Recipe for Aneto Porcelain Slip?

[River]

I am fairly new to ceramics and have received some Aneto Porcelain. Right now I am only handbuilding. I'd like to make some vessels with this clay, but I know it is tricky and can be hard to work with. I've especially heard that it requires a different way of attaching handles and sealing— that the slip recipe is not typical like the cheap clay I have been using. Is there a recipe for porcelain slip? Do I need to add an additional binder to the water and clay? I would love to know more, and would especially appreciate any resources on working with porcelain, because I love porcelain objects and want to work with it more.

[Hulk]

Hi River, Welcome to the Forum!

Good questions, check back for updates from those experienced with porcelain*.

Meanwhile, here's an excerpt from this thread Handle cracking question - Studio Operations and Making Work - Ceramic Arts Daily Community:

"I produce tons of handled mugs in  C 10 porcelain (Daves-from Laguna ) with very little cracking-about 100 a week currently. I make my slip from my throwing slop off my hands and splash pan add a very small amount of vinegar now and then I score the join with a serraeted tool and add the slip -join-then cover the 5o mugs with plastic for the night. Uncover them next day and dry.
if I have any small cracks I just rub it out when dry with a sharp wood tool."

 

*US Pigment carries an Aneto Porcelain: Aneto – White Porcelain – US Pigment Corporation

[Jeff Longtin]

Hello River,

It looks like you may have gotten more responses if your question were posted in a different category?  That said, I'll offer this:

It sounds like you intend to hand-build or throw more porcelain pots. Is that correct? You use the term "slip". I presume you are referring to slip used to assemble two clay objects and not casting slip? 

Casting slip has both sodium silicate and soda ash, usually, and those two defloccants aid in assembling slip cast parts. Those two ingredients also aid in making a slip used to assemble thrown or handbuilt pots. I first learned of something called "magic water" a few years ago and realized it is a very good bonding agent for clay pieces. (I've never had a problem assembling slip cast parts as I just use casting slip to do so.)

A recipe, for Magic Water, that has proved successful includes 1 gallon of water to which 3 tbl of sodium silicate and 1-1/2 tsp soda ash has been added. (This in addition to clay powder.) I've never used Magis Water without clay powder. I've always used it as a diluted form of casting slip essentially. 

Does this answer your question? Good luck! Porcelain is a wonderful clay body to use.