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crack patch/help

updated sat 30 nov 96

 

Tom Gray on wed 6 nov 96

Having no need (until now) for any type of crack repair, I have not paid
any attention to any threads on repairing cracked pots. If any one has a
recipe for a sure-fire patch that would work for ^10 stoneware, please
share it with me.
Thanks-
Tom Gray
Seagrove, NC
http://www.cclay.com

JAN DE KRUYF on fri 8 nov 96


TG> Subject: crack patch/help


TG> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Having no need (until now) for any type of crack repair, I have not paid
> any attention to any threads on repairing cracked pots. If any one has a
> recipe for a sure-fire patch that would work for ^10 stoneware, please
> share it with me.


Tom
Don't know much about potting (I read the list for amusement and for the
beautiful down-to-earth filosophy of the people)
In any case: this was my solution to your problem--
Fire some scraps of the same clay, hammer the result to fine powder that
you sieve in a nylon stocking or similar.
Use the powder as a filler in a slow curing 2 component epoxy glue. (use
a lot of filler, the epoxy tends to run if there is not enough filler)
Use this paste to fill the crack.
When the glue is just about set use a sharp pen knife to model the epoxy
as desired.

There is one drawback: the epoxy is like a glaze; the color of the
set epoxy is a bit darker than the surrounding ceramic. For very small
cracks you might try sandpapering to lighten the color. For a wider
crack I have dusted the wet epoxy with the courser particles that stay
behind in your sieve. This works up to a point; often the surface
stucture is now a bit courser than the original.

I suggest you play around a bit first on a useless piece to get a feel
for the whole procedure. And make sure the filler powder is very fine.
If you have problems with sagging, do it in 2 steps. Let the first
application harden before you apply the finish.

Good luck

jan.
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* SPEED 2.0c #1613 *