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Spraying Mugs.


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Glaze spraying mugs.

 

Is there a secret to not getting misses on the handles?

 

I don't make large enough quantities of glaze to dip pieces, so I spray pretty much everything.

 

I can (and do) go over the handles with a brush and touch up afterwards, but I'd much rather not.

 

 

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What kind of sprayer are you using, Ayjay...and what kind of surface do you have your mugs set on when you spray?

I would imagine that if you are using some sort of turntable. If so, you might want to make a narrow pedestal to get the mug up higher and away from the deck so you have a better angle to shoot the undersides of the handles.

 

JohnnyK

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Spraying mugs has their own problem, and as Johnny alludes to setting the piece up on turntable helps, I use an upside down small bowl to do this, I spray with the turntable moving slowly, changing direction often,with the gun angled away from the mug so that the spray hits the mug going away or coming in toward the sprayer. I try not hit the handles directly by turning off the spray over the handles trying to hit the mug itself. After setting up a sufficient coat on the mug, and the inside edge of the handle. Then I take time to work my spray on the handle itself. Big deal is distance for spray, and if you have a sprayer that allows for some head control. I prefer to not get any closer than 12" and do not allow my spray to get puddly on the pot. I apply a lot of textures to my mugs before shaping now and then spray different colors from different angles to bring up my textures.

 

best,

Pres

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Mug handles, knobs, undercuts, all the tricky stuff I just hold on to the pot with one hand and angle the pot so I can spray inside or underneath etc then gently and lightly spray with the other. The inside of handles etc get sprayed first then the rest of the pot. I raise pots up off the turntable on tuna tins or small cups so I can spray evenly right down to the bottom of the pot. I wear nitrile gloves and use critter sprayers.

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I hold the mug in my left hand and spray the handle from about 10 inches away. If you spray really close your going to have large pools that run on your handle because of how the curve is and the angle of the spray hitting it. I hold the mug up, and spray the arch on the top inside first, then I spray down the handle from the the same side I am holding it. Then I turn the mug upside down and spray the bottom part of the attachment inside of the handle, then spray that side of the handle, this should get both sides and the middle good, if not then I spray the middle part from top to bottom quickly. Then I spray the very bottom outside, then the top outside then down the handle. I repeat this process so that I never miss any spots.  I do this before I spray any other part of the mug. 

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It's obviously a lot more tricky than it has any right to be!

 

I shall have to be a bit more discerning as to how I do it in the future.(Got five to spray later today).

 

I use a fairly standard paint sprayer type thing, with a larger nozzle than used for paint, and also a couple of airbrushes which I'm growing to like a lot, (if only I could find a larger jar for them).

 

The airbrushes btw are Badger 250-2, they work on the same principleas the Critter sprayer, no needle, just an external mix of air and glaze.

 

I tried a couple of more standard airbrushes following recommendations and was disappointed with how often they clogged, i even drilled one out to a larger bore and it was better but not a patch on the 250-2.

 

I do use a turntable and I do tend to keep the mugs elevated, usually on a bisqued chuck, and mainly to keep the outside glaze from contaminating my nice clean white inside - that's obviously why  I get misses on the tops of the handles.

 

I'll try a couple of different methods this afternoon and see how it goes.

 

Many thanks for all your input.

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
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@ayjay, I have had similar frustrating experiences with my mugs and spraying is my preferred glaze application technique as well.  Like others have suggested, before I ever place a piece on an elevated banding wheel inside the spray booth, I frequently flip the mug upside down with fingers inserted inside the rim and then spray the inside, uppermost and inner facing portions of the handle first.  That seems to be the area that is most troublesome to achieve sufficient glaze thickness so the handle feels smooth to the touch once fired. I may hold this position long enough for 2 or 3 light coats to hit the inside of the handle.  Once that is done, I worry much less that the rest of the glazing will be OK.  In combination with those initial, inverted sprays the exterior spray will overlap enough that I experience very few problems with handles.

