Snail Scott on sun 21 oct 01
The neatest cutter I have seen was made like a cookie
cutter, though a bit deeper. It had a matched wooden
insert which fitted exactly. The wood was used to push
the clay out of the cutter without distortion.
I'd guess the best way to make this would be to make
the wood first, and bend the metal strip around it for
a good fit. A drawer-pull knob on the wooden part might
make it even easier to use.
-Snail
Richard Jeffery on sun 21 oct 01
I've tried this, and the obvious doesn't work so well. you will need a
wooden former or something to help form the metal cutter, but it is unlikely
that it will be an exact match - unless you are good at bending metal ( I
wasn't). of course, a loose fit might be fine, but if you need a tight fit,
make another wooden shape to fit the metal former - it's easier to sand
bits of the edge of wood until you get the sort of fit you need... it might
help to sharpen the cutting edge a bit too - especially if the clay is
grogged...
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
Behalf Of Snail Scott
Sent: 21 October 2001 19:39
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: Need advice on cutting stars
The neatest cutter I have seen was made like a cookie
cutter, though a bit deeper. It had a matched wooden
insert which fitted exactly. The wood was used to push
the clay out of the cutter without distortion.
I'd guess the best way to make this would be to make
the wood first, and bend the metal strip around it for
a good fit. A drawer-pull knob on the wooden part might
make it even easier to use.
-Snail
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Janet Kaiser on mon 22 oct 01
Sorry to disagree with all the fans of the extruder,
but I do not think that would be a good method of
making stars. Even a cookie cutter without a press down
form of some sort (preferably wood so it won't stick)
will be difficult. It is not the method, but the shape
which is the problem here... STARS.
Those points are going to curl badly unless they are
made without the clay being bent or stretched. Indeed
all the problems of making tiles which do not warp are
10-fold with stars... The points dry out much quicker
than the middle and can curl whilst you watch them! I
do not know if it is the much discussed "clay memory"
or not, but they obviously feel they really like
curling!
What you need is a cookie-cutter type shape with a
wooden press exactly the same shape. You cut the clay
and press down with the wood in the middle then remove
the cutter, in much the same way a tile-cutter works. A
good do-it-yourselfer should be able to make a wooden
former using a jig saw.
But to answer the original question... I do not think
you are going to find a really "quick" method unless
you make a mould of several and slip-cast many at a
time. After all 6,000 are a lot of stars! That
therefore calls for a real manufacturing process,
rather than laborious hand-making especially as you are
already weary!
I am presuming you have already tried out your
porcelain through the whole process? I would hate to
think you will have lots of curly stars, although the
high temperature should help to flatten them in the
firing. At least in theory.
Just my 2 pence worth!
Janet Kaiser
The Chapel of Art . Capel Celfyddyd
HOME OF THE INTERNATIONAL POTTERS' PATH
Criccieth LL52 0EA, GB-Wales Tel: (01766) 523570
E-mail: postbox@the-coa.org.uk
WEBSITE: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
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