A crafts forum. CraftBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » CraftBanter forum » Craft related newsgroups » Pottery
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Christmas houses?



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #11  
Old December 12th 05, 11:52 PM posted to rec.crafts.pottery
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Christmas houses?


"Bill DeWitt" wrote in message
news
Steve Mills mentioned in passing :

Make them out of clay slabs cut from a pre-rolled sheet, using
cardboard templates.


Don't you then have to reduplicate detail for each piece? I was hoping
to save my miniature sculpture work by making a mold or template from
plaster. I am planning to make them "n scale" to match my trains, which
means each house would be about an inch or two high (1/160).


Oh my goodness! TALK about fiddly! Honestly, I would consider making the
houses out of balsa-wood or something like that instead. You can make
patterns using bendable sheet plastic. Some hobby stores at least have
thicker sheets for window-painting that are see-through and that you could
cut with a sharp knife.


I know that most people make larger ones, but that's why I want to make
my own. I probably should have mentioned that to begin with... I do
appreciate your response and any further suggestions you and fellow
Norwegian "Bubbles" might have.



"fellow Norwegian"? Is there another Norwegian on here I don't know about?



Marianne


Ads
  #12  
Old December 12th 05, 11:59 PM posted to rec.crafts.pottery
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Christmas houses?


"Xtra News" wrote in message
...

Well I did not want to be rude, but I was disagreeing )



Awww! How sweet! ;-)

What I mean exactly - generally people are taught to score the two
surfaces
of a join, then wet that down and bring up slurry with water worked into
it.
So you keep rubbing at the scored surface with a little water until you
have
a good wet thick clay area, then you press the two parts together.
I suggested you skip the scoring bit and just work up the thick slurry
instead because I think the scoring makes it messy, can introduce air and
IMO does not work better. Working up a good slurry, or even better using
terra sig makes joins that are strong. If you have trouble with joins
coming apart or cracking when drying painting around the join with brush
wax
helps, this is particularly useful for porcelain handles.
Terra sigilatta is the very finest of clay particles. Lots of info on it
if
you do a google search.


I always have a thick slurry in a box that I use to repair when I eg. bump
into a surface and make a gouge, or just to even up surfaces after hollowing
them with an iron.

I really do see your argument that scoring can introduce air. I am always
very careful to fill the areas to be joined with water and slurry before
joining them. BUT!!! I think you may be right that a thick slurry would do
the job better, as it will not change the properties of the clay (water
content) as much in the join as slurrying "my way" does. And I do think that
water content has a lot to say on how the piece wants to split later on.

As I am just now starting to do some experiments with making boxes (to have
my coffee and tea in in my kitchen), I will try your suggestion on a couple
and see how that goes.

Thanks!

Marianne





  #13  
Old December 13th 05, 03:16 AM posted to rec.crafts.pottery
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Christmas houses?


"Bill DeWitt" wrote in message
news
Steve Mills mentioned in passing :

Make them out of clay slabs cut from a pre-rolled sheet, using
cardboard templates.


Don't you then have to reduplicate detail for each piece? I was hoping
to save my miniature sculpture work by making a mold or template from
plaster. I am planning to make them "n scale" to match my trains, which
means each house would be about an inch or two high (1/160).

I know that most people make larger ones, but that's why I want to make
my own. I probably should have mentioned that to begin with... I do
appreciate your response and any further suggestions you and fellow
Norwegian "Bubbles" might have.

Should we assume that you know about shrinkage?


  #14  
Old December 13th 05, 03:24 AM posted to rec.crafts.pottery
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Christmas houses?


"Xtra News" wrote in message
...
If you have trouble with joins coming apart or cracking when drying
painting around the join with brush wax helps, this is particularly useful
for porcelain handles.
Terra sigilatta is the very finest of clay particles. Lots of info on it
if you do a google search.


Another means of keeping joints from cracking is to paint the joined area
with wax (latex). That allows the moisture content of the wet to dry area
equal out better.

Donna


  #15  
Old December 13th 05, 03:44 AM posted to rec.crafts.pottery
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Christmas houses?

dkat mentioned in passing :

Should we assume that you know about shrinkage?


Yes, thanks. As these are just for my own use and are truly decorations,
the disparity will not matter.


  #16  
Old December 13th 05, 09:40 AM posted to rec.crafts.pottery
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Christmas houses?


"Bubbles" wrote in message
...

"Xtra News" wrote in message
...

Well I did not want to be rude, but I was disagreeing )



Awww! How sweet! ;-)

What I mean exactly - generally people are taught to score the two
surfaces
of a join, then wet that down and bring up slurry with water worked into
it.
So you keep rubbing at the scored surface with a little water until you
have
a good wet thick clay area, then you press the two parts together.
I suggested you skip the scoring bit and just work up the thick slurry
instead because I think the scoring makes it messy, can introduce air and
IMO does not work better. Working up a good slurry, or even better using
terra sig makes joins that are strong. If you have trouble with joins
coming apart or cracking when drying painting around the join with brush
wax
helps, this is particularly useful for porcelain handles.
Terra sigilatta is the very finest of clay particles. Lots of info on it
if
you do a google search.