 

I use a couple of LPHV spray guns and have been known to do touch-up work with a small Badger airbrush.

 

Peace,

-Paul

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Thanks Paul, I just "cheated" a bit, I had the airbrush out for something else and so when finished I sprayed the handles of the five waiting mugs.

 

I didn't even need to clean it out as I'd had some underglaze in there of a very similar colour to the glaze.

 

I'll finish with the larger spray gun later and not have worry about any misses.

 

The last batch I sprayed the glaze was very pale, maybe I'll add some food colouring to pale glazes in future so I can at least see any misses better.

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 the outside glaze from contaminating my nice clean white inside - that's obviously why  I get misses on the tops of the handle

 

This is the best part about spraying in my opinion, the beautiful line between the outside and the inside is so nice. To avoid contaminating my inside glaze, I pour the inside, then spray around the inside rim again. Then I spray the outside at a down to up angle, this keeps the inside perfect and the outside perfect. 

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"I do use a turntable and I do tend to keep the mugs elevated, usually on a bisqued chuck, and mainly to keep the outside glaze from contaminating my nice clean white inside - that's obviously why  I get misses on the tops of the handles."

 

If you wax your white liner glaze for a couple inches inside the mug, let it dry then put a circle of foam snugly inside the mug as a stopper then spray you won't get overspray inside. Take the foam out straightaway after spraying and wipe off any stray droplets from the wax. You can just use upholstery foam scrap for the circle of foam, if you can cut it from a fairly thick piece of foam you push it in farthest for the first mug you spray then insert it a little less for each subsequent mug and you won't get glaze from the foam getting inside. If the lip of the mug doesn't get enough glaze on it then just dip it upside down in a very shallow puddle of glaze, the wax on the inside will give you a clean line. If you have a bandsaw it cuts foam really easily and accurately, if not then a serrated bread knife works okay. If you do a lot of mugs it's worth the effort. 

 

This foam is for a different size mug, bit small for this one,  but gives you an idea of what I meant.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

post-747-0-44032300-1468082739_thumb.jpg

post-747-0-44032300-1468082739_thumb.jpg

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If you wax your white liner glaze for a couple inches inside the mug, let it dry then put a circle of foam snugly inside the mug as a stopper then spray you won't get overspray inside. Take the foam out straightaway after spraying and wipe off any stray droplets from the wax.

 

 

 
 

 

 

That sounds like a good idea, I've considered putting foam (or something) inside but hadn't fully worked out the plan,  waxing the top couple of inches inside makes the idea viable.

 

I fitted a flat hat to the mugs this afternoon, a disc of thin stiff plastic with a weight hanging underneath (to prevent it being sprayed off) and a loop of wire on top to lift it off afterwards, it needed a wipe between spraying each mug, but that was easy enough.

 

It would all be easier if I didn't like the inside of mugs to be white!

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I recently either watched a video clip or read an article discussing the use of small balloons to "plug" the insides of bowls, mugs, and opened top pots while spraying glaze on the outside. 

 

I have used a handmade cardboard tube to support the object upside down over the tube.  I once used a spare kick wheel as a turntable for spraying bowls which helped out on getting an even coating.

 

Each of these approaches have their own values and constraints but with time you will find what is acceptable for your shop. 

 

LT

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Spraying is such a slow way to glaze-I'm assuming you only have a few items or maybe an electric loads worth.Spraying does give you the ultimate control of thickness and is good when you glaze amounts are small.I scary most say pots with slips. In my everyday production spraying makes no sense due to volumes of wares. 

I would just hold the mug from the inside with spread fingers and stay under inside the handles. I have very strong finger muscles from doing this when dipping lots of pots each week.

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One of the reasons I use dipping a pouring for most of my glaze coat, and then finish off with some spraying. However, I will be the first to admit that I don't produce any where near the amount of a potter like you Mark. It does speed up the process though to do most in some other method.

