting thickness. The measurement is
just over 5/8" so we need a spare thickness of 3/8" or
slightly under to create a solid in this area. NOTE: All
Boothe Utility Molds are designed for a calculated solid casting. You
should never have a hollow in any plate or bowl backs.
Tip: Rather than measuring each time, you
might want to mark the outside of the mold with a marker for
reference. Many Boothe molds have this included in the
instructions on the mold.
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| To Eliminate a Hardspot on the plate
front use a sponge filled with clear water.. and moisten an area on
the mold. Adding moisture to this spot is important.. |
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Using a soft Goat Hair Fan Brush..
apply some slip to the moisten area. |
| Now begin pouring making sure your
first splash of slip hits the area only that you pre-applied slip
to.. |
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Fill the mold to the top.
Depending upon the temperature, humidity in your casting room, type
of slip.. begin checking in about 15 minutes. |
| Check your spare measurement before
dumping.. We needed 3/8 inch thickness for this mold. |
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Dump the liquid slip back into the slip
vat.. The flow of slip should stop. Do not turn the mold over and
walk away.. because you will need to turn the mold back in the
upright position for the remainder of the process. |
| You will note that there is no hollow.. |
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As soon as the slip has loss it's
gloss, it's time to begin the trimming process.
Place the mold half on a turn table. A
turntable is probably one of your casting room staples.
Using a 1 1/2" scalpel blade in your Exacto
knife, lay the blade flat on the rim of the plate. Hold the
blade steady and turn the mold. (which is on the turntable) DO NOT
MOVE THE KNIFE. Let the turn table do the work.
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| Your plate should look like this.. An
overhang rim cause by the side trimming. Plate is not hollow.. |
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The photos above show the process
of pressing the rim.. Your sponge should be damp. You press
the rim down as you move the sponge towards you. The clay rim
will fold down nicely closing and creating the rim. The amount
of pressure is firm, because you want to seal the rim of clay to the
plate back. This process may take a plate or two to perfect
your technique.. However I have watched beginners in our
casting classes achieve a perfect back the first time out.
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This is what your plate back should
look like. The rim is wider than what a ram pressed
plate might have, but it is consistent and quite attractive.
We always recommend in the final cleaning when dry that a sand board
be used to completely level the plate back. |
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| Some Hints..
Some casters have indicated that ware on plates and platter crack in
the mold before they can get it out.. Normally this is caused
by a mold that is too dry. For some it never happens, because
their casting area is very humid from daily casting keeping molds in
the area moist. ( Moisture you can't feel by touch ) If you
feel that your mold is bone dry... before your first casting,
misting the core inside with a water filled atomizer bottle is
recommended. For additional casting that day, you will not have
to re-mist. |