I always have a thick slurry in a box that I use to repair when I eg. bump
into a surface and make a gouge, or just to even up surfaces after
hollowing
them with an iron.

I really do see your argument that scoring can introduce air. I am always
very careful to fill the areas to be joined with water and slurry before
joining them. BUT!!! I think you may be right that a thick slurry would do
the job better, as it will not change the properties of the clay (water
content) as much in the join as slurrying "my way" does. And I do think
that
water content has a lot to say on how the piece wants to split later on.

As I am just now starting to do some experiments with making boxes (to
have
my coffee and tea in in my kitchen), I will try your suggestion on a
couple
and see how that goes.

Thanks!

Marianne



When making boxes it is best to cut edges at an angle, so that they meet
like the corner of a picture frame. I think in carpentry they call it a
mitred corner??
Work with leather hard clay so that it is not going to buckle and sag, and
when putting the two edges together be very firm with pressing them
together, some paddling towards the join is a good idea too.
Good luck with your boxes )


  #17  
Old December 13th 05, 10:00 AM posted to rec.crafts.pottery
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Christmas houses?


"Xtra News" wrote in message
...


When making boxes it is best to cut edges at an angle, so that they meet
like the corner of a picture frame. I think in carpentry they call it a
mitred corner??
Work with leather hard clay so that it is not going to buckle and sag, and
when putting the two edges together be very firm with pressing them
together, some paddling towards the join is a good idea too.
Good luck with your boxes )



Tried that a few times, but find it very fidly. Do you have any special tool
you use to get the angles right? Also, using that method, would eg. a 10x10
cm box made of 10x10 squares stay 10 cm? I did one last night, using just
end-to-side joins, and the box is now about 11 cm, which meant that the
bottom I had cut 10x10 was a tad too small.

Marianne


  #18  
Old December 13th 05, 01:00 PM posted to rec.crafts.pottery
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Christmas houses?

Tool for cutting a 45 degree angle on a slab end.
Materials:
An *L* shaped piece of wood or MDF about 1 inch thick & 2 inches long on
each leg.
a short length of very fine wire (Fuse wire?)
2 thumb tacks (drawing pins)

Stretch the wire between the upright and the horizontal legs, secure
with the thumb tacks on the back of the L.

Turn it upside down.
You now have a 45 degree edge cutter!

Tada!

Steve


In article , Bubbles
writes

"Xtra News" wrote in message
...


When making boxes it is best to cut edges at an angle, so that they meet
like the corner of a picture frame. I think in carpentry they call it a
mitred corner??
Work with leather hard clay so that it is not going to buckle and sag, and
when putting the two edges together be very firm with pressing them
together, some paddling towards the join is a good idea too.
Good luck with your boxes )



Tried that a few times, but find it very fidly. Do you have any special tool
you use to get the angles right? Also, using that method, would eg. a 10x10
cm box made of 10x10 squares stay 10 cm? I did one last night, using just
end-to-side joins, and the box is now about 11 cm, which meant that the
bottom I had cut 10x10 was a tad too small.

Marianne



--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
  #19  
Old December 13th 05, 03:59 PM posted to rec.crafts.pottery
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Christmas houses?


"Bubbles" wrote :

Oh my goodness! TALK about fiddly!


I enjoy making small carvings. Not enough to make similar ones over and
over again 8-) hence the desire for a process, but in general I find it
relaxing.

I have decided to press them into flat plaster molds like some people do
decorative tiles. I want to test to see if I can accurately miter the edges
(perhaps with a sponge) or if I will have to make end cap looking things.

I don't want wood or plastic because I want them to be very nice.

"fellow Norwegian"?


Although my surname is Dutch and my home is the US, my genetics and
culture are largely Norse. I'm a little consious of it these days because
I'm trying to recreate some of that heritage for my family. I apologize for
mentioning it.


  #20  
Old December 13th 05, 09:23 PM posted to rec.crafts.pottery
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Christmas houses?


"Steve Mills" wrote in message
...
Tool for cutting a 45 degree angle on a slab end.
Materials:
An *L* shaped piece of wood or MDF about 1 inch thick & 2 inches long on
each leg.
a short length of very fine wire (Fuse wire?)
2 thumb tacks (drawing pins)

Stretch the wire between the upright and the horizontal legs, secure
with the thumb tacks on the back of the L.

Turn it upside down.
You now have a 45 degree edge cutter!

Tada!



Hehe! TADA!

Except that I can't quite imagine how I would use it to cut, as you say it
has to be thick. If I could make the L out of thin, but stiff metal, I can
see how I could lay the horizontal of the L on the table and run the tool
along the edge of the piece, but how would I do it with a thick piece of
wood?

Thanks, though! Have printed your instructions and will hand them to hubby
to ponder - the perks of being married to an engineer :-)

Marianne


 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
OT - the 12 cats of Christmas Kandice Seeber Beads 6 December 16th 04 04:31 PM
OT - Favorite Time of the Year vj Beads 2 December 8th 04 03:22 AM
OT - A Dog's Christmas Promises LN \(remove NOSPAM\) Quilting 5 December 24th 03 05:14 AM
Merry Christmas Cats spampot Sewing 0 December 21st 03 11:52 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 07:54 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 CraftBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.