 

best,

Pres

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My method is to spray the insides with a glaze jet (see my post on this tool or article in studio potter issue #36 number 2 2008 on tools-which is photo essay on how to make one)  which squirts glaze into any inner form ,after spraying the insides say 100 mugs or more I usually brush (underglaze/glaze) and dip them then use a squeeze  bulb for more glaze details

Many of my my mugs now have up to 5 glazes on them. So efficient glazing is a must

 

when I spray I am making pots for myself in the salt kiln and am spending lots of time with each piece.Not for public sale work most of the time.I'm in a different head space with no production work and just having fun with salt work. I have to carve out a time slot for this mode of work and its rare.

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I am certainly no production potter but I agree with @Mark C. that producing quantities, particularly with impending deadlines, requires efficiency and speed.  I would also guess that Mark developed his techniques and speed over time and I really appreciate him sharing his experience, knowledge, and techniques.

 

From my experience (and having learned from more experienced sprayers) spraying one piece at at time, constantly switching between multiple glazes is hardly an efficient way to turn up the volume...although it may be fun to do from time-to-time.  My most efficient (in terms of quantities) spraying technique requires considerable pre-planning and looks a lot more like a long assembly line.  Moving from piece-to-piece with the same glaze before switching colors certainly speeds up the process for me.  Granted, it is not as fast as dipping/pouring that same number of pieces, but it is the best way I know to control the gradients that I want and to achieve the desired look for my product.  It does mean that I invest more time into my work, but I work/practice purposefully to improve in speed/efficiency.

 

(begin soapbox)...all to say, wearing my grandfatherly hat, find techniques that help you achieve your goals and adapt/perfect those techniques to make them yours.  It isn't a matter of right way or wrong way, it is more a matter of finding what works best for you and your customers, and finding joy in what you do. (/end soapbox)

 

Peace,

-Paul

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I'm fortunate in that I don't make pots for a living, I think if I'd started earlier in life I could have handled the production side of things , but the selling would have been a nightmare, not my cup of tea at all.

 

I too really appreciate all of Mark's input and the many insights that he provides into production pottery.

 

So I make pots for fun, I sell some along the way, but it's not really why I make them.

 

Spraying a large quantity does require careful planning if it's not going to take forever, (especially without running water in my garagio). I make a list (and rough sketch) of everything that needs spraying and plan what will be glazed with what and jot it down next to each sketch, then count up each mention for each glaze and make sure that I've done that many pots with each glaze before changing over.

 

The top hat worked surprisingly well, it appears to have actually deflected any glaze from the top 1/4" of each mug. I'll attempt to make a better one now, or even several of different diameters to get just the right overhang on each article.

 

post-7271-0-22754900-1468237695_thumb.jpg

 

.........and clean insides........

 

post-7271-0-01014900-1468237738_thumb.jpg

 

.......and no misses on the handles that were pre-sprayed with the airbrush :)

post-7271-0-22754900-1468237695_thumb.jpg

post-7271-0-01014900-1468237738_thumb.jpg

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your nutmeg glaze is much darker, and prettier than mine.

 

Thank you oldlady - it's  Richard Busch's Nutmeg, (but I guess you knew that) mixed with White Satin Matt,  I'd love to tell you the proportions but it started off at 50/50 (and not much left)  to which I added about the same total quantity of Nutmeg & White at 80/20.  ( I suppose that makes it about a 65/35 mix).

 

I like the combo a lot,  it only rarely fails to deliver something good no matter what I do with it

 

It's about the colour I was expecting, which is always a nice surprise.

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mine came from Bill vanGilder's book and i screwed up a huge amount badly.  wrote to John Hellelberth who suggested a way to fix it.  mine comes out as shown in the photo.  where it is too thin, it is darker, where thick it is like custard or caramel flan.

post-2431-0-30144300-1468293152_thumb.jpg

post-2431-0-30144300-1468293152_thumb.jpg

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