Yesterday I showed the molds being finished and put in front of the fans to dry.

A couple of weeks and the fan did the trick and the molds are ready to pour and to turn out some new fogcutter blanks.

We pour in the slip while I pound the side to remove air bubbles.

Two hours later it's time to pour out the still fluid slip to make the mug hollow.

I always check to make sure that none is hanging up in the bottom.

After we did this with all three they are left upside down overnight.

The next day we turned them over and it's time to open them.

The first one out is the rim less mug. This mug is requested by Professor G on the Wish List. It will have palm trees added all the way around and then super carved. He ordered 2 so I'll be pouring more.

Here all three types are out of the molds. Success!

Now using my favorite tool the label scrapper. These are sold on line with the title. I scrap off the mold lines and

I cut off the tops. This variety has the band at the top and bottom.

One done.

I remove any plaster stuck on the clay and I save to use any that I cut off of the mugs.

This next style has the band only at the bottom.

I scrap the sides.

I cut off the top and

smooth it with a wet paper towel.

Now it's time to clean up Professor G's mug.

I scrapped down this side and then when

I rotated to do the other side I found a piece of mold plaster stuck in the side.

It's really important to dig in and to make sure that all the air is removed.

I carefully press in the sides removing the air and

then I add clay to fill in the dent.

Now I finish the sides off by smoothing with a wet paper towel.

I cut the top off.

Lifted it off and saved the clay in the container.

Sometimes the insides of mugs have drip lines. These can be sanded out later or rubbed out now with a sponge on a stick.

I have three good mugs waiting to be altered and carved.

For now they each go into a large size Hefty bag.

The molds are put in position and the fan is turned back on. Now they'll dry over night and be ready to pour the next day.

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Tomorrow is a day off for us so I won't be here posting. By Friday I'll be hard at work on Wish List #5 and on the Sacramento Crawl mug for 2015. It takes me 6 months to get the crawl mug made because I will make one mold and have to cast every day for 2 months to make enough. It's time to work really hard. This is when the fun photos begin again. Cheers, Wendy

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