Using Hand Presses

[Tom alexander]

I'm making 4x4 and 6x6 relief tiles. Some of the designs I'm pressing into the clay are intricate with fine detail. I've tried using presses with air release but the fine detail becomes blurred. I'm experimenting with simply pressing the design template by hand into the clay. The detail comes out nicely this way BUT the design template sticks to the clay. Any suggestions to prevent the template from sticking to the clay?

Thank You,

Tom A.

[Babs]

Tom Alexander aka Glazenerd?

Anyway, what are your design plates made of? Sorry if you are not glaze nerd.

[Tom alexander]

I've tried wood with the design cut with a lazer. I'm thinking of trying plastic or aluminum next if that will help?

Thanks.

[terrim8]

wonder if you could coat the wood with some sort of thin rubber-dip paint? Then it might work like a stamp?

[Tom alexander]

That may work? I'll give it a go. Thanks.

[NancyAmores]

Pam cooking spray or WD-40 works as a release agent on most surfaces. Just wipe it on the template before pressing. You might consider making a plaster mold of your templates for press molding your tiles, especially if they are high relief. Plaster offers the finest detail and doesn't stick to clay. If you get a chance check out Angelica Pozo's tile making video here on CAD, she also has a great book called 'Making and Installing Handmade Tiles'. I'd also highly recommend Frank Giorgini's book 'Handmade Tiles'. These two books alone will show you many ways to create and decorate tile. Girogini's book has instructions for making your own handmade tile press. 'The Essential Guide to Mold Making & Slipcasting' is a good book to show you the basics of making your own molds. Happy tile making to you!

[oldlady]

if the wood is still fairly new and clean, it might work better as it gets a coating of dust.  use a pounce bag of cornstarch and pat it like a woman would use a powder puff in a very old movie.  once it has  adjusted to the very slight dusty coating the clay should peel off more easily.  that also assumes the clay is not too wet.  and i assume you are using a fine grained clay with little grog.

 

you will damage your hands if you pound on the clay.  try a small rounded roller.  i have a pizza roller that looks a lot like the pony roller sold by ceramic suppliers but it is easier on the hands.  roll in all directions and roll firmly.  you can level the back with a regular rolling pin once the impression is transferred to your clay by the small roller.  you will probably need to re-cut the tile to shape after rolling.

 

this is the kind of thing i have done for years.  you get a feel for the correct moisture level in the clay and can adjust your methods to it.  it helps if you have several things to press at a time in different presses.  by the time you have done number 7 or 8, the first one is just a little dry and might come off the wood more easily.  if you have to peel it like an orange something is wrong.  the first dozen or so are the skill builders, don't expect a perfect product yet.

[Tom alexander]

Thank You everyone for your replays and help. With your help I'll make this work!

[Marko]

I use WD 40. Works fine, just don't soak it to much. Experiment, learn, have fun.

[Magnolia Mud Researdh]

Corn starch dusted on the clay slab works fine.  I use a pounce bag made from an old sock.

 

LT

[Min]

Sounds like some people find WD40 is okay for their clay but every time I tried it with my porcelain I got cracks. I used a super light barely there spray of it on an impression roller, wiped it down with a cloth then  rolled it across the clay. Just took a few minutes before cracks started. 

 

The WD part stands for water displacement, which was the original purpose of the compound. It’s enough to displace the moisture in the porcelain which then cracks in almost a dendrite pattern.

 

+1 for cornstarch in a pounce bag.

[oldlady]

thanks for the warning, min.  i use wd40 all the time with my stoneware.  have never tried it with porcelain because i was throwing when i used porc .  wd works on hard surfaces like plastic or ceramic or glass and allows the finished item to slide off the hard form without sticking.   i would NOT use it on wood.

 

nothing is perfect, cornstarch, if not fluffed onto a surface can form lumps that translate into texture depressions on the finished product.