Dipping vs Brushing

[Pres]

Since getting the new kiln, I have worried over using wax with the downdraft system. My thinking is of residue from wax building up in the downdraft components. I used to dip the bottoms of chalices, mugs and smalls of all sorts, but now everything is hand wiped or using the felt pad on the wheel. 

best,

Pres

[Hulk]

"Anybody have a cold wax they can recommend that works well plus doesn't smell much when burning off?"

Good question!
I'm about out of what Aardvark Clay sells under their own label; it's an emulsion, and it does work ok.
There's definitely a smell, but very little smoke.

"Aftosa Green" is available at the supply place I can more easily drive to; any reports on that product?
Any reviews on what U.S. Pigment offers?

 

[Jeff Longtin]

On 12/10/2022 at 7:31 PM, Roberta12 said:

I think I need a pic of  @Jeff Longtin peanut butter lids as well.  

Here are plate tongs made from plastic jar covers. (For some reason the image is sideways?) The many holes prevent the lids from holding glaze which then drips onto your still wet plate. The little notches in the lid rim aid in holding the plate edge. Once the glaze is dry I dab a little glaze where the lids held the edge. Generally speaking it enables me to glaze plates without any drip marks. Really appreciated with translucent glazes. 

[Mark C.]

On 12/11/2022 at 9:50 AM, Hulk said:

"Anybody have a cold wax they can recommend that works well plus doesn't smell much when burning off?"

Good question!
I'm about out of what Aardvark Clay sells under their own label; it's an emulsion, and it does work ok.
There's definitely a smell, but very little smoke.

"Aftosa Green" is available at the supply place I can more easily drive to; any reports on that product?
Any reviews on what U.S. Pigment offers?

 

I wrote a bunch on wax a few yaers ago. if do a search on wax. I have the good stuff still (hopefully for my duration) and just tested Forbes  wax  (our local shop sells it) for a friend and it was the second best-highwater clay online sells it. I am super picky on good wax. With good wax and a  damp cut spoonge to apply it you can get that line you like without taping for sure

[Roberta12]

3 hours ago, Jeff Longtin said:

Here are plate tongs made from plastic jar covers. (For some reason the image is sideways?) The many holes prevent the lids from holding glaze which then drips onto your still wet plate. The little notches in the lid rim aid in holding the plate edge. Once the glaze is dry I dab a little glaze where the lids held the edge. Generally speaking it enables me to glaze plates without any drip marks. Really appreciated with translucent glazes. 

Clever, @Jeff Longtin  thank you for the picture!  Do those "tongs" work on larger/longer platters also??  

[Roberta12]

@Hulk Thanks for the picture.  I misunderstood when you said a "sharp corner" I was thinking it was a "sharp corner" of tape.  I have had this really challenging order that I have been working on.  I needed a clean line on the foot.  I usually use Forbes wax and since it was porcelain I put alumina oxide in the wax, but the glaze was a strong blue color and I wasn't happy with just wax.  I did end up using frog tape, and I did get a clean line.  Outside of the bowl was the dark blue, interior was 2 glazes and a flux.  So I was working to keep everything clean.  I should post of picture of what I ended up doing.  It made me laugh when I saw them all lined up.  It actually worked for dipping.  

[Jeff Longtin]

21 hours ago, Roberta12 said:

Do those "tongs" work on larger/longer platters also??  

Years ago, on another pottery blog, Clayart, someone mention that English potteries use "tongs" that are essentially strips of wire, extending from several fingers, that hold plates along the edge. The idea that holding the plate, along the edge, creates fewer noticable glaze tong marks, seemed like a good idea, to me. However, crafting wire in such a way that it could hold a plate firmly seemed challenging. So this is my alternative solution. 

My original thought was to use cookie cutters, thin strips of steel in other words, but I couldn't find cookie cutters that were big enough to hold a plate. Looking around my living space I saw a jar cover and thought it might work. Turns out these work really well. I need to grab the plate firmly, before I dip, but otherwise they hold 12" plates nicely.

[PeterH]

7 hours ago, Jeff Longtin said:

someone mention that English potteries use "tongs" that are essentially strips of wire,

Lots  of pix at https://tinyurl.com/2rkyb27z ... two  particularly lo-tech ones are

It would be interesting to know if  "fingerdips" work

Use a car dent puller to dip your pots in glaze! https://tinyurl.com/2p9y6bn3\\\\\\\\\\

Apparently suckers can be useful in some circumstances

Edited December 16, 2022 by PeterH

[Rae Reich]

On 12/14/2022 at 5:32 PM, Jeff Longtin said:

Here are plate tongs made from plastic jar covers. (For some reason the image is sideways?) The many holes prevent the lids from holding glaze which then drips onto your still wet plate.

Parmesan jar lids have holes already!

[Roberta12]

Use a car dent puller to dip your pots in glaze! https://tinyurl.com/2p9y6bn3\\\\\\\\\\

I bought a couple of dent pullers for that reason.  It only works on waxed, very smooth, flat bottoms.  If that describes your pots, it will probably work.   

 

[kswan]

I have a couple of those as well for dipping. I thought I could do it without waxing an area. Ha. The dent puller stuck nicely on the bottom of my unwaxed piece, but after dipping in the glaze, the dent puller detached and my bowl landed in the bottom of the glaze bucket. Of course, I tried it again to see if it was just a fluke and yes it did fall off.

[Callie Beller Diesel]

I’ve seen @OldForgeCreations have some words about using dent pullers for this purpose. He’s stated that not all dent pullers are created equal, and that if you use a sub par one, they will detach. 

[Min]

Lots of good suggestions for glazing tips in this thread. I'll start a new thread with another method using magnets here as it probably should be in the Studio Operations section.