How To Professionally Foot A Pot?

[Babs]

I load my brush with dish washing liquid, gotta be a better use for this stuff, before dipping into cold wax, seems to flow nicely, and maks for cleaning the brush easier.

[neilestrick]

Some brands of cold wax clean better than others. I use the stuff from Ceramic Supply. Washes out clean with just water, never gums up the brush.

[Benzine]

I started requiring that brushes, to be use with wax or latex resist, have a soap solution applied to the bristles.  I required the same with the resist we use with watercolor.  It does make cleaning the brushes easier.  

 

The only issue I have with my wax resist, is that it does like to run.

[Chris Throws Pots]

I ask all our studio members and students to wash all wax-dedicated brushed with hot water and soap after every use. But inevitably they get gummed up over time. We just boil some water and soak the brushes until the water cools and they're good for another month or so.

[Kris]

Speaking of waxing a foot ring, I do a lot of hand building so some of my "feet" are tiny feet.  Even though I wax and am careful with the glaze they still occasionally stick to the shelf causing a chip on the foot because part of the foot sticks to the shelf.  (I use kiln wash on my shelves)  Has anyone uses a bit of alumina in their cold wax to prevent this type of chipping?  I understand you ruin the wax and can only use on foot rings as the alumina hates glaze.  Let me know......thanks.

[bciskepottery]

Speaking of waxing a foot ring, I do a lot of hand building so some of my "feet" are tiny feet.  Even though I wax and am careful with the glaze they still occasionally stick to the shelf causing a chip on the foot because part of the foot sticks to the shelf.  (I use kiln wash on my shelves)  Has anyone uses a bit of alumina in their cold wax to prevent this type of chipping?  I understand you ruin the wax and can only use on foot rings as the alumina hates glaze.  Let me know......thanks.

Kris . . . it's called plucking. Most commonly happens with porcelain and/or porcelaineous stonewares. Adding some alumina to wax works; also add a drop or two of food coloring to the alumina/wax mixture so you don't confuse it with regular wax. Can be used on feet, as well as lids seated in pots while being fired.

[Chris Throws Pots]

Kris,

 

Here's a link to an old thread about stuck lids. There's a lot of comments within the posts about the use of wax with alumina hydrate. http://community.ceramicartsdaily.org/topic/5560-stuck-lids/?fromsearch=1

 

C

[neilestrick]

Speaking of waxing a foot ring, I do a lot of hand building so some of my "feet" are tiny feet.  Even though I wax and am careful with the glaze they still occasionally stick to the shelf causing a chip on the foot because part of the foot sticks to the shelf.  (I use kiln wash on my shelves)  Has anyone uses a bit of alumina in their cold wax to prevent this type of chipping?  I understand you ruin the wax and can only use on foot rings as the alumina hates glaze.  Let me know......thanks.

 

If you have good kiln wash this shouldn't happen. Put down a fresh layer of wash.