gambaru on thu 27 aug 98
Paul or Vince
Would it be possible to give a few details about the large plaster slabs,
the "gorgeous ones". Collecting info re paper clay and these sound like a
very important tool for the process. Thanks a bunch. MB
-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Lewing
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Tuesday, August 25, 1998 9:47 AM
Subject: Re: Firing Large Tiles
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I've never used it, but this sounds like a perfect situation for the
>use of paperclay. You can make whatever clay you're already using
>into paperclay. When I was at Appalachian Center for Crafts this
>summer, Rosette Gault was teaching a paperclay workshop in the
>adjoining studio. They were laying pclay out on these gorgeous
>plaster slabs- STACKS of plaster slabs two feet square that Vince had
>made for the workshop- and picking the slabs up when they were wet,
>flipping them around, twisting them, and then letting them dry. No
>warps, no cracks. And if one should ever happen to crack, you just
>fill the crack with more pclay. It was amazing.
>
>Paul Lewing, Seattle
>
Paul Lewing on fri 28 aug 98
gambaru wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Paul or Vince
>
> Would it be possible to give a few details about the large plaster slabs,
> the "gorgeous ones". Collecting info re paper clay and these sound like a
> very important tool for the process. Thanks a bunch. MB
I hope Vince sees this and responds, because he could tell you more
about them than I could. I just saw them sitting there, I didn't make
them or use them. Anyway, these plaster slabs were about two feet
square, and were cast inside 1" x 2" wood frames. I don't know if
they had any reinforcement in them. And when I first saw them, they
had not been used yet and were in these nice neat stacks with spacers
in between them. It was impressive, but right in keeping with the
level of equipment and maintenance at Appalachian Center for Crafts.
Paul Lewing, Seattle
Vince Pitelka on fri 28 aug 98
>Would it be possible to give a few details about the large plaster slabs,
>the "gorgeous ones". Collecting info re paper clay and these sound like a
>very important tool for the process. Thanks a bunch. MB
MB -
For her workshop this summer at the Appalachian Center for Crafts, Rosette
Gault asked us to make a few plaster slabs for stiffening paper clay slurry.
Since we perpetually have a problem with students spreading their scrap
slurry on the wedging tables to stiffen it up, I decided to make a large
number of nice plaster slabs which be appropriate for that application and
would also meet Rosette's needs. I simply purchased some good quality 2x4s,
ripped them into 1"x1 1/2" strips, and cut, drilled and screwed these strips
together to make a series of frames 24"x24" by 1 1/2" deep. Every few
inches along the edges of this frame I screwed a galvanized steel deck-screw
in towards the center of the frame, so that they extended into the center
space a few inches, to hold the plaster in place. I sealed the frames down
to a smooth LEVEL table (formica top) with soft clay around the outside,
brushed the inside surfaces with mold soap, and poured them full of plaster.
Be sure not to use any oil-base mold-release compound, because it will leave
the plaster less receptive to water. As I remember, each frame required a
mix of about two gallons of water and 22 lbs of plaster.
When the plaster was partially set up, I scraped the top surface with a
stainless steel rib to get it nice and smooth. Once the plaster was well
set up (once it became warm to the touch and then cooled off again), a light
prying with a putty knife easily lifted the slabs from the table. In a
humid atmosphere, with no applied heat source, such slabs need a month or so
to dry completely before they are ready for use. In a dry atmosphere, or in
a drybox, as long as they are stacked with an air-space between each one,
they should dry off in a week or so.
Good luck -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
Home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801, fax 615/597-6803
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Mike Gordon on sat 29 aug 98
Hi,
I dry my plaster bats under the kiln during a bisque firing, over nite
drying!, Mike
Evan Dresel on sun 30 aug 98
Gee Vince, sounds a bit complicated but I guess whatever works.
When I made my plaster slab I just used 2x2 stock so I didn't have to rip
2x4s, cut them to size of the edges of about a 2' by 2' piece of scrap 1/4"
plywood, used drywall screws & wood glue to attach the 2x2 to plywood making
a shallow box (no stinking predrilling needed with drywall screws). Filled
that with plaster. Ok so I only get one useable side but I think the
plywood bottom makes it rugged as well as simple.
Just think this may be an easier option for folks.
-- Evan who out did himself in greasy food consumption at the county fair.
At 10:20 AM 8-28-98 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Snip...
> Rosette
>Gault asked us to make a few plaster slabs for stiffening paper clay slurry.
>Since we perpetually have a problem with students spreading their scrap
>slurry on the wedging tables to stiffen it up, I decided to make a large
>number of nice plaster slabs which be appropriate for that application and
>would also meet Rosette's needs. I simply purchased some good quality 2x4s,
>ripped them into 1"x1 1/2" strips, and cut, drilled and screwed these strips
>together to make a series of frames 24"x24" by 1 1/2" deep. Every few
>inches along the edges of this frame I screwed a galvanized steel deck-screw
>in towards the center of the frame, so that they extended into the center
>space a few inches, to hold the plaster in place. I sealed the frames down
>to a smooth LEVEL table (formica top) with soft clay around the outside,
>brushed the inside surfaces with mold soap, and poured them full of plaster.
>Be sure not to use any oil-base mold-release compound, because it will leave
>the plaster less receptive to water. As I remember, each frame required a
>mix of about two gallons of water and 22 lbs of plaster.
>
>When the plaster was partially set up, I scraped the top surface with a
>stainless steel rib to get it nice and smooth. Once the plaster was well
>set up (once it became warm to the touch and then cooled off again), a light
>prying with a putty knife easily lifted the slabs from the table. In a
>humid atmosphere, with no applied heat source, such slabs need a month or so
>to dry completely before they are ready for use. In a dry atmosphere, or in
>a drybox, as long as they are stacked with an air-space between each one,
>they should dry off in a week or so.
>Good luck -
>- Vince
>
>Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
>Home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801, fax 615/597-6803
>Appalachian Center for Crafts
>Tennessee Technological University
>1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
>
>
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