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Slip Trailing..which Tools Are Best?


DMCosta

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Some factors to take into account are: line thickness, the amount of glaze you need the bottle to hold, how long your going to be holding the bottle and the hardness of the plastic.

 

Really thick tips can work with gravity. Otherwise you'll be squeezing. I use 1 and 2 oz soft plastic bottles because I can spend an hour or more trailing and lighter/softer is better even if I have to refill often.

 

I got mine at a regular crafts store. You can also make your own to fit your needs. To make really thin lines I used a syringe or mechanical pencil tip on a bottle.

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You can use a lot of items for slip trailing depending on how thin or thick you want your line. Thin and thick in terms of the consistency of the slip and the size of the mark. I have used everything from a needle to a rubber bulb. I am attaching an image of a few of them including one made from an old bicycle tire inner tube.

I have a lesson area on my website for working with colored slips.

 

http://ccpottery.com/slips.html

post-1585-0-85726100-1411139185_thumb.jpg

post-1585-0-85726100-1411139185_thumb.jpg

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Chris- For a standard not too thick not to thin line which one of those shown do you find the most comfortable to use for long periods of time? I have a few different ones I use but my hand always gets fatigued long before I am done.

Terry

Well ... The red home made bulb one is good because it takes a lot of slip to fill it and it is large enough so your hand does not cramp up. The most useless for me is the one made from the inner tube ... extremely messy to load and clumsy to use.

 

Biggest issue is clogging which can be avoided by pre-filtering the slip through nylons and keeping a tipped pin in the opening ... But often the first squeeze should be put onto a waste surface since there is almost always a gloop.

 

As I recall, the red bulb is purchased in an auto supply shop and the needle part is the attachment on an air pump (used to inflate basketballs etc) ... you snip off the tip of the needle because it has a small air hole, then sand it smooth on an angle. It makes a good tight fit so you can keep slip in it for a while as long as you use a needle to close the airway.

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One more type of trailer, a mylar cone from Charan Sachar

 

 

Thanks min ... I love his work and wondered how he controlled his imagery so well. Anyone just starting with slips should watch how he uses his hands for support and control. Also neat the way he mounts the work on the tube. He has found wonderful ways to express his culture in a contemporary way.

 

Does anyone know what kind of paper that is??

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One more type of trailer, a mylar cone from Charan Sachar

 

 

 

Does anyone know what kind of paper that is??

 

 

I think he uses uncoated mylar. If you google henna cones some people use that or basket cellophane wrap.One source for pre-made cones is: http://www.shophenna.com/  There are nice henna designs on that site also, 

 

 You can also cut up potato chip bags and use that. My sister used to be a chem engineer at Dupont, I have a huge roll of mylar from there, if you would like some just pm me your address and I'll mail you some.

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