Slowing drying time - can I use cooking oil or spray for small parts?

[uptomyelbowsinclay]

I've read about painting liquid wax resist over small, delicate, or other fragile bits of greenware to selectively slow the drying process.  I'm wondering about spraying vegetable oil with either a pump spray bottle or aerosol like Pam cooking spray to achieve the same end - reduce the evaporation of moisture from the oil coated surface.  The oil/cooking spray would burn off with the bisque fire, correct?  Has anyone done this?  I'd rather cover my slip trailing with a spray instead of painting wax.  Ideas?

[Hulk]

Hi uptomyelbowsinclay, Welcome to the Forum!

The oil should burn off.
I haven't tried that, however, the several wax emulsion/resist products I've tried seemed to burn off ok.
Sometimes there's a faint mark in my liner glaze where the wax edge was, but I don't mind it.
Test!

Ideas, I mist (with a spray bottle) and cover to retard or arrest drying.
A light mist on the ware and a shot in the container will slow/arrest drying. I use rigid containers*.
From there, how often, depends on the weather (how warm, how humid) and what the pot is sitting on (absorption); wares can be kept moist indefinitely**.
 

*I've a collection, from two quart planters (with the holes taped over) up to five gallon buckets.
Many potters place wares together in a "damp box" to keep them damp...

**watch for mold!

Edited July 17 by Hulk
- a many

[neilestrick]

I've used cooking spray as a  release for stamping sprigs with fine detail. It burns off in the kiln and doesn't leave any residue. I cannot say how well it slow evaporation, but I'm sure it would help a little bit. Even wax only does so much to slow the drying, though. I think the best way to slow down drying is to use a damp box. You can make one of any size by pouring an inch of plaster into the bottom of any lidded plastic container. By keeping the plaster wet you create a very humid environment that will slow the drying. If you keep the lid sealed the pieces won't dry at all so you can crack the lid, or if you're only using it for slow drying put some holes in the container to allow for slow evaporation.

[uptomyelbowsinclay]

13 hours ago, Hulk said:

Hi uptomyelbowsinclay, Welcome to the Forum!

The oil should burn off.
I haven't tried that, however, the several wax emulsion/resist products I've tried seemed to burn off ok.
Sometimes there's a faint mark in my liner glaze where the wax edge was, but I don't mind it.
Test!

Ideas, I mist (with a spray bottle) and cover to retard or arrest drying.
A light mist on the ware and a shot in the container will slow/arrest drying. I use rigid containers*.
From there, how often, depends on the weather (how warm, how humid) and what the pot is sitting on (absorption); wares can be kept moist indefinitely**.
 

*I've a collection, from two quart planters (with the holes taped over) up to five gallon buckets.
Many potters place wares together in a "damp box" to keep them damp...

**watch for mold!

Thanks so much.  I've got the plaster lined damp boxes and they work wonderfully for most of my slow drying.  I'd like to do fine slip piping WITHOUT scoring  - piping slip freehand through an icing tip.  This is where I have the adhesion problems.  And tiny dots that are impossible to score.  I'm using slip made from clay of the same clay body as the object.  I've tried deflocc with Darvan, flocc with vinegar (in the slip/and or on the object), magic water, ..... but these fine lines and dots pop off with the bisque fire. 

 

 

[Hulk]

I've no experience with slip trail decoration.
Perhaps someone with experience will "pipe" in?

How wet/damp are the wares when you are slipping them?

A potter in Los Osos (where we used to live) pipes dots, lines, drops on almost everything; looks like the slip they use is damp enough to settle a bit as it goes on.