Ellen Currans on mon 10 jan 05
In a message dated 1/9/05 7:52:56 PM !!!First Boot!!!, graphicart@EPSI.NET
writes:
> Still trying to find the best slip trailer for my purpose--when I get out of
> the house will go the bicycle inner tube route, but for now the Murine ear
> syringe with a cocktail straw taped in its little maw has worked best...
>
>
Dear Kate,
I used to do very fine slip trailing (actually oxide colored glaze trailing
on top of a white base glaze at cone 10). I tried the bycycle inner tube route
using a cork with the ink tube from a pen inserted in it, and a rubber band
on the other end. Worked really great, and feels good in your hand, but messy.
Made a nice fine line without the "burping" of an ear syringe.
Then I moved on to converting small White Glue bottles into slip trailers.
These used to cost 29 cents but probably are now up to 79 cents. Twist off the
orange top which opens and closes the bottle which leaves you with a screw
lid with a hole in it. Dump the glue into something else and wash clean. For
the tip you need one of the plastic syringes sold in woodworking supply catalogs
or stores for applying glue. Throw away the plunger part and cut off the top
end -- the tip including the shoulder-- just so it will fit into the screw
top of the glue bottle. This will leave you with a tip about 1 1/2 inches long
with a small flange. If you cut it too small you may need a washer to keep it
from leaking. When I bought my syringes they cost $12 for 12, and I bought
the packet so I could make up slip trailers for all the colors I was using.
I have small hands so this fits comfortably in my hand. You could use a
larger glue bottle, and I have also used the same tip inserted in hair coloring
bottles. You have to very careful with these small tips to have your slip well
sieved before you use it.
A very small stainless pin will close the tip to keep it from drying out.
You could cut the tip shorter if you wanted a thicker line, but I liked the very
fine lines.
Ellen Currans
Dundee, Oregon
Kate Johnson on tue 11 jan 05
Hi Ellen! Thanks for the tips (of COURSE pun intended!)--I'll check out the
syringes. Wonder if I could find them in an art supply catalog online?
Yesterday's adventures included making a pair of 18th C. style slip
trailers, starting with pinch pots. One of my books on antique pottery
showed a similar one, and Mary Wondraush had more sketches in her book, so I
took off from there. One's very ergonomically fitted to my hand, and
designed so it should sit well without inadvertantly spilling slip when not
in use--it will be capable of up to 4 parallel lines, but some of the holes
can be blocked if I want fewer. (You apparently use quills--or straws--in
the holes. We'll see!)
The second is smaller and lighter, and will hold less slip...I made the
"spout" integral with the body this time instead of applying a piece to the
outside...it has smaller holes, too. It looked so much like a fanciful
animal with the spout as nose that I couldn't resist giving it vestigial
eyes on either side. Oughta be good for a laugh.
Neither of these will do really fine lines, but they should be capable of
the simpler decorations used in the less expensive pottery of the time, and
I'll be able to do demonstrations at historic sites with them. (Inner tubes
and glue bottles aren't really all that "period," as we say, though I can
see using gut sausage casing and bird quills in the same way...)
Besides, I'm curious. After settling on a feather as the best tool to do
feathering with (such a shock), I'm wondering if perhaps some of the
earliest style of tools also wouldn't work well to create the early style of
_pottery_.
>
>
> I used to do very fine slip trailing (actually oxide colored glaze
> trailing
> on top of a white base glaze at cone 10). I tried the bycycle inner tube
> route
> using a cork with the ink tube from a pen inserted in it, and a rubber
> band
> on the other end. Worked really great, and feels good in your hand, but
> messy.
They LOOK messy, yep. Still haven't gotten anywhere to find inner tubes...
> Made a nice fine line without the "burping" of an ear syringe.
I HATE the burping! Yesterday's attempts went better, though--maybe my hand
is learning how much pressure to use and how quickly to move.
>
For
> the tip you need one of the plastic syringes sold in woodworking supply
> catalogs
> or stores for applying glue. Throw away the plunger part and cut off the
> top
> end -- the tip including the shoulder-- just so it will fit into the screw
> top of the glue bottle. This will leave you with a tip about 1 1/2 inches
> long
> with a small flange. If you cut it too small you may need a washer to
> keep it
> from leaking. When I bought my syringes they cost $12 for 12, and I
> bought
> the packet so I could make up slip trailers for all the colors I was
> using.
> I have small hands so this fits comfortably in my hand. You could use a
> larger glue bottle, and I have also used the same tip inserted in hair
> coloring
> bottles. You have to very careful with these small tips to have your slip
> well
> sieved before you use it.
Yes, I've definitely discovered how important THAT is!
> A very small stainless pin will close the tip to keep it from drying out.
Excellent suggestion, thank you!
> You could cut the tip shorter if you wanted a thicker line, but I liked
> the very
> fine lines.
I do too, and I'm not there yet. I like the lattice edges Thomas Toft
produced (God I am a bear for punishment!)
Thank you for your helpful suggestions!
Best--
Kate
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