Piping Ideas

[jrgpots]

I have porcelain #5 cone 6. I want to thin this and try piping it like royal icing on my gingerbread church (26" long X 22" wide X 24" tall if I count the steeple). Do I just make very thick slip. I have thought about thinning the clay with magic water.

 

Will this work? If not...please help.

 

Jed

[Chris Campbell]

You can make a very thick yogurt like slip in a blender by adding clay to water until the blades can hardly turn. If it is still not thick enough let it sit overnight and the water will collect on the surface ... you can blot it up by gently laying a towel or paper towel on top.

You can then spread this slip over the surface with any tool you have handy to create a smooth or textured pattern.

 

You can also make a thick slip by letting some clay strips dry overnight,  soaking them in water, then stirring until smooth. You might also need to let this sit overnight to get rid of excess water. I sometimes let the edge of a towel sit on top so it wicks out the moisture naturally.

[jrgpots]

You can make a very thick yogurt like slip in a blender by adding clay to water until the blades can hardly turn. If it is still not thick enough let it sit overnight and the water will collect on the surface ... you can blot it up by gently laying a towel or paper towel on top.

You can then spread this slip over the surface with any tool you have handy to create a smooth or textured pattern.

 

You can also make a thick slip by letting some clay strips dry overnight,  soaking them in water, then stirring until smooth. You might also need to let this sit overnight to get rid of excess water. I sometimes let the edge of a towel sit on top so it wicks out the moisture naturally.

 

 

thank you Chris. So you don't think I need to use magic water to thin the clay...That makes it easier...

 

IF this monster stays together, I'll post pictures.

[Chris Campbell]

I tend to stay as close as possible to keeping things simple. The minute you add something else to it you get into complications of "did I add too much, too little, too soon, too late??"

This simple slip will match your clay. Don't rush the drying and it should all meld together without cracks.

[Foxden]

There is no one way. Each of us often approach things in a different manner. I had some good success dissolving clay in Magic Water. I wanted a defloculation so I could, dissolve as much clay as possible. I would decant water, too, when it settled. Then I would add some Epsom salts to really thicken it up. The recommended amount is 1/2 of 1 % of the dry weight of clay you used. I never was very exact with the Epsom. The resulting slip would retain more of its piped shape than a slip I might use with out the Epsom salts.

 

Definitely dry as Chris points out, carefully, not rushing and all should be well.

[jrgpots]

Thanks guys.

[Marcia Selsor]

I add some calcined kaolin just to reduce the water content ..less shrinkage.

 

Marcia