Frequently Asked Questions

Nina

If you are pouring a very large mould you can pour straight from the
bucket. With smaller moulds, I like to pour some slip into a juice jug
to give me more control.
It is imperative to pour evenly and fairly quickly to reduce the chance
of pour lines.
Band the mould very well. Set the mould on your work surface with the
pour hold up.
Pour the slip into the mould in an even motion, making sure that the
slip goes straight into the mould and doesn't splash and hit the sides
of the mould, especially the face. Pour to about halfway up the pour
hole.

The mould will absorb the moisture from the slip leaving a thick
porcelain clay behind so keep topping up the pour hole to the same level
to avoid uneven thicknesses. How long you leave the slip in the mould
will depend on the temperature and humidity. Usually from 5 - 10
minutes is enough. Check the spare in the pour hole for thickness.
When it is as thick as you want, slowly empty the slip back into the
jug, making sure that you don't hear the dreaded "glug glug" sound.
This means a vaccuum is being created inside and it can pull the clay
out of the mould, creating misshapen and unuseable greenware. Thickness
of greenware depends on personal preferance and the general rule of
thumb is the larger the piece, the thicker it should be poured. The
thickness of a nickel is a good place to start
When all the porcelain is drained from the moulds, let the mould set for
about an hour. This gives time for the piece to set up and harden
enough to be handled.

Unband the mould and gently lift one half of the mould straight up,
making sure you don't bump the clay piece inside. If the mould releases
easily then it is ready to be unmoulded. If there is any resistance,
leave the mould to sit a while longer. With head moulds, unmould the
back of the head first, allowing the face to remain in the mould for a
time longer. This will help keep the shape of the mould and prevent any
inadvertant pressure from bruising the face.

When the greenware is leather hard, remove the spare, cut the crown of
head open, pierce ears, and open eyes if you are applying glass eyes.
Set the greenware in a draftfree place to dry for about two or three
days. I set my greenware on a bed of fibre fill or on the flat side of
a bubble pad covered with an old sheet. If I am worried about it drying
to quickly, I cover the greeware with the sheet to prevent crusty spots.