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beginner question hump mold release


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Hi, I'm new to the forum and new to ceramics as well! I just made three hanging baskets over metal kitchen bowls.  I thought some cooking oil is all I need to release the forms, but I start doubting it. When is the right time to release? Letting it dry over night? (I know it was a silly idea to not put anything between the bowl and the clay). The bowls are not flat either- is there any chance to release them in one piece? 

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Hopefully the profile allows them to release as they shrink.

Sump molds, no problem, slump molds can catch, shrink and crack as they shrink. Most of the hand builders I watch use cornstarch or simply put a nice smooth  fabric  sheet over first and separate as soon as their clay will retain its shape. Your pictures indicate you have a hole in the bottom of your clay which would prompt me to gingerly (really slowly) blow air in the hole as this stiffened a bit in an attempt to gingerly get these to separate.

I am sure there will be many and probably better ideas by hand builders here as well.

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5 hours ago, liambesaw said:

In school we either used newspaper or plastic bags between the mold and the clay, anything works though...  

I think the plastic would work better here since the texture on the inside of the planter would not be critical...Murphy's oil soap might work too...

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I have used veggie oil as a release but i once used old veggie oil and it actually seemed to adhere it to the shape worse so make sure the oil isn't real old. Also dry cleaning bags, cling film or silk make for a good barrier to sticking.

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This morning I did put them out, one was cracked (thankfully clay can be recycled). The first one I made was good, but the second one I probably smash too because I think the wall is too thin (a bit under half a centimeter. I guess  next time I'll try to use thin fabric or newspaper or plastic. And I will make the walls thicker, maybe using two pieces of wood on either side.

Is there a rule of the thumb between diameter and thickness?

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I did one with plastic, the release was possible but difficult. It sticks like mad. I guess the reason why all these youtube videos on soft slabs are with shallow molds is because shallow molds are more suitable for that. It has to be taken out early because of the shrinkage and then the whole bowl is still very pliable.

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Another approach would be to use the  metal bowls as slump rather than hump molds. Use a spray vegetable oil on the inside, remove the clay when it's leatherhard then attach the texture pieces to the outside. Don't have to worry about the clay shrinking on the mold and cracking if you slump the clay inside the bowl. 

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