Wilkinson on sat 1 nov 97
Here are some replays I received to my request for help with waxing
Casserole lids. This was such a special gift I felt I had to share it.
Hope I haven't given out any secrets. If so, that was not my intention.
My main problem I think was not mixing the wax resist with water and white
resist on white ware is very difficult to see anyway but food coloring
solved that problem.
Thanks so much for the help.
Lori Wilkinson
Roswell NM
LorWilk@dfn.com
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Gallery/1165
I am assuming that you are using a paraffin mix for waxing. I use wax
resist and find perfecta control by applying it with a sponge. Take an old
small elephant ear sponge that you are willing to sacrifice for waxing(but
one with a nice edge) wet it with hot water, and keep a cup of hot water
handy. Next, squeeze out the sponge and dip it into the wax. Squeeze out
some so that it does not drip. By holding the edge of the sponge under
your thumb, and the edge of the lid between the sponge and your first
finger, you can run the sponge around the edge of the lid. You are
controlling the exact line of the wax by the placement of the sponge and
your fingers. I hope that you can understand what I am talking about, it's
hard to explain.
I also do this around the feet of pots. This is something that I devised
after having wax run when I used a brush. Electric kiln users don't use
paraffin and avoid extra wax. I still use resist even in my gas kiln.
Hope this helps,
...................
About glazing, there are a lot of ways to get the lines clean, you
could use wax resist that you buy (not heatup) and use a fine brush, you
could use masking tape and then peel off after the glaze dries, or you
could
use latex sort of like rubber cement. in fact, rubber cement might work
too!
I have seen someone use latex and then it just peels off leaving incredibly
clean.oh, one more wax resist thing to try for brushing, you could use a
soft lead
pencil to draw your line which would perhaps help prevent the resist from
slopping over. the pencil marks burn out and this works with some glaze
application, so maybe it would work with resist.
.....................
You could try putting just a little paraffin in the hot wax dish,
tip
it to one side, put one edge of the lid down on the thin side and then
slowly the rest. Then rotate the lid slowly so all parts get the slightly
deeper wax. That works for me. However, I would consider trying a tiny hole
as well that could be plugged with glaze later. Just off the top of my
head.
..............
For waxing lips, or anything that you need a straight line use liquid
wax resist. Dilute with water 1/2 or 1/1 then use a sponge to apply,
any type of sponge will work. I prefer to use one with a sharp smooth
edge that my finger can feel the pot through. The sponge cleans well
with warm water. Practice on an old pot I think you will like the
results. You can also mix a little kiln wash in with the wax to keep
lids from sticking.
.....................
This type of wax application really needs the right shape of brush: I use a
flat brush about an inch and a half wide that has bristles about 3/4 long.
The bristles come to a straight edge and that edge is thin when the brush
is wet. So if I wet the brush and then rested the edge on a paper the mark
would be a thin line....This shape allows me to run wax around a rim with
great control. Say I had a casserole with a gallery to hold a lid. I would
run the brush around the gallery with the handle end of the bristles
against the outside edge of the gallery. Then I would fill in the inside
area of the gallery. Yikes it's hard to describe this kind of thing. Let me
know if I haven't been clear. All I know is I would never dream of doing
this kind of waxing with a round or sumi type brush because the bristles
tend to become unruly.
...................
I apply wax resist with a small fine grained sponge instead of a brush.
I find that I can get a better "line" and have better control using the
sponge. There is one trick that must be mastered though; one hand for
the pots and one hand for the wax - and never mix the two.
........................
I use a latex resist and use a good-quality oil-paint brush (3/4"
flat). That seems to work the best for me. A steady hand also helps.
.................
I have a bat I covered on one side with foam rubber (glued on) that I place
on the wheel head, pour some water on it and get it spinning slowly. I take
the lid which has been dipped completely and dried and then place the rim
of
the lid lightly on the bat/foam rubber to remove the glaze. Works pretty
slick. It takes a little while to use the right touch, though. Too much
pressure
and too much glaze can come off.
..................
I've been watching the feedback on Clayart, and I'm surprised nobody's told
you about this classic way to resist/wax a lid rim:
First, place the bottom/base jar or casserole in the middle of your banding
or throwing wheel.
Second, place the lid UPSIDE DOWN in/on the bottom/base jar or casserole
(it won't fall through!). Make the wheel go round and fiddle with
everything until the lid is perfectly centered. (THIS IS REALLY EASY TO
DO)
Third, with the piece turning 'round, steadily bring the wax resist brush
down into/onto the rim and you'll have painted a nice, perfectly round
circle.
Hope this makes sense -- I learned it at a production pottery that I used
to belong to.
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