Chilly

Hi Sharon, welcome to CAD forums, and good on you for volunteering. I'm too far to away come and help, but slip-casting (pouring) is (to me) the easiest job in the studio. Like everything though, you will need to test, test, test and make good notes. Start with a two-piece mould. Apply mould straps so mould cannot openup. Using a soft brush, make sure there is nothing inside, no dust, old clay, spiders nests........ Stir your bucket of slip thoroughly for several minutes. If it's been hanging around for a while you might want to sieve it. Using a plastic jug with an open-bottomed handle scoop up some slip. Pour the slip into the mould until it is full to the very top. Hang the jug on the rim of the bucket, so it drips back into the bucket. Set a minute-timer for 10 minutes. I use 10 for earthenware, 20 for stoneware slip, but this differs depending on heat and humidity. Meanwhile, find a pair of flat sticks or an old fridge shelf and place over top of bucket, to hold upturned mould. When timer goes off, use a plastic tool to cut a small v-shape (10mm by 10mm max) from the setting slip in the pour hole so you can see the thickness of the cast. Re-set timer for more if needed. Pour slip from mould back into bucket. Leave mould upturned on sticks until slip stops running out. Leave upside down, or right way up for several hours (again this depends on humidity), until you can see the clay start to shrink away from the mould. Use thin end of plastic tool (lucy tool - http://www.cromartiehobbycraft.co.uk/imagecache/c0b4830c-141b-490c-999d-a27e00a10685_800x479.jp) to remove clay from the pour hole. This action is a bit like scraping round a bowl with a spatula to remove all the cake mix. Undo mould straps. Place mould on side with seam horizontal. Use thick end of plastic (lucy) tool to gently prise the two halves of mould apart, then lift top half of mould away from bottom half. Allow to dry a bit more, then carefully remove "pot" from mould. Put the mould back together, with mould straps and leave in a dry, airy place for <>24 hours before re-using (depending on, yes, you've guessed, the humidity. Place pot on thick piece of foam and fettle (clean up the seams etc) when leatherhard. Wash, rinse, spin, repeat The really difficult bits are deciding how long to leave the slip in the mould, and knowing when to open the mould, and the physical size and weight of some of the moulds. Not enough/too much time = too thin or too thick castings. Opening the mould too soon usually results in tearing the pot apart as it is still sticking to parts of the mould. Leaving too long for a simple vase, say, might not be a problem, but for a complex figurine, the shrinkage can pull the pot apart. You can allow any boo-boos to dry completely and then throw them back in the slip bucket, or start a new bucket and add water. You can add (I recall) up to one third recycled, dry slip to a bucket of new slip without too much problem. More than that and you need to read this article: http://www.ceramicindustry.com/articles/84299-ppp-successful-slip-castingand then this one: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/527ac372e4b0d4e47bb0e554/t/527fd7f1e4b0c046bfa9b90d/1384110065234/Dispersant+Addition+Procedures.pdf. It's a bit heavy going, but doable. Good luck

How do you get your "clay fix" when on holiday or when can't "pot" due to illness or injury?

I'm a better organiser than I am a potter. If no-one else wants to take this on, I will.

Hmmmm, I'm guilty as charged. Couldn't think of a design, and for home use I like the grinders.

Still going, current challenge is salt'n'pepper pots.