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Article #174: Useful Accessories For Ceramic Work

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When you're building up your ceramics you will need an assortment of heavy
workshop you're going to need a litany of rubber bands to hold together
tools including a wedging wire, wedging multi-pieced molds while casting
board and soft hair brushes for greenware. Cutting cross-sections out of
decorating your work. Though these tools old, discarded innertubes should supply
are important, there are other tools that you with more than enough.
will help you create wonderful ceramics Your studio should also have crocks or
including plaster bats and banding large glass jars for holding moist clay
wheels. and slip. The one-gallon jars used for
A plaster bat is much more desirable work packing pickles can be utilized for this
surface for beginners than an oilcloth. purpose.
It not only provides a sturdier support, A sieve is also among the much-used
but it also keeps objects moist while you workshop implements. The obvious use of
are working on them. Unglazed biscuit the sieve is to strain partially hardened
tiles, 4x4 and 6x6 inches, are adequate lumps and impurities from slip before
for most projects. They may be purchased pouring it into a mold.
from a ceramics supply house for a few Closely resembling the strainer is the
cents apiece. scratch-box, which is used for a much
The plaster bat is a porous platform on different purpose: to level the irregular
which you can work. By sprinkling it with edges of pottery. A scratch-box can be
water as you work, you can keep the piece quickly made by nailing together four
on which you're working in a moist, 18-inch boards to form a box. Across the
plastic state for a long period of time. top, tack down a sheet of grit cloth. By
By the same token, a bat can be used for holding a piece of greenware
the reverse purpose - to dry a piece of perpendicular to the cloth abrasive, and
clay, which is too moist for immediate carefully rubbing it across the surface,
work. The porous surface will extract you can even up the bottoms and tops of
excess moisture from the clay. pottery.
A whirler or banding wheel is also a If you want to get the most out of your
sound investment for the ceramist who has tools, you should take good care of them.
advanced far enough to furnish his own Keep them clean. Don't leave them soaking
studio. Primarily such a wheel is used in water but wipe them with a damp cloth
for decorating pottery. The top turns and then dry them thoroughly. Metal tools
freely and so makes it possible for you should periodically be wiped with an
to rotate your work constantly. By oil-soaked cloth to prevent rusting.
holding a paintbrush against the surface Plaster surfaces such as bats and wedging
as it spins, you can paint straight and boards should be kept dry and clean. When
even bands of color on such things as you are through with them, you should
vases and mugs. A whirler can also double wipe them dry with a damp sponge to
as a small potter's wheel for forming remove clay particles.
pottery pieces and small ceramic figures. All tools deserve good treatment and any
After you have reached the stage where ceramist worthy of the name has as much
you have made or acquired your own molds, respect for his tools as for the clay.






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