Post #736979 by danlovestikis on Mon, Feb 9, 2015 10:02 AM

The Third and Last day to make the THREE fogcutter mug molds. Three styles and I'll be set for doing custom mugs.

I removed all the boxes from each mold.

I scraped all the sharp edges until they were rounded. I had already drawn the shape of the mug on the plaster for a label.

All three have one mold piece done. Today I will do two more pieces on each mold.

To start We put on a strap so Dan could turn them over with out it all falling apart.

Taking off the bottom shows the artful arraignment of the blocks.

Once all of them were flipped I

started removing all the blocks.

I used my vegetable chopper again to cut off blocks of clay. These go into tubs, get spritzed with water and saved for next time.

All three have had this done and now

I've put them into the mold boxes again and I've started to heavily mold soap them. I'm doing it 4 times with wiping gently between coats.

The snakes are in place and it's ready to

pour in the wet plaster right

down to the last drop. Clean up and then do it again 2 more times. However this photo shows we are on the last one. The other two have the boxes removed and are now just strapped together.

Now I need to dig out the clay which is covering the bottom of the mug.

I've exposed the block.

All the clay is removed.

Upended the three are now ready to mold soap and to pour the last piece.

4 layers of mold soap wiping after each one.

Dan's mixing the plaster. This time we can do all three pours because the amount is so much smaller.

I make a dam of clay at the mold pieces joints so that plaster can be filled as much as possible.

Slowly pouring it in works best.

All three of them are done being filled.

Dark crayon colors work best for numbering pieces or drawing the mugs. I carve and do the crayons.

Here I carved on the last mold piece that has firmed up.

The three have been set aside so we can clean up the garage.

Dan finished before I remembered to take his photo so I took the picture without his face mask on.

NEVER work without a face mask or you will ruin your lungs. Don't ever sweep up your mess, just mop it up. Dust, especially plaster dust will stick in your lungs and never come out.

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Tomorrow I will post photos of opening the molds. Cheers, Wendy