Tenyoh Posted March 16, 2022 Report Share Posted March 16, 2022 Hi all, I made a circular base (17" in diameter) using a 3/8" slab. I may have designed the structure wrong, and I need your input on whether I should reinforce it before I glue a sculpture on the base. The first photo below shows the base. It was supported by a piece of insulation foam until I constructed this far. The figures were then moved to a temporary base (1/2" thick and 17" diameter) as it is shown in the second photo. Th sculpture weighs about 30 pounds. Yesterday, while moving the figures with the temporary base horizontally onto a kiln shelf, the base cracked. It had reinforcements where the weight was, but it could not take the weight. All of them are being fired to ∆2 right now. If they come out successfully, I plan to move the figures back to the original base and glue them together. The yesterday's experience made me nervous. Do any of you know how much weight a ∆2-fired 3/8" slab can take safely? I'm thinking of cutting a 1/4" plywood to the size slightly smaller than the base and glue it underneath. Then cut a dowel to the height of the base and place a few of them where the weight is. Or you don't think I need to worry about this at all. I foresee making sculptures weighing 30# or more in the future. What thickness of slab do you recommend to make bases out of? Sorry, I sign in to this forum only when I cannot find answers anywhere else. I greatly appreciate your expertise. Tenyoh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted March 16, 2022 Report Share Posted March 16, 2022 sorry not to have an answer for you but i would like to say that the sculpture is lovely. are the subjects people you know personally? i can see the love between them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenyoh Posted March 16, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2022 Thanks for the comment. I'm doing a series on aging and dementia. This piece is about a man in a nursing home and his wife's unfailing love for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hulk Posted March 16, 2022 Report Share Posted March 16, 2022 Hi Tenyoh, Stunning work! I clearly recall perusing your website some time ago - perhaps last year; and I don't clearly recall much these days. Just to clarify - a 3/8" thick round slab is strengthened by a perpendicular perimeter web and is supported by six legs/feet along the edge/web. The slab is 17" diameter, to support about thirty pounds. Yes? To me, that's expecting rather a lot of a .375" slab. The type of clay, the clay's firing range, glaze (if any) and the glaze fit may be important variables. Looks like you could add/include a support for the middle of that slab, which wouldn't be visible at the viewing angle of your first image. Perhaps a simple cylinder, same clay, about the same thickness as the support's edge/web and feet, thrown (or built) the same way, same height, could, err, should dry and fire to very near the same height. If the slab ended a bit concave/convex, it may not be noticeable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyK Posted March 16, 2022 Report Share Posted March 16, 2022 I agree with @Hulk about the support under the center of the piece, but I think the biggest problem here is the absolute fragility of the bone dry piece before it is fired. It might behoove you to do some testing by constructing some sample bases that you would consider for future sculptures, firing them, and then adding weight to them to see at what point they crack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenyoh Posted March 16, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2022 Hi Hulk and JohnnyK, Thank you very much for your replies. It is obvious now that the base needs support. I will work on that today. Your answers also taught me to test if you doubt. I will definitely run an experiment as JohnnyK suggested. By the way, it was flattering to know, Hulk, you had gone through my website before. Thank you very much. Tenyoh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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