Post #222104 by hmc on Tue, Mar 21, 2006 2:26 AM

Okily-Dokily... Finally more pics and information!

Ceramic slip - I used Mid-Fired White Eathernware. This slip is ideal for mugs, it's durable and strong for those times of chink-chinking and washing up hazards.

Pouring in the ceramic slip.

As you leave the ceramic slip inside the mould, it starts to dry and you can see the edges forming a wall. By tilting the mould you can see how thick the mug is getting. I leave mine for approx 20-30 minutes:

Then tip it over and pour him out (do the hokey pokey):

Let it drip for about 15 mins:

The ceramic slip includes a content called "defloculant" which helps the ceramic slip stay put and not ooze to the bottom in a heap of mush.

The top can be cleaned up at this stage and the edges can be tidied up after you pull him out as he's still soft then:

As it dries (I leave mine for a minimum of 2 hours before pulling out) the mould sucks the moisture away from the ceramic slip making the mug shrink. The mug continues to shrink as it dries completely (hence needing to create a mould about 10% bigger than the finished size). You can see the size differences in this row of mugs:

[ Edited by: hmc 2006-03-21 02:53 ]