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Denice

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About Denice

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  • Location
    Wichita, Kansas
  • Interests
    Remodeling projects, gardening and restoring classic cars.

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  1. I did a little research and found that old plaster sets up fast, a bag that is 4 to 6 months may to old. And the big hard lumps are from adding to much plaster at one time and not getting well mixed. The plastic bag might have made it harder to mix, I use a pretty old bucket and pop off the cured plaster and wash it. When it gets to the point it won't clean up anymore I find another old bucket. To make sure my water is really cold I put ice cubes in my water, when they are melted I am ready to mix. I never slake my plaster slab plaster, I haven't had trouble with bubbles. I set the edge of the bucket in the bottom of the mold and pour it out letting the plaster fill in the corners. Sometimes I need two buckets of plaster so I find a friend to help mix a second bucket while I empty the first one. I made two to four piece molds for a while, and used the finger flip method on ornate pieces to eliminate bubbles. I was train dental lab technician and spent the first couple of years making plaster molds off the forms the dentist sent us. You should be alright on you next slab, just one of those days. Denice
  2. I see that there are some cracks running from one lump to another. I make a lot of tile, a thicker area next to a thinner slab can cause cracks to form. She might try removing the clay from the back of the tile in the thick areas and try to keep the clay a even thickness. Denice
  3. I found what looked like a broken pugger tip in a bag of purchased clay. In my own recycled clay I am always finding elephant ear sponges. Denice
  4. Are you firing a electric kiln? A lot of kilns won't make it to cone 10 if it does it will shorten the life of your elements. I had a friend who thought she made some dishes out of a Cone 10 porcelain. she put them in the last firing of the year at the university. When they unbricked the kiln they found out her dishes had melted all over the kiln and the rest of the work. I don't have any low fire clay in my studio or fire another persons work, this type of accident happens a lot. Denice
  5. My husband also used calipers in his job as a technical writer, illustrator and drafter fifty years ago and then the evolution to computers happened . He still uses to calipers when he is restoring a car but they are digital. He tries to give them to me when they are broken, I don't think he has figured out my measurements need to be as accurate as his. Denice
  6. Fingers are your best tools but not ones you can replace. That was the only tools I had until our teacher had everyone purchase a set. I have people ask me what tools should they start with, I always tell them that their fingers are a good place to begin. Then I give them a list of a few basic tools, I wish someone could help me with the arthritis in my fingers with a list. Denice
  7. I am glad you are getting better, I know that eight weeks is a long break for you. I finished my radiation therapy on my skin cancer a month ago and it has finally healed. I need to go buy a big straw hat for the summer. Don't overdo it. Denice
  8. Test tiles didn't work out but I have another slip idea rattling around in my head. I decided to take a break and make new address plagues for my mailbox, I made the original ones 5 years ago but someone decide to break them up with a tire iron. I had made a press mold for the plague so the only thing that will require some skill is the decorative glaze work. Living on a rural road you have teenagers drive by mailboxes and hit them with a baseball bat or run over them. Denice
  9. I am afraid I have already lost my favorite tool. I bought several handmade tools at a potters estate sale. One of them was a trimmer with wire wrapped around it, the wire was heavier than the factory made ones. It was fast at trimming and you could make some great lines and grooves with it. It is lost because it got old and fell apart, it was old when I purchase it, I used it for 20 years I don't think it owed me anything. May it rest in peace. Denice
  10. I also use my lighter shelves on the bottom and the heavier one on top. I would like to find someone to mentor, they could learn from me and help with heavy lifting. I had a couple of people in mind who started in clay during Covid. Once things got back to semi normal they lost interest in it. It would also be good to have someone that could put the studio equipment to good use when I am no longer around. I would rather give it to someone who is a serious clay person than sell it. Denice
  11. Loading my test kiln tomorrow with my red calico clay and slip test. My husband is still down and out, thought is was a bad cold. Now he has no energy or spark, I think it might have been Covid. Suppose to be warm tomorrow great day to be in the studio. Denice
  12. I taught a summer ceramic class one time, it was a level two throwing class. I was surprise that most of the students didn't know about body movement and the type of tension in the hands and arms. I was just filling in the regular teacher was there with injured hands she guided them with the assembly of parts and glazing. Denice
  13. If I see a brush on sale I usually buy it, the brushes I get at my ceramic supplier usually end up my favorite. I recently finished a couple of handmade brushes for slip work, I think I need a sidewalk to practice on. I didn't have any bamboo available in this area, even Ebay didn't have any listed. I decided to get some cheap Chinese brushes and use the handles, worked great. Between the cost of the handle, deer fur and glue I have about $7 in each one. Etsy had them finished and ready to buy between $75 and $100. I will stick to my homemade ones, I still have enough supplies to make more. Denice
  14. Sorry you can't hang on to your equipment, if anything I would sell the slab roller. When my son was in his teens he wanted to play the drums, so we bought him a nice set. We knew other drummers and they said at one point he will quit playing but don't let him sell him drums. They said he would want to drum again someday, twenty three years later and he went back to the drums. Denice
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