Bruce the Chef

By: Mitch Johnson

Plaster bats are easy to make yourself. This is a valuable project for
the beginner because it provides a background of experience for casting
and mold-making. Bats can be made in any size, and a variety of sizes
are needed. In this article you will find the important steps to make a
bat.

Although oilcloth is a satisfactory work surface for the beginner, a
plaster bat is much more desirable. It not only provides a sturdier
support, but it also keeps objects moist while you are working on them.
Unglazed biscuit tiles, 4×4 and 6×6 inches, are adequate for most
projects. They may be purchased from a ceramics supply house for a few
cents apiece.

A 12-inch pie plate makes an ideal mold for a round plaster bat. The
first step in making such a bat is to fill a container with the amount
of water that the pie plate will hold. Add powdered plaster of Paris
and stir to a molasses consistency. The liquid plaster is now poured
into the pie-plate mold. Agitate the plate gently to free the plaster
of air bubbles. At least 24 hours will be required for the plaster to
set and dry properly.

You follow the same instructions for making a square bat, but instead
of using a pie plate you use a square form, perhaps a medium-size
cardboard box. The plaster bat is a porous platform on which you can
work. By sprinkling it with water as you work, you can keep the piece
on which you’re working in a moist, plastic state for a long period of
time. By the same token, a bat can be used for the reverse purpose to
dry a piece of clay which is too moist for immediate work. The porous
surface will extract excess moisture from the clay.

Other Materials
A whirler or banding wheel is also a sound investment for the ceramist
who has advanced far enough to furnish his own studio. Primarily such a
wheel is used for decorating pottery. The top turns freely and so makes
it possible for you to rotate your work constantly. By holding a
paintbrush against the surface as it spins, you can paint straight and
even bands of color on such things as vases and mugs. A whirler can
also double as a small potter’s wheel for forming pottery pieces and
small ceramic figures.

After you have reached the stage where you have made or acquired your
own molds, you will need an assortment of heavy rubber bands to hold
together multi pieced molds while casting green ware. Cutting
cross-sections out of old, discarded inner tubes should supply you with
more than enough.

Your studio should also have the aforementioned crocks or large glass
jars for holding moist clay and slip. The one-gallon jars used for
packing pickles can be utilized for this purpose.

A sieve is also among the much-used workshop implements. The obvious
use of the sieve is to strain partially hardened lumps and impurities
from slip before pouring it into a mold.

About the Author:

Mitch Johnson is a regular writer for www.curtains-n-drapes.com/ , www.myceramicstips.info/ , www.ezceramicshub.info/

Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com