Dunkirk Ann Posted July 18, 2023 Report Share Posted July 18, 2023 Hi all, I just bisque fired a hare sculpture and her back foot cracked and broke off into many pieces too tiny to repair with Bisque Fix. I made up some paper clay using the same clay I made her with and would like to form a new foot, attaching the foot to the bisqued body, and then bisque firing the piece again. Ultimately, it will go into a wood fired soda kiln. I've used paper clay before but mostly for repairing cracks, never making an entire appendage. Will this work? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rae Reich Posted July 18, 2023 Report Share Posted July 18, 2023 There might be a shrinkage difference between the paper clay appendage and the already-bisqued hare. I would just make the appendage a bit bigger than the fired hare and fire separately. After firing, the paper clay bisque can be sanded down to fit and attached. Prepare both surfaces for the attachment as you’re making the new appendage. Min and Babs 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted July 21, 2023 Report Share Posted July 21, 2023 How big is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkirk Ann Posted September 14, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2023 After bisquing, the hare is 16 inches high to the tips of his ears. His hind foot is about 5 inches long. So, I got the foot to adhere by spreading a very thin layer of 850 paper clay to the 850 non-paper clay leg where the foot attaches. Indeed, I was concerned about the different shrinkage rates. In the bisque, the foot, which had been firmly attached, did develop some cracks where it was attached, but did not break apart entirely. The hare was loaded into a soda kin today. He's in a location that will get very hot, and get hit hard by soda. I'm hoping there will be some fusing and /or melting that will take place. I'm also expecting to have to do some filling in with epoxy mixed with a stain that matches the clay body. So, if I had it to do over, I'd probably build a separate new foot out of the original clay body and fire the foot along with, but separate from, the hare, as Rae Reich suggested. Thanks! I'll update after we open the kiln next week. Rae Reich, Callie Beller Diesel and Hulk 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted September 14, 2023 Report Share Posted September 14, 2023 Thank you for the updates! We always love hearing how things turn out. May the firing go well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.