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waxing bottoms follow up question

updated thu 15 aug 02

 

ray found on mon 12 aug 02


Ive never had that problem

-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On
Behalf Of J Lutz
Sent: Monday, August 12, 2002 8:24 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: waxing bottoms follow up question

Thanks to everyone who responded to my question of getting a level wax
line.
I've tried the sponging with water technique and I think it'll work well
for mugs, small bowls etc. But . . . I use a white clay and when I
glazed a
piece with a dark glaze I was unable to get everything off the bottom.
The
glaze stained the clay. I haven't fired it yet so I don't know if enough
will disappear or not. How do you deal with this? Or do I just need to
know that this technique will only work with light colored glazes.
Jean Lutz

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J Lutz on mon 12 aug 02


Thanks to everyone who responded to my question of getting a level wax line.
I've tried the sponging with water technique and I think it'll work well
for mugs, small bowls etc. But . . . I use a white clay and when I glazed a
piece with a dark glaze I was unable to get everything off the bottom. The
glaze stained the clay. I haven't fired it yet so I don't know if enough
will disappear or not. How do you deal with this? Or do I just need to
know that this technique will only work with light colored glazes.
Jean Lutz

Ted Whittemore on mon 12 aug 02


Try a very stiff sponge.

This allows you to use the bottom of the pot or the foot ring to
press against and align the sponge for a line that parallels the
bottom of the pot and not have to try to get an even line by sight.

You can make a stiff sponge for waxing by cutting a cellulose
sponge into small triangular wedges, like a piece of pie but taller,
and soaking the triangular end about half an inch deep in wax.

I like green Aftosa wax. And I like the triangular shape 'cause it
lets me control the long (line-making) edge better, while gripping
the top and pointed end opposite the long edge.

Let the wax stiffen up on the sponge, and wash it out in warm water.
and soak it again in wax, etc., a couple of times.

The unsoaked end remains pliable for a good grip, and the wax soaked
end gets hard enough to make an even line when braced against the
pot bottom, but still absorbent enough to hold the wax you need.

Ted Whittemore

claybair on tue 13 aug 02


I have had this happen. It occurred when the foot ring was left pretty rough
as opposed to my usual smoothing/compressing the foot with a rib, chamois or
finger.
It happened more often with stoneware than porcelain.

Gayle Bair
Bainbridge Island, WA
http://claybair.com

-----Original Message-----
ray found


Ive never had that problem

-----Original Message-----
J Lutz
Thanks to everyone who responded to my question of getting a level wax
line.
I've tried the sponging with water technique and I think it'll work well
for mugs, small bowls etc. But . . . I use a white clay and when I
glazed a
piece with a dark glaze I was unable to get everything off the bottom.
The
glaze stained the clay. I haven't fired it yet so I don't know if enough
will disappear or not. How do you deal with this? Or do I just need to
know that this technique will only work with light colored glazes.
Jean Lutz

David Hewitt on wed 14 aug 02


Jean,

This should not be a problem. I apply an oil spot glaze to a porcelain
body and this of course is rich in red iron oxide. I have never used wax
and just wipe the foot clean with a small piece of sponge (foam rubber).

One other point that I don't think has been mentioned on this subject is
that I scrape the foot with a 'blade' to remove the bulk of the glaze
and then finish by wiping. The 'blade' is a broken hack saw blade which
has the width sharpened on an oil stone so that I have a blade approx.
1/2 inch wide.

I spray a lot of my pieces and as a result you get a thick amount of
glaze around the foot. This 'blade' is most useful to scrape this off
without breaking the glaze further up the foot. You need a downward
stroke using the saw edge of the blade.

This 'blade' is also my fluting tool. A most useful item as far as I am
concerned.

David
In message , J Lutz writes
>Thanks to everyone who responded to my question of getting a level wax line.
>I've tried the sponging with water technique and I think it'll work well
>for mugs, small bowls etc. But . . . I use a white clay and when I glazed a
>piece with a dark glaze I was unable to get everything off the bottom. The
>glaze stained the clay. I haven't fired it yet so I don't know if enough
>will disappear or not. How do you deal with this? Or do I just need to
>know that this technique will only work with light colored glazes.
>Jean Lutz

--
David Hewitt
David Hewitt Pottery ,
7 Fairfield Road, Caerleon, Newport,
South Wales, NP18 3DQ, UK. Tel:- +44 (0) 1633 420647
FAX:- +44 (0) 870 1617274
Web site http://www.dhpot.demon.co.uk